By now, a lot of people are familiar with a YouTube channel called carwow and its oddly charming host, Mat Watson. A variety of car review videos are available on the channel, but today we get a rather interesting drag race.
It is a battle between two 6-cylinder engines, both of which are impressive in their own right. Mat Watson is sitting on the left side of the drag strip in a BMW M4 CSL, which really does not need too much of an introduction. It is the pinnacle of BMW’s 4 series lineup, gaining 40 horsepower and shedding 221 pounds (100 kg) of weight compared to the M4 Competition. These numbers round up to an impressive 550 ps (542 hp) and 479 lb. ft. (650 Nm) of torque from the 3-liter inline-six engine, which is mated to a torque-converter automatic transmission.
On the other side of the track, there is an Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA. The Italian car is widely considered to be one of the best driving sedans, and the GTA model only goes to improve that. It bumps up the power output of the 2.9-liter V6 by 30 ps, for a total of 540 ps (532 hp) and 443 lb. ft (600 Nm) of torque. Just like the BMW, it also loses about 220 pounds (100 kg) and has a torque-converter automatic transmission.
Naturally, with improved engines, the sound had to be tested. With the benefit of an Akrapovic and an engine developed by Ferrari technicians, carwow’s Mat Watson declared the GTA to be the winner here.
Next came the race, which was the usual muddy affair, as the BMW’s finicky launch control slowed down the car on the first pass. After two more rounds, the results came in, with the BMW beating the Alfa two to zero. The German coupe managed a quarter-mile time of 11.6 seconds compared to the Italian sedan’s 11.8 seconds.
The M4 CSL also won both rolling races, outpacing the Giulia GTA, regardless of the transmission being put into automatic or manual mode. With that being said, the Alfa Romeo was not slow, as all the wins achieved by the BMW were rather close.
To round things up, a brake test was performed from 100 mph (160 kph), and this is where the Italian car managed to mark down a win on its scoreboard, beating the M4 CSL by half of a car length. When it comes to a clear conclusion, the BMW came out on top. Still, the cars are close enough in performance, so both are great options, and it’s up to the individual to decide which they would rather have.
As a kid, Bogdan grew up handing his dad the tools needed to work on his old Citroen and asking one too many questions about everything happening inside the engine bay. Naturally, this upbringing led Bogdan to become an engineer, but thanks to Top Gear, The Fast and the Furious series, and racing video games, a passion for automotive entertainment was ignited. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News