Alfa Romeo Giulietta QV

A bit of background... The new QV models debuted in March 2014 and went on sale in that summer to celebrate over 90 years of Quadrifoglio Verde and to mark the 60th anniversary of the Giulietta. 'Quadrifoglio Verde' is Italian for 'Four Leaf Clover' and marks out the performance versions over the standard models, like VW's GTI, Ford's ST and Vauxhall's VXR.

Just like the 4C, the Giulietta QV gets its power from a 4-cylinder 1,750 cc turbocharged petrol unit twinned with a 6-speed dual clutch automatic transmission known as the ALFA TCT.

Thanks to a new Launch Control, Alfa Romeo have managed to slice 0.8 s off the 0-62 mph time of the previous Giulietta QV, cutting it down to 6.0 s. The QV Intake Engine Sound makes the car sound a lot more potent that it is, but that's not to say that it's not already formidable enough! Alfa has managed to squeeze 240 bhp out of the engine, producing 340 Nm of torque.

Meeting Euro 6 standard, the Giulietta QV emits 162 g/km (15 g less than before). A claimed 40.4 mpg doesn't make it too much more costly to run than somme other standard family hatchbacks.

Alfa Romeo's D.N.A. system allows the driver to switch between Natural (everyday driving), Dynamic (for an extra punch) and All Weather (for additional traction).

Launch Control comes as standard. So do the QV Intake Engine Sound, large twin exhausts, lowered sports suspension, side skirts and red Brembo® brake callipers. Tinted rear windows and 18-inch alloy wheels help it to stand out even to the untrained eye, and front and rear parking sensors make it a sensible choice.

It ticks all the hot hatch boxes outside, but what about inside? The flat-bottomed steering wheel finished in contrast stitching is accompanied by paddle shifters, and the QV logos subtly remind you what you're driving. The Alcantara® and leather sports seats are finished in Quadrifoglio Verde-themed (green and white) stitching and so are the gear level and handbrake.

For those daily commutes, you want the Giulietta QV to drive like a normal car. Well, most of the time! The 6.5-inch Uconnect™ touchscreen does just that. It comes as standard with sat nav, voice controls, DAB, USB and Bluetooth® connectivity.

Prices start at just over £28,000 but Alfa also made 500 'Launch Edition' models (100 of which went on sale in the UK). Obviously they're long gone, but it may be worth keeping an eye out for one. Kit included carbon-fibre mirror covers, a carbon-fibre spoiler, upgraded side skirts, 18-inch 5-hole alloys and a personal plaque to denote which model of those 500 your car is. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde Launch Edition costed £2,160 more than the standard Giulietta QV.

The Giulietta QV is in a large group of hat hatches and race-tuned cars. Here's a list of some of the most popular along with the size and power output of the engine, price estimate, 0-62 mph time and boot size. (The Giulietta QV has a 350l boot)

• SEAT Leon Cupra, 2.0-litre, 261 bhp, £26,000, 5.9 s, 380l
• SEAT Leon Cupra 280, 2.0-litre, 276 bhp, £27,000, 5.7 s, 380l
• Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG, 2.0-litre, 360 bhp, £38,000, 4.6 s, 341l
• BMW M135i, 3.0-litre, 326 bhp, £31,000, 5.1 s, 360l
• Audi S3, 2.0-litre, 296 bhp, £30,000, 4.8 s, 390l
• Volkswagen Golf GTI, 2.0-litre, 217 bhp, £27,000, 6.5 s, 343l
• Volkswagen Golf R, 2.0-litre, 296 bhp, £31,000, 4.9 s, 343l
• Renault Mégane RenaultSport 275 Trophy, 2.0-litre, 275 bhp, £29,000, 6.0 s, 377l
• Vauxhall Astra VXR, 2.0-litre, 276 bhp, £27,000, 5.9 s, 285l
• Ford Focus RS, 2.3-litre, 316 bhp, sub-£30,000
• Honda Civic Type R, 2.0-litre, 306 bhp, £30,000, 5.7 s