Alfa Romeo has pulled-off one of automotive's biggest comebacks.
The twin-turbo V6 super sedan has returned to ABDC in 2018 and beaten all-comers. That's right — the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV is the 2018 Australia’s Best Driver’s Car.
Alfa Romeo's Australia connections were over the moon when motoring.com.au's Road Test Editor, Matt Brogan, broke the news .
“As driver automation continues its inexorable march into the cockpit, it’s Australia’s Best Driver’s Car that stands alone in finding the purest, most-engaging elements of the experience at the wheel of modern sports cars. This year, it’s the Alfa Romeo Giulia QV that has clearly stamped its mark on the event,” said Brogan.
“We’re thrilled that the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio has won Australia’s Best Driver’s Car Award. This award is testament to Alfa Romeo’s perfect balance of engineering and emotion, creating a premium sports sedan for driving enthusiasts that stands out in its segment,” said Steve Zanlunghi, President and CEO of Alfa Romeo Australia.
“The Giulia is at the forefront of Alfa Romeo’s Renaissance in Australia, and with the addition of the all-new Stelvio SUV, we look forward to its continued success locally,” Zanlunghi enthused.
The Giulia QV joins past ABDC winners, HSV GTSR W1 (2017), BMW M2 (2016) and Porsche Cayman GTS (2015), in matching brilliant dynamics with grin-inducing grip, setting our judge’s senses to overdrive on the road and race track.
Owing to incorrect suspension geometry at last year’s event, the Giulia QV was unranked. motoring.com.au invited the Italian sports sedan to return to ABDC in 2018 and the hotshoe Italian proved it had the bona fides required of a top driver’s car.
This time the Alfa Romeo showed a blend of performance and power that proved unflappable, completing the five day, 1700km tour of the Victorian High Country in a thoroughly convincing manner.
"The QV's combination of performance, poise and red-blooded Italian passion completely turned the opinion of the same judges critical of its behaviour at last year’s event. It’s a deserved winner,” Road Test Editor Brogan stated.
Brogan wasn’t alone in his commendation of the Alfa Romeo’s abilities. The vast majority of judges at ABDC 2018 were glowing in their praise of the Giulia QV, including former Targa Tasmania champion, Greg Crick.
“This is THE driver’s car at this year’s event,” enthused Crick. “It fits the brief perfectly.”
Crick was one of 14 drivers and judges assembled for this year’s event, joining 2017 Bathurst 1000 winner, Luke Youlden, as part of a diverse team who between them bring hundreds of years’ experience to the event.
In the months leading up to the tour, our judges debated the pros and cons of every sports and performance car released in Australia over the preceding 12 months. The resulting 14-car line-up included a selection of coupes, sedans and hatchbacks with a price cap of $250,000.
Now get stuck in to the full run-down on each car and the event.