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.

Alfa Romeo Telvio Quadrifoglio 8 830x550

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.

2020 BMW X4 M Competition Sophisto Grey 31 830x553

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.