Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Engine Breaks Down in BMW M3 and C63 S Track Test

And we do want to make this into a discussion. Believe me, I want to hate Alfa Romeo for making a top sports sedan with a broken engine. But the fact of the matter is that the BMW M3 isn't exactly known for its reliability. Not just this generation, but also the ones that came before it.

Speaking of which, one of the Piston Heads editors makes an interesting comment. The last time Alfa Rome had a sports sedan with the power going to the rear was 1992, the same year the BMW E36 M3 came out. Think about that car with rust, damaged wheels and chipped paint to get an idea of how long Alfa has been out of the game.

However, the Giulia is the car everybody asked for and the Quadrifoglio version has been benchmarked directly against the C63 and M3, which are top dogs. We know from other reviews that it's wonderful to drive, has a strange fly-by-wire brake feel and can drift for days. But due to the engine being in limp mode, she can't rev or go sideways.

Also, after PH filmed this video, Alfa revised the weight specs. So what started out as the lightest sedan in the segment by far ended up being heavier than the M3. So much for carbon fiber prop shafts and body panels!

And while both the C63 S and Giulia Quadrifoglio had 510 horsepower, the on-paper power deficit never hurt the M3, which pulled miles ahead on the famous Anglesey Circuit. The Merc's drift ability also made it shine as the unhinged grin machine of the group. It's not the result Alfa was hoping for, but this is not a review many people will learn about.