Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Review

Alfa built a car that beat the Germans at their own game and then could not build it consistently. The 2.9 litre twin-turbo V6 was developed with heavy input from Ferrari, makes 505 horsepower, revs with a keenness that turbocharged engines are not supposed to have, and sounds superb. The chassis is the real triumph. The steering is faster and more communicative than any rival, the balance is beautifully rear-biased, and it feels lighter than it is in every corner.

Then you own one. Electrical faults, sensor failures, infotainment resets and a recall record that includes fuel pump and software issues have followed the car since launch, and the dealer network is thin. Depreciation has been brutal even by fast saloon standards, with clean cars trading at a fraction of their original price within five years. Maintenance is expensive and specialists are scarce. Everything that is wrong with it is fixable with money, and everything that is right with it is unbuyable elsewhere.