Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio vs Mercedes E 400 e 4MATIC W214: which is truly faster?

Off the line, the Giulia Quadrifoglio hits 100 km/h in 3.94 s versus 5.31 s for the E 400 e 4MATIC. Despite lacking instant torque, 510 hp of power compensates. At this point, the Giulia Quadrifoglio leads by 1.36 s and sits roughly 6 m ahead.

At 200 metres, the Giulia Quadrifoglio is doing 164 km/h against 135 km/h for the E 400 e 4MATIC. The gap is 1.02 s. The challenger starts to claw back ground.

At 400 metres standing start, the Giulia Quadrifoglio crosses the line in 11.74 s versus 13.57 s. The 1.83 s gap represents roughly 83 m of track - a gap visible to the naked eye.

Past 400 metres, the Giulia Quadrifoglio continues to build its lead. At 600 metres, it runs at 228 km/h versus 190 km/h. At 1,000 metres, the Giulia Quadrifoglio finishes in 20.93 s versus 24.58 s, with a 3.65 s lead.

Both rivals are electronically governed, but not at the same level: the Giulia Quadrifoglio is capped at 307 km/h, the E 400 e 4MATIC at 250 (i.e. 155 mph - industry threshold) km/h. This isn’t a physical engine limit - it’s a manufacturer choice, usually for tyre safety or homologation reasons. Neither car reaches its true aerodynamic top speed.

Instant electric torque gives an advantage off the line. The higher top speed of the combustion engine gives an advantage over longer distances. The distance at which one catches the other depends on the top speed differential.

In European road use (130 km/h max), both vehicles reach the legal speed limit in under 8.31 seconds. The 1.36 s difference in 0 to 100 km/h is mostly felt in motorway merging and overtaking.