Bad news, Italian sport sedan fans. The 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio will cost more than the 2017 version. Good news: the slightly higher MSRP includes additional standard equipment.

The price for one standard-issue 2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio will climb to $75,085, which represents a $1,500 increase over the 2017 model. Included with the additional cost is  standard automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning, which was optional last year. Additionally, Alfa Romeo will now outfit the sport sedan with a 14-speaker Harmon Kardon audio system.

Analysis from Cars Direct shows the price increase technically boils down to just a $100 change year-over-year. The active safety equipment cost an extra $500 in 2017 and the audio system commanded $900 extra.

Even better news on the value front: the Giulia Quadrifoglio represents a bargain when comparing other sport sedans' optional active safety features. Those cross-shopping the Giulia Quadrifoglio with either the Mercedes-AMG C63 or BMW M3 will be met with either a $4,450 option package or $5,600 in the case of the M3, thanks to prerequisite packages required.

As for the audio wars, the Giulia Quadrifoglio is now at par with both sport sedans; the AMG C63 boasts 13-speaker setup, while the M3 receives a 16-speaker system. Just don't expect a manual transmission to join the options list anytime soon.