A fine-driving crossover based on a platform developed under the watch of ex-Ferrari man Philippe Krief, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio comes with turbocharged four- and six-cylinder lumps. The sixer is exclusive to the so-called Quadrifoglio, a nameplate that harks back to the 1923 Targa Florio.
The 14th edition of the well-known endurance race saw Italian racing driver Ugo Sivocci assert dominance over everybody else – including Enzo Ferrari – in an Alfa Romeo RL Corsa with two four-leaf clovers painted on the vehicle's side-opening hoods. Fast forward to 2023, and Quadrifoglio means BMW M-rivaling performance for both the Stelvio crossover utility vehicle and the Giulia sedan.
When it comes to specific traits, Quadrifoglio now means twin-turbo V6 with loads of power (510 ps or 503 hp) and torque (600 Nm or 443 lb-ft). Pictured in black, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio we're covering today is punchier than stock due to a Stage 1 upgrade. This example of the breed reportedly develops 586 ps and 850 Nm at the crankshaft, which converts to just around 578 mechanical ponies and 627 pound-feet.
Pretty serious for a D-segment crossover, especially one devoid of electric assistants. The Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S E Performance comes to mind with its 671-horsepower setup, which brings together a four-pot engine and a rear-mounted electric drive unit.
Far lighter than the GLC 63 series (think 1,905 kilograms compared to a whopping 2,310 for the plug-in Merc), the Stelvio Quadrifoglio sounds incredibly good for a V6 because its V6 borrows a few things from the Prancing Horse's twin-turbocharged V8 engine.
Photo: KaRace on YouTube
Aurally pleasing for a sixer, the 690T engine doesn't hold a candle to the odd-firing V10 of the Audi R8. Pictured with a canvas top, the German supercar has a clear advantage in terms of curb weight (1,770 kilograms). It's also more powerful (610 ps or 602 hp). On the other hand, the naturally-aspirated V10 doesn't make as much torque (560 Nm or 413 lb-ft).
Far more aerodynamic as well, the Lamborghini Huracan's cousin further differentiates itself from the Stelvio Quadrifoglio with a dual-clutch box from Dana Graziano. The Alfa Romeo uses the hugely capable 8HP from ZF, a torque-converter automatic that further equips rear-biased M cars and utilities.
Given the aforementioned, it's crystal clear that Audi's mid-engine supercar is quicker than the Stelvio Quadrifoglio in a straight line. The folks at KaRace clocked bests of 3.5 and 3.8 seconds, respectively, to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour).
In the quarter mile, that would be 11.6 and 11.8 seconds. Pretty close, and most impressive on the Alfa Romeo's part. It's not as close from a roll, though. The pull from 100 to 200 kilometers per hour (62 to 124 mph) takes 7.3 seconds in the Audi and 10.5 in the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, which goes to show that less weight and better aero make a world of difference.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News