Alfa Romeo has unveiled its first ever SUV model via the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Named after an Italian mountain pass, the SUV was unveiled for the first time at the ongoing Los Angeles Motor Show in its legendary “four-leaf clover” Quadrifoglio guise.
The Giulia-based crossover will mark a new offensive of new Alfas in the coming years. To begin, it has a seductive exterior that will surely sell if aesthetic is the only deciding factor. The Stelvio borrows heavily from the Giulia Quadrifoglio as seen with its headlamps, front grille, and air intakes. Even on the inside, the Stelvio’s driver-focused panel is just like the sedan equivalent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IVqE_M8orA
Under the bonnet of this red example lies a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine making 510 hp, while a 280 hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine is available as an option. Regardless which mill is selected, they are all paired with ZF’s eight-speed automatic transmission. The slushbox is said to be capable of making lightning-quick gear changes in just 150 milliseconds in Race mode.
For this Quadrifoglio, it receives Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel drive technology and torque vectoring technology. In normal driving condition the wheels are driven at the back, but the Q4 system will channel the torque as much as 50% to the front wheels when traction is required. The usage of torque vectoring will allow the rear wheels to receive optimum torque individually via the two clutches in the rear axle.
While there are no official numbers to show how fast the Stelvio is, Alfa claims this car is a direct competitor to the Porsche Macan Turbo and the upcoming Mercedes-AMG GLC 63. On that note, if FCA is looking to resurrect the Alfa brand in Malaysia, the Stelvio could be the ideal car that will appeal to the SUV-loving Malaysians.
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