A New Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Heads to the Dyno
Unlike some European manufacturers, Alfa isn’t underrating its power numbers.
Two days ago, YouTube user AutoAvanti posted a video showing her 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio making a few pulls on a dynamometer to show us, the public, what kind of power actually lurks from within. Fresh from the factory, the Giulia Quadrifoglio's 2.9 liter twin-turbocharged V6 generates 505 hp—all of which is sent to the rear wheels—according to the Italian automaker.
The best pull on the dyno resulted in a power reading of 392 hp, which is down 113 hp from what Alfa rates the 2.9 liter engine (ostensibly at the crank). With any reading from a dyno, however, there's always an inherent drivetrain loss, the amount of which is dictated by the type of dyno being used and the number of driving wheels on the car being tested.
A normal drivetrain loss on a two-wheel drive car, like the Giulia that was tested, normally works out to subtract around 20% of the purported factory power output. In this instance, 20% of 505 hp is 101 hp, which is well within the range of normal drivetrain loss. Adding to those missing ponies is the Mustang Dyno which was used, a dynomometer that's notorious for being conservative with its numbers.
One thing's for certain, though—for better or worse, FCA isn't underrating this power plant, something that some German manufacturers have been doing years.
