Alfa Romeo Giulia vs BMW M3
Verdict
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is the lighter financial hit at RM440,078, with RM378 annual road tax, a five-year warranty and eight airbags. The BMW M3 asks RM837,800 and RM2,113 a year in road tax, but the numbers explain the pain: 503 hp, 650 Nm, all-wheel drive and 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. The Giulia’s 276 hp, 400 Nm and 5.7-second sprint are still serious, and both give you five seats and a 480-litre boot.
Pick the Alfa Romeo Giulia if you want the cheaper compact executive sedan, lower road tax, rear-wheel drive and a longer five-year warranty.
Pick the BMW M3 if you want the harder-hitting car, with 503 hp, 650 Nm, all-wheel drive and a 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time.
Key differences
- Price: Alfa Romeo Giulia RM440,078 vs BMW M3 RM837,800
- Engine: Alfa Romeo Giulia 1,995 cc vs BMW M3 2,993 cc
- Output: Alfa Romeo Giulia 276 hp/400 Nm vs BMW M3 503 hp/650 Nm
- Driven wheels: Alfa Romeo Giulia rear-wheel drive vs BMW M3 all-wheel drive
- 0-100 km/h: Alfa Romeo Giulia 5.7 s vs BMW M3 3.5 s
- Road tax: Alfa Romeo Giulia RM378/year vs BMW M3 RM2,113/year
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 440,078✓ | RM 837,800 |
| Body type | Sedan | Sedan |
| Segment | Compact Executive | Compact Executive |
| Seats | 5 | 5 |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Engine | 1,995 cc | 2,993 cc |
| Power | 276 hp | 503 hp✓ |
| Torque | 400 Nm | 650 Nm✓ |
| Transmission | Conventional Automatic | Conventional Automatic |
| Driven wheels | Rear Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance | ||
| 0–100 km/h | 5.7 s | 3.5 s✓ |
| Top speed | 240 km/h | 250 km/h✓ |
| Efficiency | ||
| Fuel economy | — | 10.1 L/100km |
| CO₂ | — | 230 g/km |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,643 mm | 4,794 mm |
| Width | 1,860 mm | 1,903 mm |
| Height | 1,436 mm | 1,433 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,820 mm | 2,857 mm |
| Boot space | 480 L | 480 L |
| Fuel tank | 58 L | 59 L |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 8✓ | 6 |
| Auto emergency braking | Yes | Yes |
| Ownership | ||
| Warranty | 5✓ | 2 |
| Road tax / year | RM 378✓ | RM 2,113 |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Giulia
- Much lower purchase price
- RM378 annual road tax
- Five-year warranty and eight airbags
- 227 hp down on the BMW M3
- 0-100 km/h takes 2.2 seconds longer
- Rear-wheel drive only against the BMW’s all-wheel drive
M3
- 503 hp and 650 Nm
- 3.5-second 0-100 km/h time
- All-wheel drive traction
- Much pricier to buy
- RM2,113 annual road tax
- Two-year warranty and six airbags
Giulia vs M3 FAQ
Is the Alfa Romeo Giulia or BMW M3 better?
The BMW M3 is better for outright performance: 503 hp, 650 Nm and 3.5 seconds to 100 km/h beat the Giulia’s 276 hp, 400 Nm and 5.7 seconds. The Giulia makes more sense if running cost and warranty matter more.
What is the price difference?
The BMW M3 is RM397,722 dearer: RM837,800 versus RM440,078 for the Alfa Romeo Giulia.
Which car is cheaper to run on road tax?
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is much cheaper on annual road tax at RM378. The BMW M3 costs RM2,113 a year, mainly because it uses a larger 2,993 cc engine versus the Giulia’s 1,995 cc unit.