In a world where cars are perhaps becoming somewhat anodyne it’s rather wonderful that we have a contender for the title of best supersaloon that doesn’t hail from Germany. We’ve not had an Alfa that’s been this good since the Alfasud was a lad and the fact that the Giulia Quadrifoglio is not just a contender but a winner was not what we were expecting from this upstart supersaloon.

In a market sector that can so often be dominated by blistered arches and huge cooling intakes the Alfa’s subtle styling is a pleasant departure but the materials used are right up there with the best with a carbon bonnet, boot and roof and aluminium wings and door skins. Its interior is also a refreshing change from the market norm – slightly quirky but not the ergonomic nightmare of years gone by.

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> Click here for our supertest between the Giulia's three coupe rivals

Alfa has always been good at engines and while this latest 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged unit isn’t as tuneful as the legendary Busso V6 it still delivers the goods – 503bhp and a sub-four second 0-62mph time see to that. With a slick eight-speed auto it’s an excellent combination.