{"id":25241,"date":"2020-04-23T15:53:22","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T19:53:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/henrypayne.com\/?p=25241"},"modified":"2020-04-23T15:53:22","modified_gmt":"2020-04-23T19:53:22","slug":"payne-alfa-giulia-quadrifoglio-vs-audi-s4-is-a-clash-of-personalities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/2020\/04\/payne-alfa-giulia-quadrifoglio-vs-audi-s4-is-a-clash-of-personalities","title":{"rendered":"Payne: Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio vs. Audi S4 is a clash of personalities"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/ceb9ff35-b18f-4e5e-a890-7a7ca8b4f7ec-2020_Alfa_vs_Audi.JPG?width=520&amp;height=390&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"Detroit News columnist Henry Payne went to Hell, Michigan and back comparing the 2020 Audi S4 and the Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio.\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><p class=\"speakable-p-1 p-text\">Anyone who doubts machines have personalities hasn\u2019t driven the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Audi S4. Though they are both of the luxury performance sedan persuasion,\u00a0they are as different as Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton. Ginger and Mary Ann. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele.<\/p>\n<p class=\"speakable-p-2 p-text\">They are as different as, well, Italian and Germans.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Luxe sedans may be taking a backseat to SUVs these days, but there is simply no segment more fun than compact cars. With superb new performance models like the Cadillac CT5-V, Tesla Model 3 Performance\u00a0and Genesis G70 3.3T complementing stalwarts like the Alfa, S4, Mercedes C 43 AMG\u00a0and BMW N340i, there has never been more choice for the enthusiast.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">For 2020, the Alfa Romeo Giulia line has received significant interior upgrades\u00a0\u2014 in particular a new touchscreen, self-driving and\u00a0console features. To be honest, I didn\u2019t know they were lacking.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SpyGq6OhJx4\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/a207ca6f-00a3-4270-8ada-897c4c351555-alfa_fr3-4.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio is whip-quick with a tight chassis and one of the sexiest bods in the business.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/a207ca6f-00a3-4270-8ada-897c4c351555-alfa_fr3-4.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/a207ca6f-00a3-4270-8ada-897c4c351555-alfa_fr3-4.JPG\" \/>The 2020 Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio is whip-quick with a tight chassis and one of the sexiest bods in the business.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That\u2019s because the Giulia is a riot to drive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Whether the base $39,840 Giulia, $45,000\u00a0Ti, or my tester \u2014 the $90,840 Quadrifoglio performance model \u2014 the Giulia is the best-handling car in class. Particularly now that its nimble peer, the Cadillac ATS, has been rebadged CT4 and shipped off to the sub-compact class.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">When you\u2019re nailing apexes, gulping straightaways\u00a0and obliterating ess-curves, who has time to notice the console materials?<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Naturally, I showed up at the gates of Hell (Michigan) to stretch Giulia\u2019s legs on Michigan\u2019s best roads. As distinct as three-headed Cerberus, the Italian features its signature Trilobo grille. Where the Audi is a tidy German businessman with pressed shirt and necktie, Alfa is a raging Fabio Fognini: brash, talented and\u00a0attractive. Go ahead and stare at its sexy, phone-dial wheels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Nail the throttle onto Hell\u2019s Glenbrook Road and the 443 pound-feet of torque from the twin-turbo 505-horse turbo-6 \u2014 basically a Ferrari V-12 sawed in half \u2014 slews the rear end sideways. The quick-ratio steering wheel and athletic chassis absorb the moment without drama, and the red Alfa rockets forward into a series of ess-turns, carving them like a knife.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Though the 3,806-pound Giulia weighs about the same as the all-wheel drive Audi \u2014 and just 100 pounds less than the bigger Cadillac CT5-V \u2014 it feels lighter on its feet than its competitors. Having 150 more horsepower on tap helps, too.<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SpyGq6PHGIU\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/ead1eede-5ba6-419d-8a53-17987ee1068a-alfa_interior.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The interior of the 2020 Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio is stylish with improved tech over the 2019 model.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/ead1eede-5ba6-419d-8a53-17987ee1068a-alfa_interior.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/ead1eede-5ba6-419d-8a53-17987ee1068a-alfa_interior.JPG\" \/>The interior of the 2020 Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio is stylish with improved tech over the 2019 model.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I whipped the Caddy on these same roads just a week prior, and its athleticism impressed even though it\u2019s 11 inches longer than the Giulia. GM\u2019s engineers have done supreme work on that big compact. Inherently smaller, the Alfa is a Russell Westbrook to the Caddy\u2019s LeBron James \u2014 as talented but able to change directions more quickly.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The engine is one of internal combustion\u2019s great personalities. Crank the mode dial to Race\u00a0and the bratty V-6 snorts on upshifts, backfires on downshifts and generally trash-talks its way through a spirited drive. It learned at the knee of its master, the delightfully rude 4C sports car.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The Audi is a more fitting dinner partner at the club. It sports a turbo-6 as well, but a very well-mannered one. Its meaty, 369 pound-feet of torque are delivered civilly, sounding more like an angry vacuum cleaner than the hounds of Hades.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Indeed, I wasn\u2019t tempted to take the S4 to Hell after a couple of loops around Metro Detroit cloverleafs. The Audi is a straight-line rocket, but it doesn\u2019t like to be pushed too hard. Its heavy, all-wheel-drive platform understeers easily and is generally averse to dancing on the limit.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Not the Giulia. In Dynamic mode \u2014 up a notch from the standard Natural \u2014 it wants to cut some rug. In Race\u00a0mode it wants to set the rug on fire. Selecting Race\u00a0requires an extra pause on the dial \u2014 as if the Alfa is asking: Are you\u00a0<em>sure?<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SpyGq6PVA48\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/8d0f82ed-5df3-4d6a-87c6-a72c49ff9a88-audi_fr3-4.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The 2020 Audi S4 is a powerful, straight-line rocket, but it's not as nimble as the Alfa and won't tempt owners to seek out the roads of Hell.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/8d0f82ed-5df3-4d6a-87c6-a72c49ff9a88-audi_fr3-4.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/8d0f82ed-5df3-4d6a-87c6-a72c49ff9a88-audi_fr3-4.JPG\" \/>The 2020 Audi S4 is a powerful, straight-line rocket, but it&#8217;s not as nimble as the Alfa and won&#8217;t tempt owners to seek out the roads of Hell.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">The car noticeably quivers when Race\u00a0is engaged, the throttle on edge, the engine growl menacing, the suspension taut.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Social-distancing in Hell was never so much fun. But the Alfa\u2019s quickness is owed in part to its diminutive size. There is no social-distancing in the Giulia\u2019s cramped rear seat. The Audi isn\u2019t much better with only a half-inch more knee room, making it a tight fit for my 6-foot-5- frame.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Buy roomiest-in-class Caddy CT5-V if you frequently ferry foursomes\u00a0\u2014 Giulia is a driver\u2019s car. But\u00a0Audi\u00a0still understands that its clients will spend most of their time on four lanes like I-96 or U.S. 23 that lead to Hell \u2014 sometimes in hellish traffic. This is where the Germans excel.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Like its exterior, the S4\u2019s interior wardrobe is Brooks Brothers conservative. But Audi has long been on the cutting edge of electronic tech with configurable digital instrument display, Google Earth-like nav graphics\u00a0and sharp voice commands. Audi faithful will blanch at the fact that the brand has ditched its remote rotary infotainment controller,\u00a0but the new touchscreen is crisply responsive.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">I\u2019ve always liked the Giulia\u2019s interior \u2014 its big, goggle-eyed instrument displays, rotary ducts\u00a0and sweeping dash lines are uniquely Alfa. For 2020 the roomy console has been nicely upgraded with wood and carbon trims. But it\u2019s tough to compete against Audi, which draws from the big electronics toolbox over at VW Group. The new Giulia is a major upgrade with German-like \u201cpages\u201d to flip through on its now-standard 8.8-inch screen\u00a0\u2014 navigable by touch as well as rotary controller (and it\u2019s a proper, multi-way rotary controller unlike, ahem, Caddy\u2019s two-dimensional dial).<\/p>\n<div id=\"module-position-SpyGq6O0en4\" class=\"story-asset image-asset\">\n<aside class=\"wide single-photo\"><div align=\"left\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/a4e538c3-0b6d-4b8e-9e27-ec5fe1eda3d4-audi_int.JPG?width=540&amp;height=&amp;fit=bounds&amp;auto=webp\" alt=\"The interior of the 2020 Audi S4 is a comfortable sanctuary, especially in red leather seats. Its conservative like a Brooks Brothers suit compared to the Alfa's curvier Italian  lines.\" width=\"540\" data-mycapture-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/a4e538c3-0b6d-4b8e-9e27-ec5fe1eda3d4-audi_int.JPG\" data-mycapture-sm-src=\"https:\/\/www.gannett-cdn.com\/presto\/2020\/04\/20\/PDTN\/a4e538c3-0b6d-4b8e-9e27-ec5fe1eda3d4-audi_int.JPG\" \/>The interior of the 2020 Audi S4 is a comfortable sanctuary, especially in red leather seats. Its conservative like a Brooks Brothers suit compared to the Alfa&#8217;s curvier Italian lines.\u00a0<span class=\"credit\">(Photo: Henry Payne, The Detroit News)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/aside>\n<div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"p-text\">But the system is slow and the voice command system average.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Alfa\u2019s big play is on a new self-driving system with ambitions to take on class-leaders Tesla Autopilot and Cadillac Super Cruise. Accessing these systems allows busy drivers to check their phone in traffic or just relax a bit. Alas, the Alfa\u2019s system is a nervous Nellie.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">It demands a hand be on the wheel at all times. Its constant nannying defeats\u00a0the self-drive purpose.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">Ultimately, the Giulia Quadrifoglio\u2019s stratospheric price \u2014 a healthy $25,000\u00a0more than the S4 \u2014 means it\u2019s accessible to fewer buyers. Given its small size, rear-wheel drive\u00a0and lesser-quality reputation, the Alfa will be considered a niche vehicle compared to the Audi.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\">That\u2019s the clinical case. But after going to Hell and back in the Giulia, I had a big dumb grin on my face I\u2019ve had in few cars. Alfa\u2019s my kind of personality.<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\">2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Vehicle type:\u00a0<\/strong>Front-engine, rear- and all-wheel drive, 5-passenger performance sedan<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Price:\u00a0<\/strong>$39,840, including $1,295 destination charge; $75,740 Quadrifoglio ($90,840 Quadrifoglio as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Powerplant:\u00a0<\/strong>2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Power:\u00a0<\/strong>505 horsepower, 443 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Transmission:\u00a0<\/strong>8-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Performance:\u00a0<\/strong>0-60 mph, 3.6 seconds (Car and Driver); top speed: 191 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Weight:<\/strong>\u00a03,806 lbs. as tested<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Fuel economy:\u00a0<\/strong>EPA 17 city\/24 highway\/20 combined<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\">Report card<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Highs:<\/strong>\u00a0Balance of a ballet dancer; brash engine<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Lows:<\/strong>\u00a0Tight back seat; laggy infotainment system<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Overall:<\/strong>\u00a04 stars<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\">2020 Audi S4<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Vehicle type:\u00a0<\/strong>Front-engine, all-wheel drive, 5-passenger performance sedan<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Price:<\/strong>\u00a0$50,295, including $995 destination charge ($62,840 model as tested)<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Powerplant:<\/strong>\u00a03.0-liter turbo V-6<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Power:<\/strong>\u00a0349 horsepower, 369 pound-feet of torque<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Transmission:<\/strong>\u00a08-speed automatic<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Performance:<\/strong>\u00a00-60 mph, 4.4 seconds (mfr.); top speed: 155 mph<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Weight:\u00a0<\/strong>3,847 lbs. as tested<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Fuel economy:\u00a0<\/strong>EPA 20 city\/27 highway\/23 combined<\/p>\n<h3 class=\"presto-h3\">Report card<\/h3>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Highs:\u00a0<\/strong>AWD rocket traction; state-of-the-art digital displays<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Lows:<\/strong>\u00a0Plows in corners; VW Arteon is better looking<\/p>\n<p class=\"p-text\"><strong>Overall:\u00a0<\/strong>3 stars<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Anyone who doubts machines have personalities hasn\u2019t driven the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Audi S4. Though they are both of the luxury performance sedan persuasion,\u00a0they are as different as Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton. Ginger and Mary Ann. Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele. They are as different as, well, Italian and Germans. Luxe sedans [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,87],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25241"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=25241"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25241\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25242,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/25241\/revisions\/25242"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=25241"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=25241"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/henrypayne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=25241"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}