Germany vs. Italy Who will win?
Some of the most famous touring cars and homologation-specials ever made came out of Europe in the 1980s. The first-generation BMW M3 was there, as well as the Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16 (and 2.5-16), and the Ford Sierra RS500 Cosworth. There is a car that is not often mentioned by enthusiasts. The Alfa Romeo 75 Turbo Evoluzione was a car that had the potential to make a significant impact on European touring car racing in the late ’80s.
The Alfa was not successful as Mercedes and BMW surpassed the Italian in popularity and success. The V6 version 75, also known as the Milano in America, can still give the E30 M3 road-going model a hard time. The M3 has evolved into a supercar-baiting sedan and Alfa Romeo took decades to catch up. The Giulia GTAm was the end result, so it could be said that the wait was worthwhile.
We use the word “was” because the GTAm is now sold out. It is also fascinating that until now, no one has ever done a side by side track test with the new M3 Competition. It’s Carwow again, with a head-to-head race. This time, they are comparing lap times of each car and not just racing straight up. Although we won’t be able to tell you which car is fastest, we will let you know which car finishes one lap faster by reviewing the spec sheet.
Let’s begin with the long-running BMW M3. The redesigned M3 Competition is a powerful machine. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter straight-6 produces 503 horsepower (375 Kilowatts) as well as 479 pound-feet (475 Newton-meters). Carwow tested the rear-wheel-drive version of this model, but all-wheel-drive is also available.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm is the engine that outperforms the BMW, at least in power. The M3 Competition has the same engine but it also features a six-cylinder twin-turbocharged engine. The 2.9-liter V6 boost produces 533 horsepower (397 Kilowatts) as well as 442 pound-feet (602 Newton-meters) in torque.
These are some of the interesting findings. The Alfa has more horsepower but the BMW is faster when it comes torque. The Alfa is lighter than BMW so it should be close. Place your bets right now. You may be surprised by the results.