there are many rays. Thunders, not so many. Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV and Ford Focus ST have been tuned to be more than just GTI. Two downloads of up to 250 hp.

Smells storm … and you hear coming from afar. They are serious, very deep rumbles. Some, those of Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde, sound and half load, when about 2,500 and up to 1,000 laps later, blowing and feel the turbo at full current. Others, the Ford Focus ST, resound even more raucous even when you reach its 6,500 rpm cutting, even predicting a major storm. The storm is already here … and you do not see that too is coming. Two striking bodies and colorful, with flaps, ailerons, dual exhaust and even specific details carbon cloud suddenly the landscape. And threaten to download.

There are not many brands actually the emotional weight of Alfa Romeo and Ford. The first, by history and tradition, but also courage, daring even today put on the market a Alfa 4C supercar carbon fiber, a mini Ferrari without other concession than the dynamic strict purity. Now, Giulietta QV this thundering we open the door and comes with latest evolution engine TBI 1,750 released by the tandem itself as aluminum block; the second, Ford, by agility prints all your product, betting today even recover in Europe Ford Mustang one or announce 2016 Ford Focus RS with 350 hp, will be the most powerful compact … only after exclusive Mercedes-AMG 45 (381 hp) Y Audi RS3 (367 hp): both, yes, with all-wheel drive. Meanwhile, down just a little step and a good group of new compact “R” (see since Seat Leon Cupra to Honda Civic Type R or Renault Megane RS), This new Ford Focus ST deafening as we get started, back after being called evolution by technicians Ford Team RS to convert, for now, in the end Focus. With 250 hp Y front-wheel drive, such as the 240 CV that looks and an Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde whose name evokes competition which traces its origins to 1932 when the pilot Ugo Sivocci recorded it as an amulet in the race, none passes course being a conventional GTI.

Alfa Giulietta QV speed and Ford Focus ST

It’s something you feel anything more jump: turbo pressure gauges, aluminum pedals, steering wheels flattened and, of course, semi-baquets with inscriptions. Two “cockpits” very encouraging, where the Ford Focus ST, yes, imposes more adrenaline start as more immersive Recaro, hard seat, with better grip … and discomfort access. It’s what has a Rácing environment. And we will ask, because to live a storm in all its intensity, nothing better than to climb the mountain. Broken floor sections with narrow walkways between vegetation, fast corners no hard shoulder, vertiginous “paellas” … Here there will be no excuses.

Foot depth and first shock: keep talking Ford Focus ST. Not only it has a more direct contact, more sensitive accelerator stroke but 2.0 turbo engine is also more explosive. With 20 percent more torque than its rival, but the best, with even a 35% to 2,000 rpm, impresses, associated only in addition to a manual gearbox quite closed. Old school sports, but, basically, not necessarily faster. In fact, never a Ford Focus ST was the fastest in its class, and its Ecoboost engine today does not change: what are his feelings. Giulietta time the advantage to teach weapons.

Even though this Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio Verde felt smaller displacement with a weaker low regime, its exhaust and intake improvements, and indissoluble association and the automatic TCT dual clutch 6 gears with Launch Control, They give a more elastic response in middle and high range (more like stretch) and make it faster at the start. Perhaps it is a handicap for driving purists, but This Alfa Giulietta and earn a minimum of half a second speed. Which also achieved thanks to its enhanced delivery bank.

before a Ford Focus ST away 10 hp from its official figure, he Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde in return pays 15 hp more, which also joined almost 20 kg less, improve power / weight ratio: and below 6 kg / CV to take a first body to ST. None is in any case much less slow, running almost 50 kg lighter and extremely rapid Volkswagen Golf GTI Performance 230 hp and very close to the most powerful Seat Leon Cupra or Renault Megane RS, both with 265 hp. Both coming and end of the straight bullets, Alfa faces as slightly before cornering.

Unchanged this time frame (still firmer body and lowered to 15 mm before any other Alfa Giulietta), this Quadrifoglio Verde It is also very docile sample. Light direction moves, just sways and reactions are smooth even at the limit, always marked by a front end of absolute dominance: lightning. One, two, three linked … and it seems that the storm subsides. Or not. Where is the Ford Focus?

Alfa Giulietta QV behavior and Ford Focus ST

TO more demanding, better response from a new Ford Focus ST that, at times, has become thunder. It was enough for a single curve and closed to roll ahead. New front springs and motor mounts, four shock absorbers “sportiest“According to Ford, one quicker steering, and an ESP and Torque Vectoring delivery system more effective torque, if it was more temperamental engine, let alone behavior. True that in fast corners with no escape in sight and may even be somewhat restless and cumbersome, a moving body and a front train that seems to “snooping” the racing line, but give him confidence.

Accelerates, brakes, marks the turn and gives full throttle with the new Ford Focus ST. Faster, It conveys much more impulses with a very fast front and foremost with a back that far from going anchored as in the Alfa Giulietta, it is very receptive I support change. Looser than any current GTI and even many compact “R” helps as well to close the turn grants sportiness and driving pleasure very difficult to see today in a front-wheel drive. In times where up to Audi RS3 seems almost boring, Ford is planted, very much in line Renault and RS. Yes, because, not panic, it is still acceptable.

Although emotional and more demanding, this playful headed Ford Focus ST also not be unchecked violence, while recovering his composure and with which responds almost like a Porsche brakes in distance and endurance. And that Ford does not boast or an oversized equipment, or Brembo 4 piston as heralding Alfa Romeo and, in his Quadrifoglio Verde does not meet expectations.

Cloudburst here because that falls to Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde that neither his “Manettino “DNA equal times. Something itself becomes more agile Dynamic mode (There is also Natural and All Weather), based on accelerator act, change direction and, above all, electronic controls. So you manage to drop a little over an Italian sports car that, in Natural, ends quickly paralyzed stroke brakes and power interruptions to the slightest suspicion of losses: turn to the Q2 electronic differential better do its job (sometimes by self-locking) but also cutting root more in the end in any case any threat of chaos. Still, nor its change TCT (first dual-clutch I like more softness and ripped that speed up reaction) nor their motor skills, nor their general set never cease to approach a Ford Focus ST very worked on casting, where sportsmanship is standard even without requiring extra driving modes: you can only set the ESP in sports or disconnect (something that I recommend such a device only in closed loop).

Time to go home now “drenched” with sensations and effectiveness of a Ford Focus ST very well modernized equipment and connectivity, but as relaxed, starts also prove yourselves more fatiguing: rebotón even very large asphalt and highway before a more absorbent Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde, rotatably worst in operation (has a different gear ratio steering to be faster to spin much, but slower in a first radius that gives more linear stability in fast track) and a noticeable increased consumption in road (almost 1 l / 100 km above the Alfa) Equals only half if you roll enough in city thanks to a new Stop / Start which does not have the Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde. And nobody said the storms could be always nice … but what are spectacular.

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