This is a comparison that’s been done seemingly countless times since the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio has come out. The BMW M4 Competition Package is its direct competitor from the Bavarian brand (even though it’s really the M3 that competes but Top Gear couldn’t get an M3 for the test. We get it), so it’s only natural to compare the two. So let’s see what TG thinks of the two super sedans.
In terms of power and performance, it’s pretty clear which car wins. The BMW M4 Competition Package makes 444 hp from its 3.0 liter twin-turbocharged I6 engine. When paired with a dual-clutch transmission, the M4 Comp Pack can get from 0-60 mph in 4.0 seconds. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio makes a whopping 503 hp from its 2.9 liter twin-turbocharged V6 and is paired with an eight-speed automatic. This allows the Italian to get from 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds. So you tell us which wins this part.
While the Alfa Romeo is more powerful and faster, you’d think that the M4 Competition Package would handle better, as that’s always where BMW excels. However, while the M4 Comp Pack is a great handling car, the Alfa Romeo is just a bit better. It feels more delicate, lighter and more nimble, more up on its toes. There’s a a sort of fluidity that the Alfa supposedly has that the M4 lacks a bit. It seems as if Alfa Romeo out-BMWed BMW.
The only real downside of the Alfa Romeo is its lack of build quality on the inside. While I haven’t personally driven the Giulia, I have been inside of one several times and it does feel less premium than the M4. Some plastics feel cheap, the shift lever feels like something from a Chrysler 300 and the infotainment wheel feels as if it’s going to snap off. It just lacks the premium materials that BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi have in their cars.
However, Top Gear feels that the Alfa’s faults should be overlooked. Its engine is brilliant, its handling is brilliant and it looks and feels more exciting than the Bimmer. While BMW’s Competition Package transforms the M3/M4 into cars that would make long-time BMW fans proud, it’s still a bit too serious, whereas the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is lively, exciting, fast and dynamic all in a way that makes its drivers fall in love.
[Source: Top Gear]