ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO VS BMW M3: WHO BRAKES BETTER?

3/23/2018

A track test by the monthly periodical Quattroruote compares the braking performance of the two sedans

What you put Italy and Germany together, thoughts inevitably turn to the matches that have gone down in world cup soccer history. This time, however, the duel has nothing to do with a rolling ball, but with rolling wheels. And the winner is not the one who manages to stop the adversary, but rather the one who manages to stop before the rival.

In case you hadn't figured it out, we are talking about a braking challenge between the highly acclaimed Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and the BMW 30 Jahre M3, a limited edition series built to celebrate the M3's 30th birthday. Two exciting sedans, both equipped with a Brembo braking system with carbon-ceramic discs.

This is an almost obligatory solution to rein in the enormous power guaranteed by the two engines: the Alfa Romeo's 2.9 liter V6 and the BMW's 3 liter in-line 6 cylinder engine, respectively 510 HP and 450 HP. These magnificent machines have both rear wheel drive and, obviously the Brembo brake system in common.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio relies on vented Brembo floating discs in carbon-ceramic - 390 mm diameter on the front and 360 mm on the rear. A tasty delicacy for the finest palates, because ceramic carbon is subject to minimum deformation at high temperatures. Just as the BMW 30 Jahre M3 also demonstrates, with this technical solution, braking force remains unvaried even after numerous sequential braking operations.

Both of the cars also have Brembo 6-piston monobloc calipers on the front and 4-piston on the rear. A solution that just 30 years ago was considered futuristic, but which Brembo proved to be feasible with the first units equipping Formula 1 Ferrari single-seaters in 1988. Acknowledging the great benefits in terms of rigidity and light weight, Brembo extended the application to the highest performance street cars over the years and naturally, these two splendid vehicles naturally are no exception.

With this necessary premise out of the way, we can now delve into the thick of the challenge. The test was conducted on the Vairano track (Italy) by the historic Quattroruote monthly periodical. You can find the results in the June 2017 edition (from page 78 to page 89).

During the long test session conducted on the two cars, there was also space for braking trials: each car was subjected to four different tests to measure the braking distance from 62 mph on a dry surface, in the went and on mixed dry/cobblestones and from 124 mph on a dry surface.

The German sedan moved into the lead with magnificent braking: 41.23 yards with 1.04 g of deceleration to go from 62 mph to 0. In fact, at the same initial speed, the Giulia needed 1.42 more yards.

However, the Giulia made a comeback in the braking operation done from 124 mph to 0: 149.8 yards (with 1.15 g of deceleration) compared to the rival's 153 yards (and 1.12 g). So the first partial trial ended in a tie.

After a change of fields, the test went from asphalt to a mixture of asphalt and cobblestone, with the M3 pulling back into the lead: from 62 mph to 0 in 49.1 yards against the Giulia's 49.98.

However, at that point, it began to rain (that's actually not true, they simply used artificial sprinklers) and coming back strong, the Giulia managed to make it a tie. In the wet, both vehicles were able to brake effectively. Naturally, the distances increased: to go from 62 mph to 0, the Giulia needed 100.6 yards and the M3 needed 110.7.

In short, the Italy vs Germany match finished in a tie. It is a 2 to 2 score that leaves everyone in agreement and confirms the excellent performance of Brembo brakes, not by chance chosen by the best car manufacturers in the world for the most powerful and prestigious automobiles.