Photo: CarPix
As we’re nearing the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, Alfa Romeo appears to test the Stelvio likes there’s no tomorrow. Slated to make its first public outing next month, the Stelvio will start production by the end of 2016 at the Cassino plant in Italy.
As the brand’s first-ever crossover SUV, a lot of expectations ride on the shoulders of the Stelvio. As the smaller sibling of the luxed-up Maserati Levante, the 2017 Alfa Romeo Stelvio will help the Italian manufacturer duke it out in the premium segment. More to the point, the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and the Mercedes-Benz GLC.
Underpinned by the Giorgio platform that made its debut in the Alfa Romeo Giulia (Tipo 952), the Stelvio will be inherently rear-wheel-drive. Q4 all-wheel-drive will be offered as an optional extra in conjunction with select engines and transmissions. Speaking of which, those are a 2.0-liter inline-four turbo, 2.2-liter turbo diesel, and a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with Ferrari know-how imbued into it. Later on, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo diesel V6 engine developed by VM Motori could be added to the lineup.
On the cog-swapping front, a six-speed Getrag manual will come as standard. For those who can’t be bothered to shift their own gears, the tried-and-tested ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission will do. The least powerful engine will be the 150 PS (110 kW) version of the 2.2 JTDM turbo diesel. Higher up, the 2.9 TT V6 we all know and love from the Giulia Quadrifoglio will motivate the Stelvio’s all four wheels with 510 PS (503 horsepower) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of get-up-and-go.
To those who argue that an Alfa SUV is a bit of a sacrilege, pucker up. To deny this segment in this day and age is the shortest road to certain death for Fiat Chrysler, a manufacturer that continues to struggle from a financial standpoint. Sometime after Alfa Romeo rolls out the Stelvio, the Italian manufacturer will bolster its presence with the Tipo 962 C-SUV. The latter is expected to arrive in RWD and AWD forms to take on the Audi Q3, BMW X1, and the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.
Underpinned by the Giorgio platform that made its debut in the Alfa Romeo Giulia (Tipo 952), the Stelvio will be inherently rear-wheel-drive. Q4 all-wheel-drive will be offered as an optional extra in conjunction with select engines and transmissions. Speaking of which, those are a 2.0-liter inline-four turbo, 2.2-liter turbo diesel, and a 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with Ferrari know-how imbued into it. Later on, a 3.0-liter twin-turbo diesel V6 engine developed by VM Motori could be added to the lineup.
On the cog-swapping front, a six-speed Getrag manual will come as standard. For those who can’t be bothered to shift their own gears, the tried-and-tested ZF 8HP eight-speed automatic transmission will do. The least powerful engine will be the 150 PS (110 kW) version of the 2.2 JTDM turbo diesel. Higher up, the 2.9 TT V6 we all know and love from the Giulia Quadrifoglio will motivate the Stelvio’s all four wheels with 510 PS (503 horsepower) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of get-up-and-go.
To those who argue that an Alfa SUV is a bit of a sacrilege, pucker up. To deny this segment in this day and age is the shortest road to certain death for Fiat Chrysler, a manufacturer that continues to struggle from a financial standpoint. Sometime after Alfa Romeo rolls out the Stelvio, the Italian manufacturer will bolster its presence with the Tipo 962 C-SUV. The latter is expected to arrive in RWD and AWD forms to take on the Audi Q3, BMW X1, and the Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class.
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