Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV 1st Spot - 6

What did you think of it? Whats with the clover badge?

I'm a bit confused at these new Alfas (this and the Mito) - I just don't think they're pretty enough. Take that gorgeous grille off and it could be an Astra, or a Seat or something. Put it this way - I'd still take my 7-year-old 147 over a free one of these! Right.... it's geek time: The 'Quadrifoglio' (literally, 'four-leaf', more commonly known in English as the Cloverleaf) badge was originally given out to fellow Alfa drivers (as a shoulder patch) by Alfa works pilot Ugo Sivocci prior to the 1923 Targa Florio, which Sivocci eventually won in an Alfa RL Targa Florio. The two drivers to whom he gave the badge? A couple of relatively unknown racers called Enzo Ferrari and Alberto Ascari! The extra luck obviously wasn't all that helpful - Sivocci was killed later the same year testing an Afla P1 at Monza. (Look up the P1, it's fantastic). Makes you wonder what the contemporary supercar market would look like if old Enzo had met a similar fate. Since then, the badge has been used on almost every Alfa racing car, and the fastest road-going models. I do think the QF looks a bit out of place on modern cars - looks just right on my model Guilia Sprint though! It's been used as more of a marketing tool than anything in recent years - hence the awful green carbon effect on the badge above.

I think it looks nice! But I'd have the new Renault Megane Sport Trophee, that's a hot car!!

Probably a lot quicker, too.

Probably a lot quicker, too.