ABDC 2018: Alfa Romeo Giulia QV

1st place

Why is it here?

Because it was unranked at ABDC 2017, where incorrect suspension geometry led to nervous steering, instability under brakes and excessive front tyre wear.

At the time, we said the Giulia QV – the crucial headline act in Alfa Romeo’s rebirth – would be invited back to ABDC 2018, and what a comeback it was.

Given that variations of the same Giorgio platform also underpin the born-again Giulia ‘Sprint’ Coupe, the upcoming Stelvio SUV, two other SUVs, and replacements for the MiTo and 166, the Giulia’s importance to Alfa Romeo cannot be understated.

Throw in the fact the range-topping QV, the hero of the Giulia sports sedan line-up, is Alfa’s first direct rival for the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C 63, and there’s a lot riding on this car.

Besides, all of us love the Giulia QV and it would have been a travesty for set-up issues to have prevented the first rear-drive Alfa sports sedan in decades from having a proper crack at ABDC.

What’s under the bonnet?

We’ve written plenty about the Giulia QV, which was launched in Australia in February 2017, and its cracking 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6. Matched to a rapid-shift eight-speed ZF auto as standard, it sends an M3-beating 375kW and 600Nm to the rear wheels.

Other key figures that reinforce the Giulia QV’s sports sedan credentials include claimed 0-100km/h acceleration in 3.9sec, a 307km/h top speed, torque vectoring, 50:50 front-to-rear weight distribution and a super-quick 11.8:1 steering ratio returning just two turns lock to lock.

There are also bespoke Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres on 19-inch alloys, six-pot Brembo front brake calipers biting into 360mm cross-drilled rotors and a carbon-fibre roof, bonnet and (active) front splitter.

And if you’re still unsure about the positioning of this red-blooded sports sedan, there’s even the option of lighter carbon-shell Sparco front seats and (even pricier) carbon-ceramic brakes.

>>Get all the 2018 Australia's Best Driver's Car results here

How does it perform?

The short answer is brilliantly – with the right suspension geometry. This example was problem-free (at least in terms of performance) and at the pointy end of the field in every test.

Its 4.9sec 0-100km/h time, for example, was topped only by the BMW M5, Audi RS 5 quattro and Mercedes-AMG E 63 S 4MATIC+, and it also ranked fourth over the quarter-mile, where it posted the third-highest 400m trap speed.

Proving it’s no lead-tipped arrow, it finished even higher in the pecking order at Winton Motor Raceway, where it lapped the tight, technical circuit slightly quicker than the BMW and was outclassed only by the AMG.

And this time, both on road and track, there was no inconsistent steering, no twitchiness under brakes and no excessive tyre wear.

In fact, our resident racer and Bathurst 1000 winner Luke Youlden heaped praise on the Giulia QV after his Winton session, describing it as “very fast, great sounding and blessed with a great engine/gearbox package”.

Indeed, on paper, the Italian sedan’s relatively low 1585kg kerb weight gives it the best power-to-weight number of all cars here except the M5.

Youlden said the Alfa’s quick steering was less noticeable (read: less intimidating, for some) on track, where the auto’s tightly packed gear ratios “made it feel like a race car”, and that the lusty turbo V6 made it easy to break traction even on wide, sticky Pirelli rubber (245/35 front, 285/30 rear).

His only real complaints at the track were the steering column-mounted gearshift paddles, which made shifting difficult while turning, and the visual and audible distraction of the hazard lights activating under hard braking.

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Is it worth the asking price?

At just under $144,000 (plus on-road costs), the Giulia QV is more than $13,000 cheaper than the C 63 S sedan and $14,000 pricier than the most affordable M3.

For the money – apart from an epic powertrain, well-balanced chassis and carbon-rich body – you get big-ticket items like three-mode variable damping, Alcantara/leather-clad and powered sports front seats, a flat-bottom steering wheel with red start button, 8.8-inch infotainment touch-screen, 14-speaker/900-Watt Harman Kardon sound, adaptive cruise control, lane-departure warning, blind-spot monitoring and a 480-litre boot.

Also on-par is a three-year/100,000km warranty, 12-month/15,000km service intervals, servicing capped at $2189 over three years and 98 RON premium unleaded consumption of 8.2L/100km (ADR Combined).

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What do the judges think?

Unlike last year, all judges at ABDC 2018 were unanimous in their praise for the Giulia QV, and not just because of its stellar on-track numbers.

Yes, there were more than a few design and build quality issues, such as the lack of steering wheel-mounted paddles, the offset brake pedal, unintuitive infotainment system, some flimsy feeling controls, a broken driver’s seat adjustment switch, a click in the driver’s seat and an alarm that activated for no apparent reason.

But this is Australia’s Best Driver’s Car, where such ownership issues take a back-seat to how a car makes you feel, and on that score nothing matched the Alfa Romeo.

On any road, the Giulia QV was as quick as the M5 and E 63 S 4MATIC+, but its livelier steering and ballistic rear-drive performance made it more enjoyable to drive.

With 600Nm on tap between 2500 and 5000rpm (and crisp response available everywhere) it was easy to drive on the throttle and its quick, precise and well connected steering delivered prodigious feedback, even if some judges felt it was too light.

Similarly, with some familiarity, brakes that initially feel a bit wooden soon offer phenomenal retardation and even better feel than the MX-5.

This allows you to exploit the car’s unrivalled turn-in bite deep into corners and its perfect chassis balance mid-corner, where mechanical grip levels are high and breakaway behaviour progressive.

A wide range of chassis settings deliver real differences to engine, transmission, steering and suspension performance, but the Alfa always sits flat in corners and never rides uncomfortably.

Blending practical medium sedan with ferocious four-door like no other car here, the Alfa isn’t just about a potent turbo six that delivers a spine-tingling exhaust crackle on overrun. It combines startling engine performance with grip, balance and playfulness better than any other car in ABDC 2018, giving its driver the most confidence and greatest rewards.

One judge described the hottest Giulia as a four-door Ferrari that’s also the first proper Alfa since the Alfetta. What’s certain is that if X-factor is the brief here, the QV nails it like no other.

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2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia QV pricing and specifications:

Price: $143,900 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.9-litre six-cylinder twin-turbo-petrol
Output: 375kW/600Nm
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Fuel: 8.2L/100km (ADR Combined), 16.5L/100km (as tested)
CO2: 189g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Five-star ANCAP

2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia QV performance figures (as tested):

0-100km/h: 4.9sec
0-400m: 12.487sec @ 190.9km/h
Lap time: 1:35.231sec

Related reading:

>> Alfa Romeo Giulia QV Review