Test drive Alfa Romeo Giulietta LPG: Day 3 Milan > Frankfurt

We have reached the halfway point of the route we have driven with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, thanks to the collaboration of Alfa Romeo Spain. But our Giulietta was not a standard version: it ran on petrol and LPG (autogas). In previous articles we have already told you about our first impressions behind the wheel and the dynamism it offers, but today we set out to cross the Alps with the car and keep testing this thrifty compact.

If you also want to discover interesting places, stay with us for this third day of the route, because the crossing from Italy into Switzerland over the Alps will not disappoint you. It is a very beautiful route, ideal for those of us who love driving and perfect for switching off. We will also pass through Liechtenstein (the small state, known for its finance sector) and its capital, Vaduz (also small).

Day 3 Milan > Frankfurt [747 km – 10 hours – no tolls]

The route between Milan and Frankfurt, we did over two days so we could stop to take photos, see the area and put together the feature. Although it can be done in one day, if we choose the route off the motorway to cross the Alps (the most beautiful one), it is advisable to spread it over several days, because the whole area has a lot to see and offer.

With that clarified, we set off on the route starting in Milan, leaving the city first thing in the morning and heading for Como, the town that gives its name to Lake Como (at the foot of the Alps). All the little villages around the lake could keep us entertained for a full day, since each one has a special charm. The roads running alongside the lake, narrow and with tunnels, also stand out; they have appeared in several films.

Among the villages to highlight on Lake Como, the town that gives the lake its name, Como, stands out, as does Bellagio and, on the opposite shore, Cernobbio and Menaggio. If there is time, it is worth climbing to one of the villages on the mountainside, since the views of the lake and the surroundings are very beautiful, and the roads are great fun.

We leave Lake Como behind at the town of Colico and set off towards the mountains, towards the Alps. After a stretch on the dual carriageway, the scenery begins to change and we find ourselves on a mountain road, a half-rainy day with everything green and typical mountain villages where wood is very much present. The landscape is postcard-perfect; we stop to take some photos in Chiavenna before crossing into Switzerland.

>Entering Switzerland, over the Alps towards Vaduz (via the Maloja Pass)

Chiavenna

At the border we are surprised by the checkpoint, they do not simply let us through, they ask for all kinds of documentation and inspect the entire Giulietta. The explanation is that they have tightened controls on immigration entering the country without a work contract.

Once past the border we start climbing; on the road we see several lakes at 1,000 metres above sea level, a beautiful and icy landscape (those lakes must be frozen solid in winter). The feeling that fills the area is one of peace: the occasional fisherman on the lake, wooden houses, large green meadows… All of this as we pass over the Maloja Pass, one of those iconic places.

Lake Sils – Switzerland

Little by little the houses disappear and the road becomes lonelier. We keep climbing and the altitude on the sat nav approaches 2,000 metres. Winding roads, asphalt in perfect condition, and a landscape dotted with small huts or shelters, cows and meadows, all surrounded by mountains.

At the highest point of the road, 2,284 metres above sea level, we stop, again there is hardly any traffic and a sense of peace fills the whole area. In a few fields you can see cows and a 4×4 belonging to the farmer who owns the animals, and little else: no houses, no extras, no sign of civilisation.

As we begin to descend towards Chur, it starts raining heavily and a strange phenomenon appears on the road. And I am not talking about ghosts, but frogs. I swear I had not touched alcohol while driving, but as we went down the Alps we could see something clearly hopping across the road. Curiosity got the better of us, and in the middle of the downpour we stopped to check what was crossing the road: they were small frogs.

Arriving in Chur (Switzerland), the car that rules is the Subaru Impreza; you see it everywhere in town. The border between Switzerland and Liechtenstein is marked by nothing more than a few flags, for practical purposes both countries are the same: they share the same currency and the same border security, and Vaduz is a small city, almost a single street.

Of course, the capital of this mini-state sits among fields and the occasional castle; the setting looks straight out of a film. It has its own police force, which patrols in an BMW X3 (something it inherits from the Swiss), and Liechtenstein car plates are black with the initials “FL“.

>Route via the Autobahn to Frankfurt

The rest of the journey from Vaduz to Frankfurt we will do on the Autobahn, passing briefly through Austria, and then a quick and fun run along the famous German autobahns, free of tolls and with many stretches without a speed limit. But beware: roadworks every 30 km.

Driving impressions

Vaduz

This stretch was the most demanding for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, because we tested it on the narrow lanes of the villages around Lake Como, putting its manoeuvrability to the test. It also had to climb the Alps, descend them in heavy rain, and cruise at more than 150 km/h on the German autobahns.

Right after leaving Milan, we refuelled with LPG at 0.75 euros a litre, the Italian adapter is the same as the French one. The manoeuvrability is good, we managed to get into tight spots without any trouble, and the rear parking sensors help, but it should really have front sensors too, which would be more practical for parking.

And when we said that in Italy they drive in a rather peculiar way, we were not exaggerating: in a lakeside village we came across a Daihatsu that calmly drove up the steps leading down to the village jetty. Here the Fiat Panda 4×4 is very famous (for its small size, its traction and its manoeuvrability; you never know when you might have to climb some steps).

On the village roads, the interior fit and finish is correct. Despite the condition of the asphalt in some areas, no odd noises or creaks came from the cabin, and it has good sound insulation.

Running on LPG and with its 120 CV, we tackled the climb to the Alps, the power delivery is adequate: once past 2,000 rpm the car pushes hard, and at no point did it feel short of power. The fuel consumption does shoot up, and the LPG seems to vanish from the tank, but that is completely normal at high altitude.

On the way down we met heavy rain, bends and frogs, the frogs were harmless, but the rain and the bends were not. The car stayed stable throughout, the lighting is good and the car’s response, especially the brakes, (which had taken a real beating) is adequate.

Finally, on this stage, there was the autobahn, where we cruised at between 150 and 170 km/h in the Giulietta. It had no trouble maintaining speed and accelerated properly, although at high speeds you can feel that we only have 120 CV. Stability at these speeds is good, about what you would expect from an average saloon. LPG consumption at an average speed of 150 km/h was 11 litres per 100 km.

The next day’s route will be from Frankfurt to Paris. We still need to look in detail at the Giulietta’s interior, its space and comfort, as well as other details.

Photos | Test team