The new high-performance Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde models, which made their world debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, are set to go on sale in the UK later this summer. The first Alfa Romeo to bear the Quadrifoglio Verde was the ‘RL’ driven by Ugo Sivocci that won the Targa Florio in 1923. Since then all racing Alfa Romeo’s have carried the emblem for good luck and in the 1960’s they also began appearing on high-performance versions of road-going Alfa Romeo cars. The new ‘Quadrifoglio Verde’ versions of the MiTo and Giulietta follow in the tyre-treads of the best of these Alfa Romeo models, drawing on their heritage of performance and driving pleasure but without compromising on efficiency, respect for the environment and everyday practicality.
ALFA ROMEO GIULIETTA QUADRIFOLGIO VERDE
- Alfa Romeo Giulietta celebrates its 60th anniversary with the new Quadrifoglio Verde high-performance version
- A true expression of Alfa Romeo’s DNA, it uses the same 240hp, aluminium-block , direct-injection, 1750 Turbo Petrol engine – and state-of-the-art, six-speed, twin dry clutch ALFA TCT transmission – as the as the Alfa Romeo 4C supercar
- New Launch Control optimises engine, transmission and traction systems to accelerate the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde from 0 to 62mph in just 6.0 seconds – 0.8 seconds faster than the model it replaces!
- New “QV Intake Engine Sound” system accentuates the full, exciting engine sound one expects from a high-performance Alfa Romeo
- Interior enhanced with a new steering wheel; instrument panel with Quadrifoglio Verde logo and new wraparound sports seats with one-piece backrest
- New matt Magnesio Grey body colour exclusively created for the Launch Edition special series. Also available in Alfa Red and tri-coat Competizione Red
- On sale in late July priced from £28,120 (£30,280 for the Launch Edition) OTR
To celebrate its 60th anniversary the Alfa Romeo Giulietta is now available in a new Quadrifoglio Verde derivative – a true expression of Alfa Romeo’s racing DNA with its distinctive looks, strong performance and unmistakable personality. The exterior of the car is distinguished by its lowered sports suspension; the legendary Quadrifoglio Verde emblem on the front wings; its dark-tinted rear window glass and the Anthracite finish on the mirror fairings, front grille, door handles and fog-light frames. The car’s aggressive look is completed by two large exhaust tailpipes and its 18-inch alloy wheels – through which the red, four-piston Brembo® brake callipers and large 320mm brake discs are visible.
Inside, high-quality materials and tasteful detailing represent the ultimate expression of Italian style. New wraparound sport seats, with a one-piece backrest and trimmed in leather and Alcantara®, enhance the driving experience by offering new levels of comfort and security while exploiting the car’s impressive performance. The new steering wheel, trimmed in leather with contrasting white stitching, brings added tactility while aluminium sports pedals; specific kick-plates; darkened interior headlining; special floor mats and a leather-trimmed gear lever and parking brake lever (with matching contrast stitching) complete the interior revisions of the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde.
Under the bonnet lies a thoroughbred Alfa Romeo power-plant: The all-aluminium engine first seen in the Alfa Romeo 4C supercar. The four-cylinder, direct-injection, 1750 Turbo Petrol engine delivers 240hp at 5,750rpm and 250lb/ft (340Nm) of torque between 2,000 and 4,000rpm with 80 percent available from just 1,800rpm. These figures translate into superb specific torque and power values for its category: 194 Nm/litre and 137hp/litre.
Specific intake and exhaust systems have been developed for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde’s all-aluminium engine so that it sounds as well as it performs. It boasts cutting-edge technical solutions including direct fuel injection; continuous variable valve timing on both intake and exhaust valves and a turbocharger with a revolutionary scavenging control system which drastically reduces turbo lag.
In addition to the 1750 Turbo Petrol engine, the state-of-the-art, six-speed ALFA TCT twin dry clutch transmission has also been inherited from the Alfa Romeo 4C supercar. While the adoption of ALFA TCT as standard ensures more comfortable and relaxing day-to-day use, it also translates into a more exciting drive when the mood takes the driver, with ultra-responsive, motorsport-style sequential shifts via the ergonomic gear lever or steering wheel shift paddles. As with all Alfa Romeos, the car’s character can be customised by the driver using the Alfa D.N.A. driving selector, which employs different throttle, transmission and steering settings depending on the driver’s choice.
Another special feature of the ALFA TCT fitted to the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde is the new Launch Control system, first employed on the 4C supercar. It is activated by pressing the brake and accelerator pedals all the way down, squeezing the down-shift paddle on the steering wheel and then releasing the brakes – the system automatically controls the traction control systems, engine power delivery and transmission upshifts to maximise acceleration: It’s so effective, in fact, it has shaved a staggering 0.8 seconds from the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde’s 0 – 62mph time compared to its predecessor. It can now perform the benchmark sprint in just 6.0 seconds and, where legally permitted, it can reach a top speed of in excess of 149mph.
The driving experience is further enhanced by the distinctive sound produced by the new fuel intake unit – called ‘QV Intake Engine Sound’ – that enhances the engine note at low frequencies to ensure the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde sounds every bit as excitingly as it performs.
This impressive level of performance has been achieved with minimum impact on the environment: By implementing multiple injection control and advanced anti-friction and energy loss reduction systems, the emissions of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde meet strict Euro 6 standards. And despite stronger performance than the previous model, the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1750 Turbo Petrol 240hp TCT Quadrifoglio Verde also benefits from significantly reduced CO2 emissions, dropping from 177 to 162 g/km.
In addition to improved performance, an enhanced engine note, better fuel economy and lower emissions, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde also offers an unprecedented array of standard equipment, including Alfa Romeo’s new 6.5-inch Uconnect™ touch-screen multimedia system which has an integrated satellite navigation system with 3D bird’s-eye view maps, progressive route guidance and ‘One-Step Voice Entry Destination’ function which allows the address to be inputted using voice commands. The system also features DAB digital radio, Bluetooth connectivity with music streaming, Aux-in/USB port and voice command operation.
UK equipment specification of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde:
- New ALFA TCT with Launch Control
- QV Intake Engine Sound
- Oversized twin tailpipes
- Lowered sports suspension
- 18-inch alloy wheels
- Enhanced braking system with red Brembo® Callipers
- Polished Anthracite finish on grille, door handles, mirrors and fog light frames
- Side skirts
- Front and rear parking sensors
- Visibility Pack
- Dark-tinted rear windows
- Flat-bottom racing steering wheel with paddle shifters and white or red stitching
- Specific instrument panel with Quadrifoglio Verde logo
- Wraparound leather and Alcantara® sports seats
- White and green stitching on seats, gear lever boot and handbrake
- Uconnect™ 6.5-inch touch-screen infotainment system with advanced satellite navigation, Bluetooth, DAB, Text Reader, Audio Streaming, Voice Controls and USB
- Kick plates with Quadrifoglio Verde logo
- Aluminium sports pedals
- Specific Quadrifoglio Verde floor mats
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde will make its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at the end of June and goes on sale shortly thereafter with prices starting from £28,120 OTR. The first examples to reach showrooms will be the special “Launch Edition” model which builds on the specification of the standard Quadrifoglio Verde but adding carbon-fibre mirror covers; a carbon-fibre rear spoiler; distinctive new side skirts; a front air dam; a rear diffuser; 18-inch 5-hole alloy wheels with a burnished finish and a unique numbered plaque. Just 500 examples will be built in total with 100 coming to the UK in July priced from £30,280 OTR. The standard colour will be Alfa Red (a £510 option on the standard Alfa Romeo Giulietta) with matte Magnesio Grey and 8C Red optional.
ALFA ROMEO MITO QUADRIFOGLIO VERDE
- Powered by 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo Petrol 170hp engine in combination with the ALFA TCT transmission (with steering-wheel paddle shifters) for the first time
- 170hp and up to 184lb/ft (250 Nm) of torque but with improved economy and reduced emissions – 10% and 11% respectively
- ALFA TCT reduces 0-62mph acceleration time to 7.3 seconds. Top speed is 136mph
- New matte Magnesio Grey exterior body colour available
- Enhanced styling features include a burnished finish on exterior elements and the 18-inch alloy wheels, plus a rear spoiler, sports rear bumper and twin exhaust pipes
- Revised interior includes new flat-bottom sports steering wheel and new Uconnect™ five-inch touchscreen multimedia system with DAB and satellite navigation as standard
- On sale in the UK in July priced from £20,210 OTR
The new Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde undergoes a similar transformation to its bigger stable-mate, offering enhanced Italian style with higher levels of performance, efficiency, specification and, of course, driving satisfaction.
The exterior of the new Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde is distinguished by the burnished finish on the headlight surrounds; front grille; door mirrors; door handles and tail-light surrounds, as well as its rear spoiler; sports rear bumper; twin chrome exhaust pipes; 18-inch alloy wheels; red Brembo® brake callipers and, of course, the unmistakable Quadrifoglio Verde emblem on the front wings. The compact sports car’s aggressive design can be further enhanced by the distinctive matte Magnesio Grey body colour option.
The interior also reflects the dynamic spirit of the Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde, as highlighted by the new flat-bottomed sports steering wheel, trimmed in leather with contrasting white stitching and paddle-shifters for the ALFA TCT transmission, as well as the new instruments with integrated Quadrifoglio Verde logo. Black leather with white stitching also trims the handbrake lever and the gear lever while the Competizione ‘carbon look’ dashboard, special floor mats and aluminium kick plate (with Quadrifoglio Verde logos) add to the special feel of the interior. The sports seats – height adjustable on the driver’s side and with lumbar adjustment for both front occupants – are trimmed in specific Quadrifoglio Verde fabric and finished with white-and-green stitching to complete the revised look.
As with all Alfa Romeo cars, the power-plant is the heart of the machine and under the bonnet of the new Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde beats the advanced 1.4-litre MultiAir Turbo Petrol engine, which develops a maximum power output of 170hp at 5,500 rpm and maximum torque of 184lb/ft / 250Nm at 2,500 rpm (in Dynamic mode). By combining MultiAir electro-hydraulic valve management – which controls the air intake directly via the inlet valves (without using the throttle) and more precise combustion control – with Alfa Romeo’s six-speed ALFA TCT twin dry clutch transmission, engineers have manage to reduce both fuel consumption and emissions dramatically compared to the outgoing model – by 10 percent to 52.3mpg (combined cycle) and 11 percent to 124g/km, respectively.
Despite the improvements in efficiency, there is no penalty in terms of performance. In fact, the benchmark 0-62mph sprint is now achieved 0.2 seconds quicker than before, in just 7.3 seconds. The top speed is 136mph.
In terms of equipment, the new Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde again offers exceptional levels of specification including Alfa Romeo’s Uconnect™ five-inch touchscreen multimedia system as standard. In addition to Bluetooth connectivity, Text Reader, Audio Streaming, Voice Controls, MP3, USB and Aux-In, the unit is also equipped with DAB digital radio and satellite navigation by TomTom as standard. This level of technology is not unexpected of the Alfa Romeo MiTo which, since its launch, has been the cornerstone of Alfa Romeo’s communication campaign at concerts, DJ sets, exhibitions and high-level music events sponsored by the brand.
Amongst the most desirable options available for the Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde are the lightweight Sabelt seats which feature a prominent Alfa Romeo logo in the central part of the Alcantara® material and wraparound carbon fibre backrests made from the innovative RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) technology.
UK equipment specification of the Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde:
- Six-speed ALFA TCT twin dry clutch transmission
- Four-piston Brembo® brake callipers finished in red
- Alfa Adaptive Suspension
- 18″ exclusive Quadrifoglio Verde alloy wheels
- Sports rear bumper with twin chrome tailpipes
- Front fog lights with dark surrounds
- Burnished trim on grille, handles, mirrors, front and rear light surrounds
- New Flat-bottom sports steering wheel with ALFA TCT shift paddles
- Leather brake lever and gear lever boot with white and green stitching
- Instrument panel with white graphics and Quadrifoglio Verde logo
- “Competizione” Carbon-look dashboard
- Aluminium Quadrifoglio Verde kick plates
- Fabric seats with Alfa Romeo logo and white-green stitching
- Uconnect™ five-inch touch-screen multimedia system with TomTom Satellite Navigation, DAB digital radio, Bluetooth, Text Reader, Audio Streaming, Voice Controls, MP3, USB and Aux-In
- Specific Quadrifoglio Verde mats
- New Matte Grey colour (optional)
The Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde will also make its UK debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed at the end of June and will be on sale in July with prices starting from £20,210 OTR.
ABOUT THE LEGENDARY QUADRIFOGLIO VERDE EMBLEM
Quadrifoglio Verde: a symbol of Italian motor racing since 1923
- The first car to sport the lucky charm was Ugo Sivocci’s ‘RL’, which was driven to victory in the first of Alfa Romeo’s ten Targa Florio wins
- Since then, the green four-leaf clover – the Quadrifoglio Verde – has been the symbol of Alfa Romeo racing cars, later gracing special road-going series
- Today, the symbol has been passed down to the new Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde to ensure the legend lives on for future generations
Alfa Romeo’s philosophy, as expressed by the Quadrifoglio Verde, is based on the constant pursuit of excellence, first in its competition vehicles and then by adopting the latest advances into its production vehicles. The Quadrifoglio Verde became inextricably linked to Alfa Romeo when, in 1923, Ugo Sivocci decided to race in the Targa Florio with this lucky symbol painted on the bonnet of his ‘RL’, achieving the first of the brand’s ten victories in this perilous and prestigious road race.
The victory concluded a perfect competition: 432 kilometres of the Madonìe Circuit (four laps of 108km each) at an average speed of 59.040 km/h – an amazing pace for the time, especially when the condition of the roads is taken into account, as well as the numerous hazards awaiting the competitors around the course.
Soon, the other Alfa Romeo drivers – including Enzo Ferrari, Antonio Ascari and Giulio Ramponi – decided to adopt the lucky Quadrifoglio Verde for their cars as well, and from then on the Quadrifoglio Verde became the symbol of Alfa Romeo race cars as well as special series of production models, thereby demonstrating the strong link between Alfa Romeo’s touring cars and those designed for competition.
The Quadrifoglio Verde took pride of place on the bonnet of Brilli Peri’s dark red ‘P2’ when he won the first ‘World Car Racing Championship’ at Monza in 1925 – the first of Alfa Romeo’s five world titles – and by the end of the 1920’s it also distinguished the cars built by Alfa Romeo from those of Scuderia Ferrari, which by now carried the prancing horse emblem.
In 1950 and 1951, Giuseppe ‘Nino’ Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio won the first two editions of the Formula 1 World Championship on the Alfa Romeo 158 and the Alfa Romeo 159, the renowned ‘Alfettas’ – one of which (the 159) will feature in the 2014 Goodwood Festival of Speed. In the 1960s the Quadrifoglio Verde was used for the ‘ready-to-race’ version of the Giulia, the TI Super and then for a few decades in combination with the Autodelta light blue triangle, on the models ranging from the GTA to the 33 in a timeframe that extends as far as the World Championships entered by the 33 TT 12 and the 33 SC 12 in 1975 and in 1977 respectively. Alfa Romeo’s racing activity continued in the 1980s and included a return to F1 in 1980 as well as numerous wins in touring cars, from the memorable GTV6 2.5 to the resounding victory in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Mesterschaft) with the Alfa Romeo 155 in 1993 and the BTCC (British Touring Car Championship) in 1994, not to mention the long series of wins by the Alfa Romeo 156 Superturismo between 1998 and 2004.
When it comes to production Alfa Romeo models, several high-performance models have borne the Quadrifoglio Verde symbol between the 1960s and the 1980s. Some feature the symbol on the body without appearing in the official name: Giulia TI Super, Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, 1750 GT Veloce [actually a gold-coloured Quadrifoglio Verde] and Alfasud Sprint. From the 1980s onwards, the Quadrifoglio Verde appeared in their official names, such as the Alfasud TI Quadrifoglio Verde, Sprint Quadrifoglio Verde, the various versions of the 33 Quadrifoglio Verde, 75 Quadrifoglio Verde, Spider 2.0 Quadrifoglio Verde, 164 Quadrifoglio Verde and 145 Quadrifoglio Verde.
In 2008, the Quadrifoglio Verde returned to the Alfa Romeo MiTo and in 2010 to the Giulietta, continuing in the tradition of the best high-performance Alfa Romeos. Quadrifoglio Verde versions of the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Giulietta have been Official Safety Cars of the SBK Superbike World Championship for a number of years and Alfa Romeo has been a World Superbikes top sponsor since 2007, sharing the same values of sportsmanship, technology and safety at the highest level.
The new 2014 models open another chapter in the legendary Quadrifoglio Verde story, bringing new levels of the style, performance, driving pleasure and technical excellence to their respective segments and ensuring that the legendary Quadrifoglio Verde emblem retains its importance and mystique long into the future.
