One of Alfa Romeo’s most famous historical designations, the Quadrifoglio Verde (QV), is set to make a comeback with the evocative green cloverleaf symbol gracing new versions of the Alfa 147 and GT which will be powered by the potent new 170 bhp 1.9 JTDM engine.

The four leafed clover badge has been used by Alfa Romeo’s factory racing teams throughout the brand’s history as a good luck symbol, and over the decades it has adorned track winners such as the F1 World Championship-conquering Alfa Romeo 159 at the beginning of the 1950s, to the glorious breed of Tipo 33 designated machines that went on a winning spree in sportscar racing during the 1970s.

Meanwhile on the public roads, the ‘green’ badge saw widespread use most recently in the 1980s and 1990s denoting the only most sporting, agile and powerful versions of the range, starting with the Alfasud TI and its slippery coupé derivative the Sprint, before gracing its more practical successor, the Alfa 33, and then a raft of potent models including the Alfa 75, 145, 146 and 164.

Now the Green Cloverleaf badge is making a comeback on the Alfa 147 and GT to denote models which will be powered by the new 170 bhp 1.9 JTDM engine. This unit made its debut last month at the Bologna Motor Show in the limited-edition Alfa 147 Ducati Corse, and the two new models will generate similar performance to the Ducati Corse branded car which accelerates from 0-100 kph in just 8 seconds, reaching a top speed of 215 Km/h.

The powerful 1.9 JTDM 170 bhp engine will be paired – on both models – with the “Q2” system (self-locking front differential) which significantly improves roadholding, traction and stability while reducing understeer during acceleration and intervention of electronic control systems. Specifically, the Torsen “Q2” system is responsible for the continuous dynamic distribution of torque between the front drive wheels, depending on driving conditions and road surface. The self-locking differential combined with the quadrilateral front suspension allows the Alfa 147 to achieve handling performance and roadhold that are among the best in its class.
[Source: Italiaspeed]