Motor Trader The award-winning and longest running UK magazine for car retailing professionals. Your first stop for News, Jobs and Reports for the motor industry.
Alfa Romeo dealers will sell their first high performance SUV from next summer when the Stelvio Quadrifoglio debuts in UK showrooms.
The new model will target the latest generation of performance SUVs, including the forthcoming BMW X3 M and F-Type SVR, as well as the market leading Porsche Macan,
The Quadrifoglio will sit at the top of the Stelvio range, Alfa Romeo’s first SUV which went on sale in September.
Prices for the Stelvio Quadrifoglio are yet to be revealed, but are expected to be over £65,000, based on the premium applied to the Quadrifoglio version of the Alfa Romeo Giulia salon over the most expensive standard version, the Veloce. The current top of the range Stelvio Milano costs £45,390.
Alfa Romeo claims that the Stelvio Quadrifoglio will become the new benchmark model in the premium compact SUV segment and the fastest, evidenced by a class-record 7min 51.7sec lap around the Nurburgring in Germany during development testing.
The SUV uses the same 2.9-litre V6 bi-turbo petrol engine as the Giulia Quadrifoglio, producing 510hp at 6500rpm and 600Nm of torque between 2,500-5,000rpm and matched to an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive. Alfa Romeo quotes a 0-62mph time for the model of just 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 176mph.
The all-wheel-drive system includes torque vectoring to individually control torque delivery to each wheel while carbon-ceramic brakes will also be part of the Quadrifoglio specification.
The car will be distinguished from other Stelvio models by exterior modifications including additional vents on the bonnet and flanks, side skirts, large body-coloured wheelarches and quadruple exhaust finishers. The interior will feature extensive use of leather, Alcantara and carbon fibre trim.
Alfa Romeo is yet to release the full specification of Quadrifoglio models but has stated that the standard equipment list will be comprehensive and include the latest 8.8-inch Alfa Connect infotainment system with 3D navigation. This incorporates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone compatibility.
