As an owner, I've never had a car that made me take more pictures of it, or look back at it more than this. Well, that's if you could peel me out of the driver's seat. 12.8mpg helps with that, though. Kinda keep my Quadrifoglio in Race. ALWAYS. ;)
@@yabo1 smiles per mile. No point having a performance car if you drive it without enjoying it. I have a Jeep SRT that drives and sounds amazing. I didn’t buy it for its mpg.
Currently own a qv. Had 3 M3's before the qv. Loved the older n/a m3s. Great cars, lost interest after the e92, the f80 and g80 don't really do it for me..the fake sound alone was enough. The qv is a master piece. Feels like a supercar with 4 doors. Absolutely insane machine in race mode, and sounds beautiful. Steering and general handling are nuts. It's just feels so alive yet so balanced and planted at the same time
Six years ago, Alfa Romeo showed the world how you build the best sports sedan that marries all critical attributes of a rear drive sports sedan i.e. daily ride comfort, superb chassis, all around performance, light weight, quick steering, unmatched V6 exhaust note, rapid throttle response, and beauty. Hagerty immediately named the car to its list of future classics when the car was introduced. These days, it takes more than just speed to be special. And that’s where the Giulia’s chassis continues to shine review after review 6 years after its birth. It’s a keeper.
Lol nah; this new BMW M3 sounds much better, even the video author acknowledges that. Far more raw and nostalgic. The Alfa still looks better but BMW have caught up now, the G80 looks aggressive and modern. Alfa were sleeping the past 6 years; I suspect they were a bit financially cash-strapped after all their efforts went into making the Giulia line so visually perfect 6 years ago.
@@netweed09 the M3 makes fake engine noises trough the speakers. The problem of Alfa or FCA (now Stellantis) never was the money. They just cant make a good car and keep it going. Ive always said that Alfa could have been the italian BMW (which it was before Fiat took over it) and that Alfa was too much for Fiat. Thanks to Marchionne who loved the brand and knew the potential of the brand, they invested 5 billion € to make this platform and it should have had 7-8 models. Unfortunately after Giulia and Stelvio, Marchionne died and the other idiots in FCA did nothing except oft the 2020 updated model. Now with Stellantis Alfa gets investements for the next 5-10 years and the CEO of Stellantis and the new CEO of Alfa are Alfa fans and until now the new CEO is doing a good job. Maybe this is the last real chance for Alfa.
You called it right! If you live in California or any other place that has rough roads and potholes the M3 is still too stiff and fatiguing. Why they do that is beyond me. The Alfa ride quality is so much better and the chassis is MAGIC. It is the only sedan made today that feels like a 2-seater and seems to defy gravity. And the JOY of the Giulia is incomparable. A test drive doesn't explain it. I've owned many supercars including Ferraris and the QV is the best hands down. And it is dependable. When I climb in the driver's seat I can't hide the fact that I'm so lucky to own one. And this is 3 years in. Never gets old....only better.
Well said mate. Like you, I have been fortunate enough to own Maseratis and drive quite a number of Ferraris. This QV is just as much fun, has a really comfortable ride and gives the same feeling of accelerating hard in a Ferrari. You can tell this car was made by drivers for drivers.
Nailed it. The fact that the principal designers for the QV were the guy that designed the Speciale, and the guy that designed the F154 motor is clear the moment you sit in it. Everything's just right. The Ferrari-ness just oozes out of every corner, from the paddles that stay where they're supposed to, to that red button on the steering wheel that makes the real magic happen. You press it. The dials flicker to life with a heartbeat pulse, and the Alfa Romeo logo shimmers across the screen... The rumble begins. You turn the DNA dial all the way to the right, then press a little further, as the resistance relents and it enables Race. The exhaust valve opens. The rumble becomes a roar. Pull the shift lever all the way back, then left once. Now you're in control, that is if you can stop giggling like an idiot. Someone please tell me how to stop giggling. It's been two years. People are starting to wonder if I'm schizophrenic. I try to show them the Alfa key but they don't get it because they don't have one. Halp. Edit- forgot to mention I'm at 29k with my Quadrifoglio and I've had three warranty repairs. All cosmetic parts. Mechanically, it's been perfect, and I totally drive it like I stole it.
@@Krasshirsch No doubt German roads are good, but I live in Australia where German Performance cars are too stiiff. The Alfa Guilia QV has a better ride and on top of that is a more entertaining drive.
If I lived outside the US, I'd absolutely own this Alfa, but I happen to live in California. Here, Alfa dealerships are few and far between, dealer service is sketchy at best and a nightmare at worst, parts are hard to get, cars languish at the shop for months, etc, etc. It's not a coincidence that the most vocal supporters of the brand are not in the US... makes me sad but that's how it is.
The Alfa has character, soul and such a passionate car to drive. Sure the M3 puts out slight better numbers, but at the end of the day it’s all about how a car makes you feel. To this day I get that fuzzy feeling inside when I go for a spirited drive….Alfa for me no doubt! Reliability? Nearly bulletproof in my ownership.
@@bc8580 only people that are willing to give Alfa a chance will understand this. You really have to drive it to believe that it is that good at everything.
@@chasinglimits Yes one has to be an owner to truly appreciate the car. And I'm a lifetime Lexus owner if that adds some perspective as to one's expectations about reliability. I've really have had no issues. Modern Alfa Romeos are reliable.
Great review Tom. I’d have the Alfa any day. I’ve had both BMWs and Alfa’s. And the main difference is that the Alfa didn’t make me look like a dickhead.
Excuse me? Strange 180 of emotions and word choice there. Sports cars are meant to be edgy and make you look mean, nothing wrong with that. Or just drive a grandma car lol
The sad thing is I've never like the QV's sound. BMW's previous gen wasn't any better (as the author here says, both sound muted). The older BMW sounded artificial. But they've fixed it with this new M3 that sounds raw and nostalgic but with the modern power and style. Alfa has just stood still (because obviously, they haven't profited well enough as they would have liked).
Awesome review. I’ve had a 2017 QV for 2 years and still absolutely love it. Hands down the best sports sedan. 2 points. The Alfa upgraded carbon seats are made by Sparco, the standard seats are Recaro. The Alfa’s engine is based off the Ferrari F154 twin turbo V8 - used in the 488 and California. No relation to the V12. ☘️❤️
Good review. Alfa still a competent machine after 6 years and keep the pace of the germans. Alfa much better under the skin (carbon fiber transmission shaft, double wishbone suspension, active aero etc.) and BMW has better interior quality and 100 hp more ( the engine push more than the spec declared).Alfa is underated because germans control the majority of the cars magazines.
@@giulimarconi1715 Not to mention that in a recent UK magazine, the most satisfied car drivers from any brand on the planet were owners of the Guilia. Thats right. More than Tesla, more than Porsche, Merc, Audi, BMW, etc. Such a shame they arent selling as well as planned. Giuli - what do you put it down to? What would you do to improve sales?
In the past, Alfa was always much better than BMW in anything measurable. Not to mention Alfa’s stunning look. Today, Alfa is significantly better in absolutely everything including price. This new BMW looks like work of the drunk kids.
Hey Tom. Superb review. Your professionalism and the teams overall editing is first rate. I also wanted to reach out and say thankyou for keeping your love of BMW in check. Class. I can tell you really enjoyed this review! You're understanding of the lineage behind the two cars is impressive. eg you remembered the QV came in a manual at one stage. Well done. For what its worth, I bought a used 2017 QV with 40,000kms on the clock a bit over a year ago. In exactly this same spec, competezione red, same interior, same red stitching, same wheels (minus the 21 model year updates to cabin and infotainment of course). Apart from an alarm that goes off every now and then, which I will turn down the sensitivity at the next service, it has been bullet proof. One Uk motoring scribe said the QV was the greatest 4 door ICE sedan the world has ever produced. High praise indeed. Its so criminally underated by the buying public though. Such a shame. Collegues of mine with M3s, AMgs. etc who have jumped and driven have been left gobsmacked by all the things you mention. Yet the spectre of a tarnished reputation stops them even-though most have spent a fortune on DSG gearboxes, etc. Go figure. I dont think I will ever sell this car. The team of talented engineers from Ferrari truly made something so outstanding that not even the might of BMW with its latest M3 could retake the crown of "pure driving enjoyment" 6 years later.
Hey John I also have a 2017 QV which also had an issue with the alarm sensitivity. It’s a known issue and the fix is a new dome light (which must house the alarm sensor).
Aside the looks of that BMW and the famous owner image, that fast steering rack in every Alfa for the past 25 years is what makes it unique as a brand and no brainier choice here. Fast steering rack is something that makes driving fun even while driving slowly, not sure why no one does this.
Proud Alfa Quad owner and every time I sit in that car it puts a smile on my face. I can’t believe I own that car. Back to you now.. Excellent review though. You put the points right in perspective
Had both an f80 comp and giulia qv at same time, difference in ride quality was huge, and ultimately why I sold the m3. what you’re seeing is the difference between a cheap low tech mcpherson strut Bmw persist with and a double wishbone front end on the Alfa - that’s where the money went
@@saidalas8381 im sorry but if you search around the internet you can see that the majority likes the design. A frustrated greek, jealous of italy cant change it.
Holy crap!!! That BMW is UGLY!!!!!! Wouldn't matter if it was the best car ever built, there's no way I'm buying that car. And as always, the Alfa is a thing of beauty. 33min review summarised in less than 33 seconds writing this comment! Lol! Great video as always.
@@saidalas8381 Man it looks like a Lego car. Look where the back doors meet the wheel arches. Looked like they couldn't be bothered finishing the car off! It's an ugly car. No chance of spend my money on that. Imagine how depressing you'd feel if you caught a glimpse of yourself in it next to that Alfa! That's the definition of regret!
@@saidalas8381 Haha! The M3 looks like a regular 3 series with a cheap body kit slapped as sort.if an after thought. You must prefer that look! 😝 All good, variety is what makes the world go round.
@@saidalas8381 man what do you do in your life? Sitting in front of the computer, waiting for a video about Alfa and hating? You need friends, a woman, hobbys, a life.
@@saidalas8381 my eyes work perfectly, there is no definition of taste and your taste does not represent the ultimative taste of the world, youre not god you religious maniac. I like other car brands too and you already know one. Sry im not homosexual, i dont need a boyfriend. Do you need one or why do you say something like that? And i live in germany with no fear of empty ATMs like in greece🤡
I once thought like that! Had bmw for years then took the plunge and got 2019 Giulia, first year was fine great car, not as refined as bmw but other areas more than made up for it. After first year it was toed to factory 3 times in 8 month! Sold it after that, back to bmw, shame as I really loved that car. PS never had so many compliments with Alfa than any other car but end of day electrics are shit..
I’m typically a Bmw M guy but currently own a Giulia Quadrifoglio. I test drove a new g80 M3 recently and honestly can’t say I was too impressed. Steering wasn’t great, felt far too overly firm and the sound was not only flat but fake. The artificial sound pumped in through the speakers was awful and overpowering. The engine has more turbo lag and the transmission feels slower than the Alfa’s, the paddles also insubstantial and dainty after using the stunning Alfa paddles. It’s such a shame Alfa didn’t update the tech properly on this facelift (no 360 cameras, head up display, wireless CarPlay, led headlights etc available) I don’t buy a car like this for tech personally, but these should absolutely be available on the Alfa. Quite a few reviewers comment on the interior materials but it’s funny they don’t point out all the horrible cheap plastics on the M3/4, I did a video of it I was tempted to upload
@@saidalas8381 again with the Mito? 🤣 Man whats your problem? I once wrote a comment that the Mito is not that good but i dont waste my time like you searching for it on the internet. Inform yourself a bit about how the world sees Alfas design. And dont tell us that all 7.5 billion people are biased Alfa fanboys🤣
Thank you for this great and complete review. Just a little remark: the engine of the Giulia It derives (unofficially) from the V8 Ferrari (same angle, same cylinder bore & stroke, etc) and not from the V12.
The Quadrifiglio is an amazing car. Mine puts a big smile on my face every time I go for a ride: a lot of personality, great handling and amazing look.
Great review but as someone stated below, the Giulia Quad lump is a Ferrari V8 with two cylinders chopped off, not half a V12. Same bore, stroke and V angle dimensions as the V8.
For £500 you can get an after mark kit to convert the Alfa boot to electric if it’s required The conciseness on the bmw digital gauges based on long term reviews seems to be they’re a bit 💩 The Alfa is full of passion where sadly the BMWs are full of wanker drivers 🤷🏻♂️ Alfa all the way (the Alfa has engine one bank shut down technology and can achieve 40 mpg when driving it in a normal every day traffic situation) Certainly in uk 🇬🇧 on motorway driving doing 70mph keeping up with the flow it easily delivers high 30’s mpg
It blows me away people would actually spend £500 because they are too lazy to automatically close a fairly small trunk lid. It's not like it is the tailgate on a huge SUV driven by a soccer mom.
@@norwegianblue2017 its nice to prevent the wear and tear of hinges et Al for proper closing in distant future. As a person that used cassetes and manual windows and hard plastic pedals, wheels, dash, etc... I think I can manage....
Giorgio (ferrari) platform for the Alfa is so good it took BMW three updates to catch up. BMW also uses augmented engine noise which is really faking sounds through speakers. Rather go Alfa Romeo and "live".
After 6 years, the Giulia still is ahead in driving dynamics. No other luxury sports sedan is as supple as a daily driver. It’s dual personality continues to be unmatched.
You have really nailed it mate. Having owned 3 Alfa’s over 35 years I admit my bias but there is something very special about the Giulia and you have captured it. Great comparison.
You summarized the comments in favor of Alfa here. Fans that like good handling and equate driving experience + italian + different looking with beautiful
EPIC FAIL @ 32:36....Let's keep the discussion of "reliability" in this century !!! M 3 subframe cracks and M 5 Rod bearing failures are only the tip of the iceberg.... This generation Alfa Giulia has proven to be BULLETPROOF !!!
najbolji i najljepsi sedan u danasnje vrijeme je giulia,a o voznim karakteristikama da ne pticamo.....najvozniji automobil u klasi...jedan level vise od konkurencije....
Both great cars, but Alfa is just so much more unique and special. Yes, the interior quality is not great and infotainment system sucks, but when you are driving the car, none of that interior stuff matters. Giulia gives you the raw driving experience that puts a smile on your face. I love the massive column-mounted paddles that punch you back to your seat when you shift.
I'm partial to the Alfa, I own the Stelvio. I'll take an Alfa over the BMW because of the performance and style, I don't care so much about the luxury.
I've owned my 2018 Giulia Ti Sport since new, so 5 years now. I'm still completely in love with it. I've driven the whole cast and crop of new competitors, including the BMW M340i, and none of them compares to the driving experience and the oneness that you feel with the Giulia. There's a magic built into it that no other car has which I think has much to do with the telepathic steering. Plus its absolutely beautiful to gaze at, inside and out. My only "problem" with the car in 5 year is I had to have 1 fuel injector replaced last year. That's it.
Alpha all the way especially on overall looks. Who inside BMW thought for a second that that front end looked anything but absolutely terrible, horrible, down right Ugly. I have gone fishing for some of the ugliest fish in the world and none look as bad as that BMW. What the hell ??? And I have loved BMW for 3 Decades now. But I would Buy that Alpha over the M3 any time. Especially for what 20K less. Thats a given.
09:48 - The plastic rear flare extensions on the M3 are such a fail, and the rear doors haven't been flared out to match either (obvious at 10:30). So cheap.
Marvelous review! I have to add that although I tend to drive “spiritedly” behind the wheel, I do appreciate the reasonable driving shots rather than drifting through corners which is all the rage with RU-vidrs these days! One last thing: does the QV no longer offer their ivoryish and red interiors? You suggested that only the stitching can set it apart from an all black look but earlier model years provided three different leather interiors. BTW, I’ve driven the QV and it was as much fun as my lap time in a Ferrari 458!
You know that in Italy there is a car ownership tax based on horsepower that cost you 20€ for each kW over 185. Plus the regular tax. For these cars means around 5000€ per year, decrease at 60 - 30 and 15% after 5 - 10 - 15 years. So 10 years of ownership you pay 40k in taxes. It’s a thing only for rich, not middle-high class. Despite to that, the Giulia is my dream car and hopefully I’ll buy a 10 years used one in few years.
To learn default modes (if somewhat nicely set up) is much better than wizardring with hundreds of choices. I am buying QV in 2024. I will probably get 2021-22 because of the analog dials.
I adore my Giulia QV. One disappointment - although I do prefer analogue gauges, I was hoping they would be Jaeger as per my Alfa 33 from many years ago. Not so!
The alfa beats Al the cars mean Audi,BMW ,in Looks performance maybey not but the look of the motor is so beauty beautful and the alfa outsside beats them also qwa Form Aggression etc yust a beaufull georus sports sedan
Which is the best in what? The cars have capabilities beyond what most people can handle and what they can do on the streets. So it is al about how good they look. And the BMW looks like S...
