Strike From Below

Can’t quite afford an Alfa QV? We send in the more affordable second-tier hitters from Audi and AMG to see how much you really lose when you save $40K

- Ash Westerman

SO, THAT thud you just heard was the Earth shifting off its axis, as an Italian upstart edged aside the German rulers of the compact sports sedan segment. Well, let’s try to restore some equilibrium, because here’s a thought – maybe you don’t really need 500 horses stampeding from the rear wheels to achieve driver satisfaction from the broader category.

Which brings us here with the question: just how much do you really lose by stepping down to the circa-$100K zone? Do the fireworks from the Alfa utterly snuff out what’s on offer from Audi’s S4 quattro or the Mercedes-AMG C43 4matic? Or are they plenty of car for most people, most of the time?

It’s handy that the S4 and C43 have ample design distinctions both inside and out, because if they were debadged and styled like white goods, you may initially struggle to tell them apart. They’re dimensionally close, both run 3.0-litre V6 engines fed by turbochargers; two for the AMG, one twin-scroll unit nestled between the cylinder banks in the S4. Both use torque-converter autos; the Audi with eight ratios, the AMG nine. Both drive all-four wheels and are capable of sending the bulk of their torque rearward. Both are lavishly equipped and both ooze ample driver appeal.