The Italian M3 rival is finally ready to hit the roads, with Alfa Romeo currently launching the Giulia in the European market.

The new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde (or Cloverleaf for English-speaking countries) wants to offer not only a genuine alternative to the usual high-performance saloons from Germany, but aims to reshuffle the cards in the segment.

Powered by a ‘Ferrari-inspired’ twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 producing 503hp and 600Nm (442 lb ft) of peak torque, it is capable of a 0-62mph (0-100km/h) in 3.9 seconds, topping out at an unrestricted 190mph (305km/h).

Alfa Romeo claims that the Giulia QV offers the best power-to-weight ratio in its class, tipping the scales at 1524kg dry and offering a 50-50 weight distribution between the axles. Doors and wings are made out of aluminum, with a carbon-fibre bonnet and roof to keep the weight down and low to the ground.

The steering has just 2 full turns from lock to lock, aiming to offer Ferrari levels of directness while the company has integrated Torque Vectoring tech into the limited-slip differential in order to control the supplied torque independently for each wheel.

Engineers have gone for a double wishbone front suspension with a multilink rear and adaptable dampers sourced from ZF Sachs. The company aims to offer the Giulia QV in many configurations, including versions with AWD and/or paired with an eight-speed automatic gearbox in the place of the standard six-speed manual. Customers in the UK will only get the option of a RWD automatic version.

The driver will have four driving modes to choose from: Dynamic, Natural, Advanced Efficiency and a QV-exclusive Race mode which turns the stability control off and tunes the chassis for driving on a track.

The bodywork features an advanced aero agenda, including an active front splitter made out of carbon, offering a genuine 100kg of downforce at top speed. The drag coefficient of the new Giulia QV is rated at 0.32 Cx.

The new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde is priced from 79,000 euros ($89,000 in current exchange rates) in Italy and an estimated £55,000 ($79,000 in current exchange rates) in the UK. Pricing in other European countries will be announced in the coming days.

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