For the price of an entry-level SUV, this Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio offers a 510 hp V6... but there's a catch...

Seeing an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio listed at 24,999 $ in the USA is enough to raise an eyebrow. We're talking about a 510-hp sedan, powered by a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, capable of competing with German benchmarks on the racetrack as well as on the highway. And yet, in Snellville, Georgia, at North Georgia Auto Brokers, a red 2018 example is offered at a price more in line with a well-equipped compact than an Italian super-sedan. Tempting? Of course it is. But at that price, the question is worth asking: bargain... or trouble?

110,000 miles: a lot... or just logical?

The figure that immediately catches the eye is the mileage. 110,693 miles, or just over 170,000 km. For a 510 hp Italian sports car, some will see this as a worrying symbolic milestone. However, when viewed in the context of the car's age, the picture is more nuanced.

This Giulia is from 2018. That's about 14,000 miles per year, or nearly 22,000 km annually. In other words, it has most likely been used on a daily basis. This isn't a car that's been parked for weeks on end, only to come out cold at weekends, before a few violent accelerations. It has been driven, regularly and obviously consistently. And contrary to popular belief, a high-performance car that runs frequently and heats up correctly can age better than a model that is seldom used, subjected to short cycles and occasional rough treatment.

A reassuring mechanical package

Under the hood, we find the famous 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 developing 510 hp. This engine, derived from the Ferrari architecture (yes, it's debated every time), is now sufficiently mature to no longer be considered an unknown. Overall, its reliability is judged to be decent, provided of course that maintenance has been rigorously followed.

The ZF 8-speed automatic gearbox has nothing left to prove. Used by many premium manufacturers, it is renowned for its robustness and speed. In this respect, you needn't worry if you've had your oil changed on time. The chassis, with its pilot-operated suspension, limited-slip rear differential and Brembo brakes, is a class benchmark. The Giulia Quadrifoglio is more than just an impressive specification sheet: it's a car that provides genuine driving pleasure, with incisive steering and a front axle of rare precision.

The real issue: maintenance, not mileage

At this stage, the real issue is not so much the number of miles displayed as the quality of the follow-up. A car maintained in the network or by a competent specialist, with supporting invoices, can still easily cover twice its current mileage.

170,000 km for a well-designed and properly maintained modern engine is nothing out of the ordinary. In absolute terms, this Giulia could well exceed 300,000 km if it continues to be seriously maintained. On the other hand, if maintenance has been neglected, costs can quickly escalate. A Quadrifoglio remains a top-of-the-range sports car: brakes, tires, specific parts and specialized labor are not at the price of a general-purpose sedan.

A passion purchase, not an investment

We must also be clear on one essential point: at 25,000 $, you don't buy this car in the hope of making a capital gain. With 110,000 miles on the odometer, it won't become a collector's item again. On the contrary, as you add more miles, its value will probably continue to fall. But is that really the point?

For the price of a used family SUV, you get a sedan capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in under 4 seconds, with a unique engine character and a chassis hailed by the international press as one of the best of its generation. At this price, the discount has already done most of the work. The biggest financial shock is over for the first owner.

So, a good deal?

If the history is clear, the maintenance documented and a thorough inspection reveals nothing out of the ordinary, this Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio at less than 25,000 $ can clearly represent an excellent bargain for an enthusiast.

You just have to approach it with the right philosophy. It's not an investment, nor is it a rational car. It's a choice of the heart, a pleasure purchase, with all the costs and risks that entails. But for 25,000 $, access to 510 Italian horsepower, an expressive twin-turbo V6 and one of the most exciting chassis of the decade... it's hard not to consider that, properly chosen, this Quadrifoglio could offer an enormous amount for its price.

The real question, in the end, may not be “is it reasonable?”, but rather: can we really resist?