I had the great pleasure in doing the Alfa Romeo Guilia Dynamic driving experiance day at Millbrook. For those not part of the Facebook FCCUK forum page please see this post from my page/experience
Post 1 - The invitation
Recently I went on line to configure "My" Giulia Quadrifoglio* and filled in the contact page for a brochure to dribble over. Never in my dreams did I think I'd get invited to a VIP drive experience day at Milbrook Test Track courtesy of Alfa Romeo!
Unfortunately, being Millbrook top secret testing ground, no photos are allowed 😢 Lets hope they send you something via email? If not it will be in my memories for a while to come.
I get to go round with "driver" then get to have a go myself (under tuition) and get fed and watered.
I can't wait for Saturday.............
Post 2 - The day after the experience
Well I think I have recovered from the day yesterday!?
The journey up and back was the usual M25/M1 traffic, but it was worth it!
What a fab day! Chauffeur driven from carpark to the Alfa Zone, then a no holes barred 4C passenger ride around the inzone short track. Those familiar with 5thGear it's the short concrete track that Tiff drives around. That 4C on the edge actually is pretty impressive, the driver was not holding back, that's for sure!
Then back for a spot of lunch: anti pasta and pasta/salad + desert - yum!
Then onto the main event: Driving the New Giulia....... Both of the cars were L/H drive and pre production models with All the bells and whistles*. We were the first people in the UK to drive these cars, what a privilege!
*Special paint, Carbon ceramic brakes and Carbon Sparco seat options.
I was paired up with another guy in a combination of a 2.0 diesel 150bhp and a 510bhp Quadrifoglio (Qf). There was another pair of drivers in the other vehicle. We started in the Qf on an up hill stretch. A full throttle, no holes barred drag up the hill and then a 120+mph stop on the Carbon Ceramic brakes - what a set of stoppers! It seriously rearranges your sences! It feels like you brain is in front of the bumper once stopped, such is the stopping power. Our car had the manual box and doesn't suit serious rapid turn of speed that this fabulous engine dish out - the 8 speed ZF auto with paddles is the one to get. But that's ok as the UK will only get this option anyway. To all the purists out there, "it's the way forward" at least in this car!
Then a quick turn around to be pleasantly surprised by the diesel, it was smooth in auto and fairly pokey with a good set of steel stoppers, which to my mind were more grabby and less progressive than the carbon set-up, but very efficiant.
Then we were off to the "Alpine Track" which has some fabulous stretches of road and some very challenging unsighted crests, corners and camber changes. All handled impeccably by both the cars driven. I even managed to hold onto the coat tails of the Qf in the diesel when following it.
Understeer is negligible, and there is only a hint of oversteer. This was with the traction control set to "Dynamic" a very impressive steer and heavy braking see no change in balance of the vehicle - both.
Then it was off to the high speed bowl for a run in both of the Giulia guises. It is such a stable car at 130mph it was so smooth and predictable with minimal road and wind noise, easy to pilot and have a civilised conversation in, even when the concrete surface is as lumpy and undulating as the bowl is. Hats off to the guys who do 200+mph around there, it's not as smooth as it looks on telly!
The exhaust has a lovely popping V6 thrum at tick over and not too intrusive exhaust noise during driving, but you sure know that you are driving something pretty special at max attack. You get a great "Thraaaarp" on overrun.
WOW! What acceloration! Never did it feel that it was out of shape or that the vehicle/chassis was being overwhelmed by the sheer power and torque of that lovely engine. The diesel was very civilised by comparison and would make a great all round every day car for 90% of the population. But for me, obviously being me! It's the V6 Twin Turbo, Ferrari designed 510bhp powered car all day long.
We also got a limited edition/numbered sketch print, one for the wall me thinks.
Here's a link to a YouTube video of the day:
PLAY I'm spottable at 1:23 secs blue top front row (if you're interested?
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