The clover is back. Alfa has announced that its Quadrifoglio Verde (QV) designation - that's a four-leaf clover to those of us of English tongue - will reappear on two end-of-life models. New versions of the GT and 147 will both get a little green badge, and will both be powered by Alfa's latest 1.9-litre JDTM engine. The clover badge started life as a good luck symbol on Alfa's race cars, but made its way onto road cars in the 1980s on the Alfasud T1 and Sprint. Having adorned hot versions of most Alfas through the 90s, the badge was put to pasture after the 164 QV, but now it's back on a couple of run-out specials.
Though we've no firm word on performance yet, Alfa says the 1.9-litre JDTM turbodiesel should pull the GT and 147 to 60mph in around eight seconds and on to a top speed of 134mph. The QVs get a few extra touches beyond the oil-burner and clover badge, though, including lowered suspension, chrome tailpipes, a smattering of aluminium trim and some other goodies that Alfa is yet to reveal.
With the Brera eclipsing the GT, and the 147 soon to be replaced next year by the 149, Alfa will be hoping that the highly specced QVs revive a bit of interest in its quieter models.