New Alfa Romeo faster than Mercedes-AMG C63, BMW M3

• Full details: 2015 Frankfurt motor show.

Alfa Romeo pulled no punches at the 2015 Frankfurt motor show.

The Italian marque let rip at its German hosts with claims that the new Giulia QV performance car is faster than rivals from Audi, BMW and Mercedes-AMG.

Alfa chief Harald Wester put a stake in the ground by claiming the new model can lap Germany's Nurburgring circuit (the performance car benchmark) in just 7 minutes and 39 seconds – around 13 seconds faster than its next-best rival, BMW's M4 Coupe, and comfortably the best in the four-door class.

That's an impressive statistic, one driven home by the Alfa Romeo's turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 engine that pumps 375kW of power and 600Nm of torque through a six-speed manual transmission. Expect to see a similar motor under the bonnet of future Ferrari models.

The 375kW, 700Nm V8 in Mercedes-AMG's C63 S is the only car in the European compact sedan motor that exceeds Alfa's output, though a weight disparity of more than 100 kilograms means the Italian machine should prove its equal in a drag race and on track.

The brand says its machine can crack 100km/h in 3.9 seconds before reaching a top speed of 307km/h.

But it's not all about straight-line grunt.

Optional carbon fibre panels in the roof and bonnet help create a 50-50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles, while active torque vectoring, active suspension and optional ceramic brakes help drivers stay in control.

The catch is that the top end Alfa Romeo Giulia is not cheap.

Priced from around €79,000 to €95,000 in Italy – and around €5000 less in Germany, the Alfa Romeo costs more than key rivals and more than the similar-sized Maserati Ghibli.

But it's not short on gear. Active aerodynamics, an 8.8-inch integrated dashboard display, 14-speaker Harmon Kardon stereo and sports interior are available with the car.

The most important feature, according to Wester, is how it makes drivers feel.

"Alfa Romeos have become again a perfect fusion of man and machine," he says.

"We have created emotions and experiences that go well beyond owning a car.

"We believe something great is about to happen."

How the new Alfa Romeo compares:

Car:                        Giulia QV            BMW M3             Mercedes-AMG C63 S

German price:       €90,000*             €71,800               €84,371

Engine:                  2.9L V6T             3.0L I6T               4.0L V8T                  

Power:                   375kW                317kW                  375kW

Torque:                 600Nm                550Nm                  700Nm

0-100km/h:            3.9s                     4.1s                      4.0s

Top speed:           307km/h              250km/h**             250km/h**

Weight:                1524kg                1595kg                  1655kg

*Approx. price with performance options

**Electronically limited