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The Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the Italian company's first-ever SUV and a car that is potentially even more important to the future survival of Alfa than the new Giulia saloon, has been revealed for the first time in Los Angeles, ahead of that city's motor show.
The Stelvio, which had been much-leaked and whose name had been unofficially announced some months ago, takes the styling of the Giulia and elevates it, literally if not necessarily figuratively. The first images show the range-topping 510hp Quadrifoglio version, which uses the same 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 engine and four-wheel drive drivetrain as the Giulia QF. It will be a rival to the likes of the Porsche Macan Turbo and AMG Mercedes GLC Coupe as well as the upcoming Jaguar F-Pace R and the M version of BMW's next X3.
The Stelvio is being touted as the true drivers' car of the segment, not an insignificant boast when you consider the competition. The fact that the name comes from a famed mountain pass in the Italian Alps, once used as a stage of the infamous Mille Miglia road race, is a sign of Alfa's confidence in the car. Speaking to reporters ahead of the unveiling, Alfa (and Maserati's) new CEO Reid Bigland said that: "the reason people will buy our mid-sized SUV is because they will be blown away by the driving dynamics. Every car Alfa makes must stand apart for that reason, and this car will not disappoint."
As with the Giulia, the Stelvio will get an eight-speed automatic transmission as standard although it's just possible that, unlike the saloon, a manual version will be offered in basic models to allow it to compete with the cheapest versions of the X3, Audi Q5 and Range Rover Evoque. The same switchable DNA driving mode system is included, allowing the driver to choose from Dynamic, Natural, Adavanced Efficiency and, for the Quadrigoglio, Race.
Braking, on this hot QF version, is by advanced ceramic-carbon composite discs, which Alfa says results in class-leading brake stopping distances. Regular versions will get all-steel discs, of course.
Alfa has so far only confirmed one other engine in the Stelvio range, and that's the 276hp 2.0-litre turbo petrol, which will probably the best-selling American variant, and therefore crucial above all else to the potential success of the Stelvio. Here in Europe, we'll get the same 2.2-litre diesel as in the Giulia, in 150hp, 180hp and 210hp forms. Expect Co2 emissions for the 150hp version to just duck below the 120g/km mark when the rear-wheel drive variants are launched later in 2017.
While the Quadrifoglio model will cost north of €100,000 when it arrives here, the standard diesel models are likely to closely match and equivalent Audi Q5 or BMW X3, so expect prices to kick off at around the €45-50,000 mark.