Alfa Romeo Guilia QV

[Monyx]

I have to admit the passion of Alfa Romeo tempted me for a drive in their 375kW/600Nm 1585kg saloon, but the legacy of reliability and resale also hang over the marque for me too. They're $143,900 + ORC. I think they will be great buying in ~2 yrs coming off lease dipping well below $100k before the ISF did for the same age...the capped servicing & 150k kms warranty goes a way to allay my concerns.

From some angles, particularly rear 3/4 view IS F and Guilia are very similarly looking - apart from the Lexus' 'greek nose' I really like my IF S shape, content that years after my IS F was released that from certain angles the latest Alfa looks similar. Our interiors have dated...but not the body in my view.

I'd never make a motoring journo but onto the drive - I had a 30min loop around some b-roads (Sutton Rd near Queanbyan) then back along new strip of Majura Hwy is a great autobahn-like smooth bypass here in Canberra. Along the latter the QV disguises is speed even better than the ISF - wife and I really didn't feel were doing, well...way more than we should! Funny thing I never see IS F on the road in Canberra... saw a black and vermillion (red) on this one test drive.

The (N)ormal in the DNA drive mode suspension-wise, felt very similar to my MY12 (D)ynamic hardens up the dampers even more for a harsher ride, but you can elect to push a button and soften the dampers but retain dynamic mode. The sports mode exhaust was unlocked all the time with after-market mod that can keep the bimodal flap open - that familiar bruuup bruuup when changing up like audi S3 etc. I  cannot wait until I get the deep catback system for a V8 rumble on my IS F. The QV is very fast, motoring tests talk about some turbo lag, I didn't really notice, sitting behind a car @80km/h  on a single lane road and going down 1-2 cogs to over-take, the turbo surge pick-up brings out the Whoop! Whoop! hoon in me when I really nail it - rocket ship more akin to my bike (Suzuki Hayabusa) and perhaps what I miss in the ISF. Of course an IS F fairly flies once it builds past its low-rpm torque deficit (well it feels that way I at least - I think IS F torque curve paints a better picture than how it drives?!)

Guilia QV carbon-fibre bonnet & roof are reminders the IS F is carry too much extra weight...it's only 105kg more...IS F's 1690kg just sounds so heavy for small sedan but significantly,  like most turbos, the QV's delivery of torque lower in the rev range and there's ultimately more of it - 600Nm all delivered from 2500-5000 rpm - nice! The rear factory diffuser/splitter is fantastic looking!

Plenty of headroom - @6ft in the IS F I have to recline the seat slightly more than I normally would and for track days I have adopt an awkward slouch to fit helmet in! Brakes are sensational - a little sensitive to what I'm accustomed to. Wife was complaining I was making her sick, so no testing of ultimate handling - even though I really wasn't push around any corners. In a nutshell, like a new car I got in and drive way from the dealership (after a quick passenger familiarisation ride with sales) it felt foreign and bit plasticy interior, the fuel saver kept cutting the engine out (this can be switch off) and initial impressions were  'oh no, not for us' - but that of course is without any time in it and is prejudiced  - but sometimes those first impressions can never be quite shaken - but not this time - toward the end of the drive I really liked the car - still hated the economy shut off, but every thing else hahah or maybe just that wave of torque was very appealing. 

The biggest concerns I have were the ones existing before I drove the car:  resale and market perceptions about Alfa, reliability of the V6 with what is hear 35 20 PSI of boost running through it. For that reason I'd  not swap over on lease for new one....but if, in a couple years I'm looking for change from my 'built like a tank" IS F, I could be in the market. I will be watching resale and reliability reports with interest.

On the way out of the show-room we walked past a slightly retro-looking convertible, and seeing the Abarth badge on it thinking it will be pretty premium over the likes of MX5 - it was of course at this moment the penny dropped as I recall reading something about a pseudo joint venture between Fiat & Mazda resulting in the Abarth 124 Spider - MX5 chassis with different panels, 1.4 Turbo, slightly changed g/box, 17", Brembos, Bilsteins, uprated swaybars and all pretty much for the same money as MX5 2.0lt GT. We both were really surprised that the Abarth was priced competitively with Mazda - after buying our Jeep Wrangler at the same dealer recently we eyed off a Wrangler with shorty guards, wheel & tyre package and Rubicon bumpers on the showroom floor...and the drive-away price was crazy with the dealer-fitted extras on on it. Here was a Euro sports made in Japan! - the best of both worlds - I said to my wife, drive it you'll love it - I still remember the fun I had in I think was 2nd gen MX5 test circa '98 - of course it was a hair-dresser's car so I didn't buy despite how fun it was to drive - I was young and it was all about Kw and torque and nothin' else...hmm I'm older and wiser now but not much has changed hahahah!

Long story short - we love the Spider so much (as long as you leave it in Sports mode), they're not common and I don't think will date in the looks dept like the current MX5 -  we're thinking about one!

[Mystyler]

Great read, thank you. I share similar feelings towards the Alfa. Been a fan of Alfa for a long time, but would I own one...? The Guilia still hasn't really assuaged my fears but I really hope it turns out to be a great, reliable machine.

Funny you should mention the Spider. It came down to getting an F or the basic, povo-pack 1.5L ND MX-5. Even though the F isn't anywhere as practical as my previous wheels (Mazda 6, owned since new for 11 years!) I can't get my head around two seats only. So, while the F and ND are apples and oranges, that's the short version as to how I ended up with an F. When I get space for multiple vehicles, an ND will be joining the line-up for sure. It's a proper driver's car, and you feel like you're doing a 150km/h when really you've barely cracked 60km/h.

I can point you in the direction of a Melbourne guy who goes by RBH58 on https://forum.miata.net/vb/

He has an ND MX-5 RF, while his wife has the Fiat Spider. Can give you the pros and cons of both if you're curious. Hope you end up with one, regardless!

[2bling]

If you want a PURE Alfa buy a C4 not a DD though but a future collector.

[Monyx]

I went on a super drive day last year Syd -> Gosford and back. Ferrari F430 was sublime, Skyline GTR lived up to the hype in terms of acceleration. The almost affordable little Alfa Romeo 4C is a go-kart on steroids while the Lambo wasn't intimidating to drive in Sydney peak hour as I had expected and there was Lotus EvoraS which had few issues. Problem for me is this is car number 4 if you include the languishing project Datto ('72 1600 with 2lt turbo/5spd)...the 4C even 2nd are still almost at new prices of $100k on car sales!

[Monyx]

3 hours ago, Mystyler said:

 

I can point you in the direction of a Melbourne guy who goes by RBH58 on https://forum.miata.net/vb/

He has an ND MX-5 RF, while his wife has the Fiat Spider. Can give you the pros and cons of both if you're curious. Hope you end up with one, regardless!

Yeah, wife and I definitely want get some seat time in the 2LT GT MX5 while the Spider is fresh in our minds - plan to hit up Mazda dealer next weekend. I didn't care much for the $2k Monza upgrade exhaust noise - love burble & crackle, but otherwise it was a bit raspy and unrefined (we only heard Monza exhaust static on the lot). I like what I've heard on expensive euros with Remus mufflers over the years. Also need the less padded seats option (Recaro?) so I can fit in it with just a bit more room. Other than that I think Turini white sets off red accents nicely.