There seems to be no shortage of heavily modified, high-performance vehicles focused on track antics being ushered into the world. So we decided to pit the R4,2 million Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm and R3,5 million BMW M4 CSL against each other.
Related: The BMW M4 CSL will land in South Africa – pricing and allocation!
It is difficult to justify spending over R3,5 million on a heavily modified performance saloon or coupe that is still inherently limited by its compromise on comfort and interior space. Far better value exists in the form of a Porsche 911 GT3 for example, which can still provide as much theatrical entertainment for its passengers at just over R3 million.
Related: Alfa Romeo’s halo Giulia GTA and GTAm make landfall in SA
Despite this, the exclusivity related to the Giulia GTAm and M4 CSL is likely a strong justification for the purchase price with collectors and wealthy enthusiasts finding value in their limited numbers. Speaking of which, only 10 of the bespoke, Sauber-engineered GTA and GTAm models were brought into South Africa while 5 more of the BMW are anticipated for local buyers before the end of the year.
| Powertrain | Power | Torque | Top Speed | Curb Weight | Selling price | 0-100 km/h | |
| Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm | 2,9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 | 397 kW | 600 N.m | 300 km/h | 1 580 kg | R4,2 million | 3,9 seconds |
| BMW M4 CSL | 3,0-litre twin-turbocharged straight-six | 405 kW | 650 N.m | 307 km/h | 1 625 kg | R3,5 million | 3,7 seconds |
Both models feature re-designed front and rear fascia and massive rear-wings. The Alfa Romeo goes one step further with enlarged rear wheel arches to house the tyres and single-nut teledial rims. Everything about both contenders here is focused around lightness, the M4 CSL being 100 kg less than the M4 Competition and the Alfa Romeo shaving as much as 152 kg from its overall mass. This includes removing the second row of seats and replacing them with a half-cage. Four passengers can be ferried around at lighting speed in the standard GTA model which is only slightly toned down to this “m” (modificata) counterpart. The GTA is also more relatively priced to the M4 CSL, costing R3 999 999.
Alfa Romeo has only produced 500 of their limited edition sedan between both GTA and GTAm derivatives while double the amount of the CSL will be produced by the Bavarian powerhouse. This Carwow video choice comes down to personal preference but we can imagine the adoring fans from both historic marques will justify their choices accordingly.
