The sleepless nights had started earlier in the week.

It wasn't the high temperatures or humidity of the Bay's summer nights. It wasn't the mosquitoes that suddenly appeared after the rain. It wasn't the tossing and turning at the prospect of the holidays coming to an end.

My tossing and turning was caused by the prospect of the review drive I had coming at the end of the week. My lie-awake nights were filled with lust and passion. It all came down to two words; Alfa Romeo.

Any car enthusiast knows those words mean Italian elegance and auto history, and when they are connected to the words Giulia Veloce (or Quadrifoglio), you know you're stepping into rarefied car driving territory.

The Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio is the car that has taken on other leading automotive marques and won. There isn't a YouTube video or online review that doesn't end with gushing enthusiasm for this Italian masterpiece of auto engineering, with the Quadrifoglio winning accolades worldwide as an outstanding four-door sports sedan.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce and Giulia Quadrifoglio are both that good they will change driver's lives.

Let me make this perfectly clear to the automotive naysayer – driving is not just about getting from A to B. It is not about the basics of ‘getting around town'. It is not about transport alone.

Driving at its most intense is an emotional, sensual, spiritual, emotionally uplifting (and challenging) experience and I knew all that at 4.44am when I was only four days away from being behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and I was still awake. I only had four sleeps to go.

Tale of two Italys

Two Alfa Romeos were on offer for driving; the Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce and its bigger, more powerful brother, the Quadrifoglio.

Both four-door sedans were driven for this review, and while one is more powerful with more driver modes available, they both share much of the same platform and road feel and dynamic at lower speeds.

They are twin brothers from the same factory placed at different price points, with both models capable of extraordinary road driving satisfaction and excitement.

In contrast, the daily driver experience of both cars is not that different from each other; simply, they are designed for different markets and different drivers, but they are both quick and responsive and exciting to drive, depending on the driving mode chosen.

The smaller Veloce has three driver modes and the dynamic mode will keep most drivers happy with the punch off the line, seamless automatic or paddle transmission shifting (over eight ratios) and near total absence of road noise.

Both cars can be sedate daily drivers on their basic All Weather driving (DNA) mode. But change up from All Weather mode to Dynamic mode and the driving experience changes dramatically with it – changing the car from daily driver to a genuine sports car with punch and a more assertive driving character.

The DNA system changes driving modes, altering throttle response, suspension, engine note and road-handling characteristics.

The changes are so profound between DNA modes it is like the Alfa Romeo Giulia has three or four car characteristics in one sublime body.

Italiano fit and finish

The interior fit and finish across both models was to be expected for anything Italian; it's superb. Tight highlighter stitching across the front interior, alongside healthy doses of carbon fibre make for an upmarket feel with the interior feeling spacious and beautifully proportioned.

A nice touch is the steering wheel mounted stop-start button.

A particular highlight of the cockpit came in the form of the two paddles located behind the steering wheel and with ample size to make manual shifting a breeze.

The centre console has three rotary dials, one for radio volume and another acting as a control mouse for the menu on the centre console screen. They fit snugly where the driver's free hand may lie, meaning everything is at arm's length. The third dial is the control for Alfa's DNA driving mode system and suspension damping controls described above.

La semplicità è l'ultima sofisticazione

As the Italians would say; simplicity is the ultimate sophistication. This is what Alfa has achieved here.

The basics really do apply. Both cars have great engines and transmissions, alongside outstanding chassis and computerised controls and functions. They all work together to provide sublime road handling characteristics, while packaged in a great-looking family sports sedan.

They are the most sensual, sexiest, most thrilling, engaging, enlightening and exhilarating drives I have ever taken.

No one can drive either Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce or Quadrifoglio and not appreciate the Italians have engineered something that goes being mechanics, beyond automotive art and beyond being a car defined by torque numbers and 0-60km timing specs. This is the car the automotive gods would own and red line just for the pure fun of doing it. Drivers should remember the Quadrifoglio is part Ferrari, with the V6 engine being the same block as the Ferrari California, less two cylinders.

This is a driver's car. You own it to drive it. The only music you need is the sublime engine note from the twin exhaust.

This review comes with a warning. If you test drive the Alfa Romeo Veloce/Guilia Quadrifoglio you will not want to leave this car behind on the yard.

They are both Italian engineering marvels with an engine note to die for. They are automotive temptresses that will be like a first love; never forgotten and always longed for.

Bring your chequebook.

Specs

Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce
Engine: 2L in-line 4 Turbo (petrol)
Transmission: 8 Speed Automatic (w/manual shift paddles)
Power: 206KW @ 5250RPM; 280HP @ 5250RPM; 276BHP @ 5250RPM
Torque: 295lb-ft @ 2250RPM; 400Nm @ 2250RPM
0-100kmph – 5.7 seconds

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Engine: 2.9L V6 Turbo (petrol)
Transmission: 8 Speed Automatic (w/manual shift paddles)
Power: 375.1KW @ 6500RPM; 510HP @6500 RPM; 503BHP @ 6500RPM
Torque: 443lb-ft @ 2500-5500RPM;
600Nm @ 2500-5500RPM
0-100kmph 3.9 seconds