Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio: London to French Alps Drive Review

The Destination: French Alps

Rather than flying to the Alps for our annual ski trip, my father and I decided to test drive the most recent Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio - with its upgraded 2.9-litre bi-turbo 513bhp V6.

It all started at 10 AM on a Friday morning. The car - our "beautifully bright red beast" for the journey - was delivered, gleaming and rumbling with promise.

My father suggested we would keep our base in Seez, a village at the foot of the Alps close to Bourg St Maurice - as this is a perfect location to enjoy access to a broad choice of ski resorts during a week of skiing, including Tignes Val d'Isere, Les Deux Alpes, La Plagne and La Rosière.  The village was basking in the sun and full of charm and friendly locals.  Our long-standing friend and ski guide Daniel is also based there - even more reason to have Seez as our base!

The Mission

Maximise the enjoyment driving the Quadrifoglio to the Alps, ski, and feel every bit of the road. We were fired up. The moment the keys hit our palms, the adventure began. When we turned the ignition, the Quadrifoglio beast started roaring with a huge appetite to get out there and eat tarmac.  Discipline was the mission whilst making our way through traffic and the jungle of speed restriction zones and cameras in Greater London - not pushing the pedal to the metal and getting caught by the traps is a real challenge with this wonderful speed machine.

Take-off

Being a passenger in the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio quickly became an experience in itself. The moment I sank into the beautifully sculpted leather seats, I could feel the craftsmanship. The seats weren't just comfortable-they wrapped around you like they were tailor-made, offering both luxury and support. The car's interior combined elegance with performance, making every second inside feel special.

Eurotunnel Woes, the First Taste of Power and the Beauty and the Beast

When we left Greater London behind us, we hit the road towards the Eurotunnel. The weather was just perfect. My pilot and I were subjected to a few annoying hiccups. Due to very bad traffic caused by reduced lane usage for the last 20 miles of motorway before Folkestone, we arrived a bit less than an hour later than our reserved slot on the Eurotunnel - having to buy a new £220 outbound ticket - something that sparked a classic debate with the pilot about how unfair that was.  "That's how monopolies behave when they feel they do not need to care for their customers much."

Despite the nice branding around "Le Shuttle", in an attempt to make this Chunnel journey an enjoyable experience, this is still pretty much a very basic means of transport - driving your car onto train carriages for a 30min journey with minimalist service, dirty smelly toilets - going through a long rabbit hole, not much more than that... We just didn't feel valued at all by its operator.  A frustrating start, sure, but as soon as we rolled off the train in Calais - around 11AM local time - frustration turned to adrenaline.

The French motorways opened before us like a racetrack. The drive to our destination would be nine hours, but we were determined to shave off time to have dinner and hit our beds in Bourg St Maurice at a reasonable time that night and enjoy the slopes of the Espace Killy early the next morning.  We made four fuel stops, and each time my job as copilot was to clean the windscreen or shall we call it the unfortunate bug cemetery. We were on a self-imposed tight time schedule - so these were pit stops with a goal of minimal loss of time to get back on the track.

The Quadrifoglio's suspension was a dream - gliding over potholes as if they didn't exist. Even though French roads are leagues ahead of many European ones [let's not mention the British pothole cemetery] - the car's dynamic suspension mode and the speed at which we were going meant we didn't need to worry too much about most road imperfections. The Quadrifoglio devoured the tarmac - which is in much better shape than the British pothole jungle that's for sure!

Road Warriors and Mountain Racing

On the open road, we encountered a variety of drivers - some skilled, others... less so. But one thing was constant: as soon as we passed other drivers with an aspiration to have a little race - none of them could keep up with us. The Giulia's razor-sharp handling made overtaking effortless. Every pull of the steering wheel was precise, as if the car read our thoughts. The dynamic gear change settings allow for just the right mix of speed and comfort on any type of road.

As the co-pilot, one of my main missions was to keep hawk eyes on restricted speed zones, spot police traps, and anticipate speed cameras. Thanks to Waze, we avoided getting caught. To those who take the time to report radar or police locations on Waze - you're the real MVPs!
As soon as we reached the first slopes of the Alps we felt the real magic happened. Cliffside turns, tunnels, and breathtaking scenery. My heart was in my throat as we overtook cars on winding mountain roads. It felt like we were in a rally car, with the stakes just as high.

My other role was to handle the dynamic Quadrifoglio driving modes - the optionality of different drive modes came in very handy in different parts of the voyage. For a more natural feel and intense performance, the Giulia Quadrifoglio features a mechanical limited-slip differential that helps the vehicle achieve optimal handling. This technology increases grip and stability by redirecting part of the engine torque to the wheels when accelerating on corners, reducing both understeer and oversteer

Close Encounters

Generally, Waze helped us detect the speed cameras along the journey towards the mountains. We were vigilant for undercover police cars but encountered none on the journey out.

The first encounter came after our first day of skiing. We were heading back down from Val d 'Isere to Seez we let the car loose - resulting in a much more beastly growl as we navigated tunnels and potholes at speed, all this while weaving around slower cars.  Heading further down we passed two police cars setting up speed traps at their apparently regular stake-out in the tunnels a few miles down from Val d'Isere - fellow drivers beware! Fifteen minutes later and we could have been caught red-handed.

The second challenge was even closer. On the way back to Calais, a sports motorbike overtook us. Naturally, we weren't having that. A short but thrilling cat-and-mouse game began. Eventually, the biker popped a wheelie - cool, until he suddenly braked and veered towards the exit from the motorway.  We were still in the fastest lane and saw a fast car pass us to our right right at high speed - an undercover police car apparently didn't appreciate the wheelie at speed and decided go after the biker. I looked at the pilot and he shrugged his shoulders, winked at me and said "That's what this trip is all about!"   

Pit Stops and Performance

We passed charming towns like Thonon-les-Bains, Brognon, Avressieux, and ventured deep into Rémeil. Every stretch of road felt different, but the Quadrifoglio adapted instantly. Its Dynamic Mode turned the car into a roaring rocket. Transitions from cruising to full-throttle were instant. On a closed track, we pushed it to its limits - hitting 230 km/h and feeling the full force of its Gs. What a rush!!

The gorgeous sound changes with revs too - it's burbly at low revs, takes on a sharp rasp as it swings past 4,000, then gets more harmonious again for the vivid upward trajectory.  Power is enough for 0-62 in under four seconds and a top speed beyond 190, and the eight-speed autobox's ratios are sensibly stacked. You can shift yourself via big metal paddles, another giveaway that several people who worked on this powertrain have done time at Ferrari.  The Quadrifoglio's state of grip shows absolutely everywhere: under braking, on turn-in, and at the apex, you sense where it's 60, 70, 100 kilos lighter than the competition.

When we needed to conserve fuel, the car's Advanced Efficiency (A) Mode came in clutch. There were moments where fuel levels got dangerously low, especially on the route to Val d'Isère. But the car always pulled through, like a true Italian thoroughbred.

On the Way Back to London

One of the most unforgettable moments happened on our way back to the UK in the Auvergne area. This region is well known for its volcanic landscape and the roads are just fantastic. The tarmac offers incredible grip and at some point we entered a long, empty 1½ mile-long stretch - smooth, grippy, and sun-warmed. It felt like the road had been built just for us.

On our way back to the UK we had the chance to take the Quadrifoglio to a proper racetrack: the Circuit du Laquais - not far from Lyon. This circuit gave us the opportunity to push the car to its limits in a safe and controlled environment. With no other cars in sight and the conditions just right, we knew we had the perfect opportunity to truly unleash the beast. We switched the drive mode to Drag Race, activated launch control, and readied ourselves. The tires were already warm, the road surface had just enough tackiness, and everything felt aligned. As soon as we hit it, the car surged forward with a force that pushed us back into our seats - achieving 0 to 60 mph in just 2.5 seconds, and 0 to 100 mph in 4.3 seconds. We timed the switch from manual to automatic perfectly, which gave us an extra burst of acceleration. It was a moment of pure exhilaration-like the car came alive, ready to show us what it was truly capable of.

Perfect Power

0-60mph:

2.5 sec - that's as fast as the Porsche 911 Turbo S, Lamborghini Huracan and Aventador, Porsche 911 GT2RS, McLaren 720S and BMW M8, Chevvy Corvette C8.

0-100mph:

4.3sec - that's as fast as the Tesla Model S Plaid, and faster than the 2016 Bugatti Chiron 2016, 2019 Ferrari SF90 Stradale and the 2018 Bugatti Chiron Sport, the 2023 Lambo Revuelto and 2021 Ferrari 296 GTB

1/8 mile:

8.4sec @ 99mph - checking online that is only beaten by other production cars like the the Rimac Nevera in 2021 (Electric) and 0.7sec better than the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport (ICE propulsion) and the Lucid Air Sapphire (electric)and the Tesla Model S Plaid (Electric)

1/4 mile:

12.4sec @122mph - our runway was not long enough to get to maximum speed.

And we have the dashboard pictures as proof!

The Downsides? Not Many

As much as I loved the drive, no car is perfect. The sound system didn't live up to the car's performance, and we could never quite find the right setting for the air conditioning - an oddly frustrating experience in an otherwise nearly flawless machine.

Final Thoughts: Pure Driving Pleasure and Great Bonding

There's nothing quite like carving through alpine switchbacks as the sun rises, or roaring through valleys as it sets behind snowcapped peaks. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio made me feel like I was gliding - not just on snow - but on pure speed, control, and passion.

This car isn't just a vehicle - it's an experience. And as a co-pilot, I wouldn't have traded that ride for anything.

Louis Pensaert