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Taking Quadrifoglio across the channel

4K views 59 replies 17 participants last post by  PR 
#1 ·
Has anyone taken their Quadrifoglio across the channel? If so, did you use a ferry or Eurotunnel (I presume Eurotunnel due to ground clearance on ferry ramps).
Looking to do a road trip to Italy in the summer and just wanted to check there's no issues with ground clearance. Thinking downstairs on the Eurotunnel train would be ok but I'm wondering if upstairs might be a problem?
When you book can you specify downstairs only?
Thanks.

PS suggestions for a route to Northern Italy welcome! Would like to try a stretch of unlimited Autobahn if possible but not sure which parts are unlimited.
 
#2 ·
I've not taken my QF abroad because I don't have it yet :)

However, I used to take my Maserati Granturismo S on Eurotunnel and it was very tight on the standard double deck carriages.

When you book, say you have a vehicle over 1.85m, then they'll assign you to a single deck carriage which is much wider and fits coaches, lorries, etc.
https://www.eurotunnel.com/uk/traveller-info/vehicles/caravans-campers-vans-and-trailers/

It usually doesn't cost more either!
 
#3 ·
PS suggestions for a route to Northern Italy welcome! Would like to try a stretch of unlimited Autobahn if possible but not sure which parts are unlimited.
Unlimited autobahn is only here in Germany, nowhere else! you have to plan your route going over Stuttgart and Munich. Additional 150km, but toll free :thumbup: (at least in 2017)

Have you been to northern italy before?
 
#4 ·
Thanks SilverChariot. When I was talking to my dealer he said they thought they had to get a special transporter like they do for the 4C as it's so low. I know the 4C is pretty low but when I looked up the ground clearance the Quadrifoglio is even lower! Not sure if that's when the splitter is deployed though but it gives ground clearance as 100mm or 4 inches.

Blowfly6 - yes I meant via German Autobahns. Which ones are unlimited? No, I haven't been to Northern Italy before other than Venice when I was a kid. Going on a road trip with wife and 2 kids. Want to go via some German Autobahns and some nice mountain passes etc. Was thinking Belgium then Germany then into Austria then possibly via Stelvio Pass into Italy stay around the lakes for a few days and then back via Switzerland and France. Any suggestions welcome!
 
#6 ·
I had no issues on the numerous times I took the GTA on Eurotunnel, up or down. I expect the Qf to be better as the overhang is shorter than the GTA and until last weekend I had not had any issues with grounding and that was due to an uneven match between the road and the drive onto a petrol forecourt. I find the ramps on ferries have a bigger lip than those on Eurotunnel . Enjoy both the Autobahn (plan the fuel stops) and Northern Italy.
 
#7 ·
The high vehicle suggestion is a good one. I do one or two Euro trips a year with a group in high performance cars and it's not uncommon to see such vehicles in with the busses and trucks, principal benefit is extra width. You'll get up and over the lips no problem at all.

For a route suggestion head from Calais towards Metz, stay in the Vosges Mountains near Colmar on the border, autobahn run including derestricted down to Swiss border then head towards Bormio via Livogno which is just after the Ch/IT border and is a route with terrific passes and tunnels and a order crossing on a gorgeous dam before a run alongside the lake to Livogno. Stay that evening either in Bormio at the bottom of the Italian side of the Stelvio ( the better but less photographed side) or head up to the top and stay in the ski hotels at the top.
 
#8 ·
Thanks all.
Think I'll book the Eurotunnel and say it's over 1.85m to be safe. It's quite narrow on the normal double decker and I'd rather keep the wheels away from the edges!

Keep the road suggestions coming too.
I'll look up that route Brooking10. Cheers.
 
#9 ·
Route to Italy



Hi smarty156,

I’ve taken my 156 GTA to Italy perhaps 30 times over the years. I only got back from the Dolomites yesterday.

I generally use the Dover to Dunkerque ferry for a number of reasons:

• I have a 3-4 hour journey to get to Dover so a 2 hour ferry crossing provides a break which the tunnel can’t.

• My route generally takes me though Belgium so landing in Dunkerque is helpful.

• Dover to Dunkerque is generally the cheapest route.

In the early days, I was worried about grounding on the ramps inside the ship leading up to the upper car deck and notified the ferry company I had low ground clearance. They put me on the main deck. Later, I had confidence that those ramps if taken slowly weren’t an issue.

I haven’t gone via Eurotunnel in many years.

As others have said, the Quadrifoglio’s ground clearance seems to be about the same as the 156 GTA.

Nevertheless, on my first trip abroad in the Quadrifoglio, which may only be a week off (I got it today), I will play safe and warn the ferry company I have low ground clearance.

The choice of route is dependent on three main factors:

• Where you want to go in Italy
• How long you want to allow for the journey.
• How many French autoroute tolls you wish to avoid

I’m normally aiming for NW Italy, Valle d’Aosta (skiing), Lombardia (lakes and Alfa Museum) or Liguria or Toscana (sea).

Before I retired, I was generally taking the fastest and shortest route, ie French Autoroutes to Strasbourg, Autobahn (part without speed limits) to Basel and through Switzerland and into Italy through the Grand St Bernard Tunnel. Or via Dijon and the Mont Blanc tunnel.

These days, I have more time and I generally go on Belgium autoroutes passing Namur down to Luxembourg (where petrol is cheap) to Metz, Nancy then minor roads to Pontarlier, Lausanne and Grand St Bernard.

The D50 from Lure to Valdahon is a fun road.

If I’ve got even more time, the minor roads on the Belgian French border are very entertaining.

eg Chimay – Bourliers – Bourg Fidele - Montherme – Rochehaut


If wanting to go further East and exploit limit free autobahns, the route from Luxembourg via Merzig to Pirmasens, which I used on Sunday, is fast and often empty.

Currently, the autobahn past Stuttgart has huge roadworks and I suggest you don't go there for a year or two.

Hope this helps.

Andy
 
#13 ·
Currently, the autobahn past Stuttgart has huge roadworks and I suggest you don't go there for a year or two.



Hope this helps.



Andy

Its actually only 2bits a 2km now left (just before Pforzheim and just before Leonberg) but traffic depends on the time of day.
I acutally went 295 between pforzheim and stuttgart like 3 weeks ago.
Before ulm there are some more roadworks but then on you can run non-stop to munich, which I did in my bimmer before christmas (see pic attached)




Gesendet von iPhone mit Tapatalk
 
G
#11 ·
Driving routes

I've been down to Northern Italy by car and motorbike via the Channel Tunnel on multiple occasions.

For the first part of the route I typically head to Arras on the A26 from Calais and then hit the D939 to Cambrai, D643 to Catillon-sur -Sambre and then the D1043 to Hirson and in to the Ardennes forest and on to Charleville-Mézière. The roads are excellent quality, fast, quiet with some nice towns inbetween.
 
#18 ·
Is there anything in the manual concerning placement of badges?

I've alway put them about an inch below
the headliner, to the right of the rearview mirror.

If you have a passenger, have them hold it there
for the 1st toll gate to check it's okay then fix it.
 
#25 ·
From the 6th May 2017

For the first time, UK drivers who get caught by speed cameras going too fast on roads in countries including France, the Netherlands and Belgium will face fines of up to £640.

However, a quirk of the European law will create a "one-way" system in which Europeans caught speeding in the UK cannot be pursued by British police.
 
#30 ·
[sigh]

It'll be how the UK implements something that's the problem, I'm guessing.

Let's have a look. What does the Daily Wail say..?

The Daily Wail said:
The vehicle owner is liable for fines in at least 14 EU countries, but in the UK the responsibility lies with drivers rather than registered owners.

This means British police will still be unable to fine drivers from the EU who commit offences here.
Obviously this information is out of data. Car owners are now required to dob-in the driver here
in France too. I know because all company drivers were warned about this back in January.
(Previously company car drivers got off without points.)


SO just another case of UK journalists basically concocting stories to fit their
EU narrative.*


Relax. Chill. After brexit things will still be as ****ed up as before.
Plus ça change.

;)




*AKA Lying through their teeth.
 
#33 ·
There have been a lot of lies pushed with varying agendas.
To be clear, so you don't have to judge, I'm not one of the people that wanted to leave the EU. Hopefully that clears that up.

In this specific example of European law, I do think it strange that a law is written that doesn't cover all members. Why would you do that? It wouldn't be difficult to create it so that it worked for all 14, which would be the fairest. Pro Brexit will latch onto things like that.

Anyway, back to my original post. I've booked the Shuttle and put down that I have a high vehicle. Off to Italy end of July and really looking forward to it.
 
#38 ·
Headlight Conversion



I took my Quadrifoglio abroad in April and used Eurolite stickers.

On at least the Quadrifoglio, there is no adjustment. One of the major weaknesses of the design.

So to stay legal there is no choice but to use stickers. The latest type seem to come off OK without damaging the lens.

In summer with light evenings unless you're driving though tunnels or at night, the risk of being caught is surely very low.

You might get away with keeping a set of stickers in the glovebox and putting them on if needed or if challenged by the gendarmes.

Andy
 
#45 ·
Cheers guys.
When I had a VW Touareg I bought headlight covers that came with marks and little bits of tape to go where the marks were to cut out the raised bit of the beam. Worked really well and meant the tape wasn't stuck to the actual headlights.
Are there any headlight covers available for the Giulia?
 
#46 ·
When I used to take the GTA abroad, I parked against a garage door (or wall) with the lights on and placed the (Eurolights) sticker where it blocked the offending part of the beam
Interestingly I only ever did the passenger side headlight. The driver side didn't (in my opinion) cause any issue of glare to cars on that side. Never had any issues
 
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