The new, high-performance Alfa Romeo Giulietta ‘Quadrifoglio Verde’ will make their world debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 4th 2014, combining 90 years of ‘Quadrifoglio Verde’ heritage with the very best of Alfa Romeo’s DNA – as optimised by the astounding Alfa Romeo 4C supercar.
Indeed, the new Alfa Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde shares its heart with the Alfa Romeo 4C – under the bonnet beats the same 1750 turbo-charged petrol engine – complete with direct-injection; dual variable valve timing; an anti-lag, turbo scavenging control system and a lightweight aluminium engine block – which delivers a maximum output of 240hp at 6,000rpm and an impressive 250lb ft (340Nm) of torque between 2,100 and 4,000 rpm, with 80 percent available from only 1,800 rpm. The new Alfa Giulietta QV accelerates from 0 to 60mph in just 6.6 seconds, 0.2 seconds quicker than the current car, and can reach149mph where legally permitted.
The new 1750 turbo petrol engine is combined with the state-of-the-art ALFA TCT six-speed, twin dry-clutch transmission which offers fully automatic or sequential manual shifting, either via the gear lever or paddle shifters mounted on the steering-wheel. As with all Alfa Romeos, the driver can also customise the vehicle characteristics using the Alfa D.N.A. driving mode selector which adjusts throttle response, engine performance, transmission responsiveness (and shift patterns in auto mode) as well as the level of power steering assistance. To further enhance the QV driving experience, Alfa Romeo has also developed a new fuel intake unit to ensure the engine produces the sort of sound that is expected of the sportiest Alfa Giulietta in the range.
This impressive level of performance has not been at the expense of the environment: thanks to multiple injection control and advanced anti-friction and energy loss reduction systems, the emissions of the ‘Quadrifoglio Verde’ meet the strict Euro 6 regulations.
Externally, the new Quadrifoglio Verde is distinguished by the glossy anthracite finish on the door mirror, front grille, door handles and fog light bezels, and it is also equipped with large exhaust tail pipes, new anthracite alloy rims, side skirts, a rear spoiler and red, four-piston Brembo® brake callipers with 320mm front discs. And, of course, there’s the legendary Quadrifoglio Verde emblem on the front wings, like so many of its illustrious predecessors.
Interior highlights include the new leather and Alcantara wraparound sports seats with one-piece backrests; new instruments (complete with the QV logo) and a new steering wheel with leather trim and contrasting white stitching. The gear lever boot and the handbrake lever are also leather wrapped with white and green stitching while aluminium sport pedals, black roof lining and special floor mats complete the new QV’s upgrades. As with all versions of the 2014 Alfa Giulietta, standard equipment includes the Uconnect™ touch-screen multimedia system and Bluetooth connectivity.
To mark the launch, Alfa Romeo is introducing a special Launch Edition Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde. With a limited run of just 500 vehicles, 100 of which are destined for the UK market, the Alfa Giulietta QV Launch Edition is further enhanced with carbon spoilers, front and rear sports air dams and side skirts, as well as 18″ alloy wheels with a five-hole design and a burnished anthracite finish. The Alfa Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde Launch Edition will be available in Alfa Red or in Competizione Red (triple coat) as well as the exclusive Matte Magnesio Grey.
Quadrifoglio Verde:
The Quadrifoglio Verde has been a symbol of Italian motor racing since 1923 when Ugo Sivocci first decided to race in the Targa Florio with this symbol painted on the bonnet of his ‘RL’ for good luck. Sivocci completed the 268 mile race of the Madonìe Circuit (four laps of 67 miles each) at an average of 36.7mph, a speed which was amazing at the time given the hazards and quality of the road surface.
Soon the other drivers of the Alfa Romeo team – including Enzo Ferrari, Antonio Ascari and Giulio Ramponi – decided to adopt the lucky Quadrifoglio Verde as well. From this moment on, the Quadrifoglio Verde became the symbol of Alfa Romeo race cars and was later also used on special series production models to demonstrate the continuity between Alfa Romeo’s “touring” cars and those designed for competition.
It was the Quadrifoglio Verde that stood out against the dark red of Brilli Peri’s ‘P2’ when he won the first “World Car Racing Championship” at Monza in 1925, the first of the five world titles that Alfa Romeo won. By the end of the 1920s, it was the Quadrifoglio Verde that distinguished the factory Alfa Romeos from those managed by the “Scuderia Ferrari”, with its prancing horse symbol, on the racetrack.
In 1950 and 1951, Giuseppe “Nino” Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio won the first two Formula 1 World Championships on board the Alfa Romeos 158 and 159 respectively, the renowned “Alfettas.” In the 1960s, the Quadrifoglio Verde was used for the ready-to-race version of the “Giulia” and the “TI Super”, and then in combination with the light-blue Autodelta triangle on models ranging from the “GTA” to the “33 TT 12” and “33 SC 12” which were entered in the World Championship in 1975 and in 1977. The success of the Quadrifoglio Verde continued in touring car racing, culminating in resounding victory in the DTM with the 155 V6 Ti in 1993, the British Touring Car Championship in 1994 with the revolutionary 155 TS and a long series of wins by the 156 Superturismo between 1998 and 2004.
Amongst production Alfa Romeos, the Quadrifoglio Verde symbol sometimes appeared on the body without appearing in the official name: Giulia TI Super , Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, 1750 GT Veloce (which features a gold-coloured QV on its rear buttresses) and Alfasud Sprint are all examples of such models. From the eighties onwards, however, the Quadrifoglio Verde began to appear in the vehicle names, such as the Alfasud ti Quadrifoglio Verde, Sprint Quadrifoglio Verde, various versions of the 33 Quadrifoglio Verde, 75 Quadrifoglio Verde, Spider 2.0 Quadrifoglio Verde, 164 Quadrifoglio Verde and 145 Quadrifoglio Verde.
After a brief hiatus in the early part of century, the Quadrifoglio Verde returned on the highest-performance versions of the Alfa MiTo in 2008 and Alfa Giulietta in 2010. For 2014, the Quadrifoglio Verde name is officially revived, thus renewing the passion shared by millions of Alfisti all over the world and beginning a new chapter in the history of the legendary Alfa Romeo brand and the storied Quadrifoglio Verde moniker.
