Compare the2025 BMW M5VS 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

In the past twenty years hundreds of infants and young children have died after being left in vehicles, usually by accident. When turning the vehicle off, drivers of the M5 are reminded to check the back seat if they opened the rear door before starting out. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a back seat reminder.

The M5 has standard PostCrash iBrake, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The M5 has standard Active Park Distance Control that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer backup collision prevention brakes.

The M5 has all-wheel drive to maximize traction under poor conditions, especially in ice and snow. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer all-wheel drive.

Both the M5 and the Giulia Quadrifoglio have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, driver and front passenger knee airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, blind spot warning systems, rearview cameras and rear cross-path warning.

The BMW M5 weighs 1570 to 1710 pounds more than the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. The NHTSA advises that heavier cars are much safer in collisions than their significantly lighter counterparts.

The M5’s corrosion warranty is 7 years longer than the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s (12 vs. 5 years).

BMW pays for scheduled maintenance on the M5 for 3 years and 36,000 miles. BMW will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Alfa Romeo doesn’t pay scheduled maintenance for the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

There are over 3 times as many BMW dealers as there are Alfa Romeo dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the M5’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2024 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that BMW vehicles are better in initial quality than Alfa Romeo vehicles. With 20 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks BMW higher than Alfa Romeo.

The M5’s 4.4 turbo V8 hybrid produces 212 more horsepower (717 vs. 505) and 295 lbs.-ft. more torque (738 vs. 443) than the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s 2.9 turbo V6.

As tested in Road and Track the BMW M5 is faster than the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio:

The M5 can travel with zero emissions for 25 miles. The Giulia Quadrifoglio can’t move without running its internal combustion engine.

Regenerative brakes improve the M5’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The M5’s launch control uses engine electronics to hold engine RPM’s precisely in order to provide the most stable and rapid acceleration possible, using all of the available traction. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer launch control.

For better stopping power the M5’s brake rotors are larger than those on the Giulia Quadrifoglio:

The M5 offers optional heat-treated ceramic brake rotors, which last ten to twenty times as long as conventional cast iron rotors, don’t rust, don’t fade during repeated high speed braking, and their lighter weight contribute to better braking, handling and acceleration. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer ceramic brake rotors.

For better traction, the M5 has larger standard tires than the Giulia Quadrifoglio (285/40R20 vs. 245/35R19). The M5’s tires are larger than the largest tires available on the Giulia Quadrifoglio (F:285/40R20 & R:295/35R21 vs. F:245/35R19 & R:285/30R19).

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the M5 has standard 20-inch front and 21-inch rear wheels. Only 19-inch wheels are available on the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

For a smoother ride and more stable handling, the M5’s wheelbase is 7.3 inches longer than on the Giulia Quadrifoglio (118.3 inches vs. 111 inches).

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the M5 is 5.1 inches wider in the front and 2.1 inches wider in the rear than on the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The M5 Sedan handles at .98 G’s, while the Giulia Quadrifoglio pulls only .94 G’s of cornering force in a Car and Driver skidpad test.

The front grille of the M5 uses electronically controlled shutters to close off airflow and reduce drag when less engine cooling is needed. This helps improve highway fuel economy. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer active grille shutters.

The M5 has 2.6 cubic feet more passenger volume than the Giulia Quadrifoglio (98 vs. 95.4).

The M5 has 2 inches more front headroom, 3.1 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 1.1 inches more rear legroom and 3.3 inches more rear shoulder room than the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The M5 Sedan has a much larger trunk than the Giulia Quadrifoglio (16.5 vs. 12 cubic feet).

The M5 has a much larger trunk with its rear seat up than the Giulia Quadrifoglio (17.7 vs. 12 cubic feet).

To make loading and unloading groceries and cargo easier when your hands are full, the M5’s power liftgate can be opened or closed just by kicking your foot under the back bumper, leaving your hands completely free. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a power or hands-free opening trunk.

The M5 has a standard heads-up display that projects speed, tachometer, warning, navigation instruction and driver assistance information readouts in front of the driver’s line of sight, allowing drivers to view information without diverting their eyes from the road. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a heads-up display.

If the windows are left open on the M5 the driver can close them all at the outside door handle or from a distance using the remote. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Giulia Quadrifoglio can only operate the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The M5’s standard Comfort Access allow you to unlock the doors from any outside door handle, open the trunk, and start the car, all without removing the key from the pocket or purse. Keyless-Enter-n-Go standard on the Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a sensor on the rear doors, so you’ll have to reach a front handle to unlock the rear door.

A power rear sunshade and manual rear side window sunshades are optional in the M5 to help block heat and glare for the rear passengers. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer a rear or rear side window sunshades.

When the M5 is put in reverse, the passenger rearview mirror tilts from its original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirror into its original position. The Giulia Quadrifoglio’s mirror doesn’t automatically adjust for backing.

Optional air-conditioned seats in the M5 keep the driver and front passenger comfortable and take the sting out of hot seats in Summer. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer air-conditioned seats.

The M5 has a standard heated steering wheel to take the chill out of steering on extremely cold winter days before the car heater warms up. A heated steering wheel isn’t available on the Giulia Quadrifoglio w/Sparco Racing Seats.

The M5 offers optional massaging front seats in order to maximize comfort and eliminate fatigue on long trips. Massaging seats aren’t available in the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

The M5’s Parking Assistant can parallel park or back into a parking spot by itself, with the driver only controlling the transmission and speed with the brake pedal. With its available fully controlled system, the driver just activates it and it parks autonomously, starting, stopping and changing direction automatically. The Giulia Quadrifoglio doesn’t offer an automated parking system.

The BMW M5 comes in sedan and station wagon bodystyles; the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio isn’t available as a station wagon.

The BMW 5 Series outsold the Alfa Romeo Giulia by over seven to one during 2024.