Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Fast Fleet test – living with a 191mph four-door

Last time a Giulia Quadrifoglio joined the Fast Fleet fold was in 2021. Its keeper, Adam Towler, fell for its charms so wholeheartedly that he didn’t want to give it back. A few weeks into life with this Misano Blue example, I know how he felt. This is the facelifted Quadrifoglio, and it’s a difficult car to dislike.

Since our last Quadrifoglio – itself a minor facelift of the 2015 original – the model had undergone another moderate update with this car. The biggest change was a new mechanical limited-slip differential in place of the old e­‑diff, which had a tendency to be a little unpredictable in its response on the limit and was prone to overheating on track. Other changes include new headlights and trim, updated software for the adaptive dampers, an extra 10bhp (for a 513bhp total) and an updated instrument cluster that’s now fully digital.

> Alfa Romeo Giulia review – get one while you still can

As before, that power comes from the remarkable 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 and is sent to the rear wheels only. Maximum torque remains at 442lb ft. The power increase was first applied to the 100th Anniversario special edition for 2023, and some of that car’s other upgrades have been mapped across as part of the facelift too: the ‘3+3’ headlight graphics for one, plus the ‘3D’ open-weave carbonfibre trim liberally applied throughout the interior. I’m not convinced by the latter; to my eyes the old gloss-finish carbon looked smarter and the new rough-to-the-touch version looks a little unfinished (particularly as you can see where it’s been cut to fit around the switchgear if you look closely). But it is a reminder that this is a car far from the ordinary, as is the lovely band of exposed carbonfibre that runs around the inside of the carbon bonnet and which is visible from the driver’s seat.

In theory you can set-and-forget the new LED matrix lights to full beam at night and let them automatically adapt on the fly, but I can never quite bring myself to trust such systems and I’ve been keeping to manual control so far.

A 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster sits inside the traditional tunnelled cowlings and includes a Race mode layout with shift-up lights for when you’re in manual mode. As before, an eight-speed automatic transmission is standard – the manual gearbox option isn’t offered in the UK – and distinctive large metal blades are mounted to the steering column for paddleshift control.

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The rest of the infotainment system and many of the car’s functions are controlled through the central screen mid-dash, which as before is a touchscreen but can be controlled by a click-wheel behind the gear selector too. It’s not the slickest or most up-to-date system, but it works well enough. Early on in the Alfa’s time here, I delved into the screen’s menus to disable the comfort entry/exit setting, which automatically motors the driver’s seat backwards when the driver’s door handle is pulled to leave the car, squashing my bag if I’ve placed it behind the seat. One thing I can’t work out how to switch off is the ear-piercing electronic beep that’s emitted every time I lock and unlock the car, which causes anybody and everybody nearby to jump and stare at me. If you know how, please get in touch.

Performance figures are the same as previously: 0-62mph in 3.9sec and a 191mph top speed. Those are supercar-worthy numbers, let alone supersaloon, and yet it’s amazing how tractable, quiet and docile the Giulia can feel when driven gently. Around town and on the motorway it’s as easy and comfortable as more or less any regular saloon car. And it’s equally amazing what an absolute animal it can become when let off its leash. We snuck onto Anglesey Circuit during the test of the Powerflex V8-engined Mini to grab the cornering shot on the previous pages and found the new diff really does work well: you can place the Giulia with far more precision than before, and it’s a more intuitive car at the limit than before too.

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As with all cars, the Giulia became a little more expensive post-update, its basic price now £86,995 (October 2025). Ours has two options, one being the Misano Blue paintwork at £700 (solid Alfa Red is the only no-cost paint option), the other the ADAS Level 2 pack that is new for the 2024 update. Adding to the standard Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert and Active Blind Spot Assist, ADAS Level 2 includes a more sophisticated adaptive cruise control system which can also stop and pull away autonomously in traffic jams. Frankly it’s a £1100 box I would happily leave unticked. 

The Giulia Quadrifoglio has long been listed as the top choice in the Saloons/Estates/SUVs section of evo’s Knowledge section, with good reason. Let’s see if longer exposure to the Giulia in its updated form will further cement its place at the top or reveal a few more flaws. Or perhaps both – it is an Alfa, after all.