Push the steering wheel-mounted start button, insert the truncated selector into D, and off you go without drama – with the result that it’s almost too easy to exceed acceptable speeds in a short period of time.
When you first sit down in the 328, you realize just how far three decades of ergonomic development have taken us. For starters, although I am compact enough to avoid contact with the roof liner, at 5ft 7in (my 6ft 2in colleague is not) my arms are outstretched to reach the steering wheel. Non-adjustable Momo (no airbag), which in turn is tilted away from you, forcing a police-style melee steering style as you maneuver the car. My legs are also tilted to the left to reach the pedals.
But then you look down and see that open, chrome-plated gearshift frame, with its slender lever, feast your eyes on no less than seven analog dials, and then marvel at the amount of open space around the cabin and the beautiful view offered by its narrow A-pillars.
The gnarled and winding roads of the South Downs near Goodwood generate a torrent of contrasts between sedan and supercar. Since the Alfa is 388mm longer, 130mm wider and 308mm taller than the Ferrari, its structure is even more rigid, with no noticeable flex. I’d bet advancements in structural engineering have probably had more of an effect on a car’s handling, control, and safety than anything else.
That said, the Ferrari feels tight, alert and affordable, with its 225/50 rear tires (originally 60 profile) and 205/55 front tires on 16-inch rims providing ample grip. And while it’s suspended firmly, well-rated damping makes it a joy as speeds increase, paired with unassisted steering that’s rich in feel and feedback (as well as some rebound). But the steering is where the Giulia can’t compete. Admittedly, it is much faster (2.3 turns lock to lock, against 3.25 for the 328) and lighter at all speeds, thanks to the assistance, but it never engages in the same way. as the helm of the Ferrari.
I said earlier how easy it is to access the performance of the Alfa, but that is not the case with the Ferrari. Compared to the simple movement of a wheel-mounted paddle, manual shifting through its open door inevitably requires greater concentration – although the satisfaction gained from using it to extend one of the more powerful V8s near its 8000 RPM red line is something that will stay with me for a long time. Increasingly strict regulations on driving noise have unfortunately deprived the Alfa of anything approaching auditory nirvana.
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-07-17 05:01:24