M3 Sedan

Make
BMW
Segment
Sedan

The funny thing about comparisons is that no matter how well they're done, the results are hardly ever conclusive. Different drivers vibe with a certain car better than another, race tracks can be suited towards vehicles with straight line performance better than a mecca to corner-carving prowess, and paradoxically, the differences become even more apparent the closer each car is to another in terms of performance and character.

That might be what explains why the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio lost this comparison. It even though the automaker is new to this segment, the Giulia QV has scooped up approval from the enthusiast community left and right both for beating the four-door German hotrods that were previously the incumbents and doing so while delivering such sheer joy for driving that it's hard not to fall in love.

The main issue with the Alfa Romeo in this case happens to be the fact that it's Italian. Not that there's anything inherently wrong with that, but in traditional Alfa Romeo fashion, the check engine light goes on part way through the race, an automatic demerit without even considering whether or not the problem is causing the car's computer to stunt power production. It's too bad really, but at least it's easy to see that in this battle, it's hard to feel like a loser even when you're dead last. Just look at the smiles pasted onto these test drivers. Still, this is another piece of evidence that, like the last Alfa Romeo Giulia QV comparison we saw, tells us that the race may be closer than we originally thought.