Prior to driving the BMW X3 M Competition, the most brutal SUV I’d ever driven was the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio. Want a proper monster that Alfa is and, quite frankly, still probably the most exciting SUV I’ve ever driven. However, the X3/X4 M twins from BMW pack just as much power. So the question now stands: Which one is faster? In this new video from Cars.co.za, we take a look at a drag race between the BMW X4 M Competition and fast Alfa.
On paper, both cars are extremely similar. Both have twin-turbo six-cylinder engines, pack about the same horsepower (503 hp for X4 M and 505 hp for Stelvio QV), have about the exact same torque (442 lb-ft for the Bimmer and 443 lb-ft for the Alfa), the same ZF-sourced eight-speed automatic and are both all-wheel drive.
However, the BMW X4 M Competition has quite a bit of a weight disadvantage, being about 400 lbs (185 kg) heavier. That’s a huge difference. Though, the X4 has launch control and the Alfa doesn’t. So on to the drag race. Which one is actually faster in a straight line?
Off the line, the Alfa gained an immediate lead, jumping ahead by a pretty big margin. Thank its lighter weight for that quick-twitch athleticism. However, the X4 M Competition ended up pulling ahead at the very last second and ended up winning by four hundredths of a second.
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio completed the quarter-mile in 12.14 seconds, after hitting 100 km/h (62 mph) in 4.0 seconds flat. While the BMW X4 M Competition took 4.16 seconds to reach 100 km/h but ended up finishing the quarter-mile in 12.10 seconds. So the X4 had a worse launch but, thanks to the fact that it likely makes more power than claimed, it had the legs to just pull ahead after a quarter-mile.
Those Alfa’s really are something special. I haven’t driven a Stelvio QF, but I have driven a Giulia QF and if it acts anything like the sedan, that will be very impressive for a crossover.
But how many times will it break down during 3 years of ownership?
The BMW or the Alfa?
Both
Trollolol. You know which is known for its unreliability.
More likely the Alfa claims to make more power than it actually does!