The big bad Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio starts at $73,595 with destination. That's quite a bit more than the BMW M3 and Cadillac ATS-V, but it's right on par with the Mercedes-AMG C63 S Sedan.

The four-leaf clover has a 2.9-liter biturbo V6 that turns out 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. That's good for a 3.8 second 0-60 mph and a record-setting 7:32 Nürburgring lap time, if you care about such things.

Seductive looks, a snarling exhaust note, and sharp handling are essential to any Italian sports car, and the racy Giulia Quadrifoglio has all three in spades. A Ferrari-derived 505-hp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6 drives the rear wheels through an eight-speed automatic; a manual isn't available here.

Four selectable drive modes adjust suspension damping and throttle response; in Race mode, stability control is fully disabled, and the Quadrifoglio is all too happy to swing its tail out for a drift.

As the owner of an Alfa Giulia Quadrifoglio, I was pretty impressed by the 280hp Alfa Stelvio Sport, but would prefer driving a Ti Sport to see how it feels on 20" wheels and tires. To me, it was impressively quick at speed, but a tad soft taking corners.

Nothing a good set of stiffer sway bars can't improve though. Debating getting one for Winter and inclement weather driving.