- COMPARO. CAR AND DRIVER. MAR/2017
S-class. Isolation is ideal for those who never encounter apexes, but
when facing a mountain, the AMG finds itself wanting for agility
despite a suspension pulled in tight. If anything, AMG might’ve
pulled it in too tight. No one lauded the AMG’s ride. While not as
manic as the paint-shaker M3, even with the Benz’s dampers locked
in their softest setting, the C63’s Michelins sounded like bouncing
basketballs as they slammed over pavement cracks. The steering
churns with the same syrupy aloofness as an S-class’s, and with
53.8 percent of its 3958 pounds on the front
tires, the C63 S lacks the turn-in ambition
of the others. Through the slalom, the
A MG went the slowest while feeling the
most ponderous.
The C63 finishes in second place again.
Once again, it proves to be as good a daily as
the Wall Street Journal, but there’s now a
better choice for those looking for a bit
more entertainment.- ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO
Fresh out of the box, the Alfa Romeo won
us over. We went in skeptical and left in awe
of this gorgeous machine.
After rotating through the cars count-
less times, it became clear that the Alfa is
the total package. The twin-turbo 2.9-liter
V- 6 provides the best acceleration to 60
mph and joins the 11-second club with an
11.9 in the quarter at 121 mph, quicker than
Alfa’s own 4C two-seater and quick enough
to require a roll cage at some drag strips.
A Ferrari 488’s V-8 with two cylinders
lopped off, this 90-degree V-6 lacks a bal-
ance shaft but sounds great. Above 3000
rpm, the V-6 throbs out a deep, snarly bel-
low that jeers at the suave manner of the
Benz V-8 and points at the coarseness of
the Cadillac V-6. Piped-in sound isn’t nec-
essary here; all you hear is the music of the
engine behind the instrument panel and
the two-mode exhaust. We wouldn’t want
it any louder. Under duress, the engine
peaks at 80 decibels, a big eight decibels
quieter than the M3.
The power builds evenly and without
any big surges, which helps keep wheelspin
under control during acceleration. The
throttle response is precise, no matter the
mode, but becomes livelier in the race and
dynamic settings. No launch control is nec-
essary; it’s as easy as holding the brake, rev-
ving the engine to 2000 rpm, and unleashing the power. We wish
there were a manual-transmission option as there is in Europe, but
we have to admit that the eight-speed automatic is spectacular. It
bangs through shifts with nearly the swiftness of a dual-clutch
gearbox, and the giant metal paddles attached to the steering col-
umn, which can completely obscure the wiper and turn-signal
stalks in normal driving, are suddenly exactly right where you need
them when you reach for a downshift.
2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Class-leading ride, handling,
steering feel, and power. You always wanted to be a development
engineer, right? Great to drive, possibly a greater gamble.
Three-quarters of a Ferrari V-8 is enough to make the Giulia the quickest car to 60 mph. Beyond 100 mph, though, the C63’s full V-8 takes the lead.