Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the marque’s first SUV in over a century of history. The name comes from, Stelvio Pass, which is the highest mountain pass in Italy. The Alfa Rome Stelvio Quadrifoglio had made its debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show.
The new model will become the benchmark in the medium-sized premium SUV segment. The Stelvio carries the authentic Alfa Romeo spirit. It is styled with similar design principles that created the Alfa Romeo Giulia. The SUV even utilises the same platform as Giulia. The Stelvio’s proportions express strength, dynamism and compactness.
The SUV measures 4687 mm in length, 1903 mm in width and 1671 mm in height. It also has a wheelbase of 2818 mm. Alfa Romeo’s styling is all about developing high-quality surfaces, which involves creating rich, harmonious reflections across the volumes. The SUV range comprises three variants – Stelvio, Stelvio Super and Stelvio Business.
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio has a very clean and sculpted look with perfect contrasts between the surfaces that catch light and those that remain in shadow. The front look is characterised by the shield-shaped grille and large air vents. The sleek looking headlamps wrap around the front fenders and have a very distinct LED DRL pattern. The small front and rear overhangs with a raked rear hatch, provide the SUV with a compact yet sporty look.
The rear end of the Stelvio is eye-catching too. It features LED tail lamps and a spoiler which maximises the SUV’s aerodynamic performance. Exhaust tips are placed on the far corners of the black cladding which also gets a silver coloured skid plate. The SUV will be offered in 13 body colours along with a choice of 13 alloy wheels in sizes of 17″, 18″, 19″ and 20″.
The driver-focused interior gets simple yet elegant lines. It also offers the very best in terms of, quality, safety, equipment and comfort. A high driving position and the new Alfa DNA selector, gives the driver a feeling of complete control and mastery of the road. The interior is spacious and has ample amount of room for passengers to enjoy and share the pleasure of travelling to their destination.
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio features dual zone climate control, Alfa Connect infotainment system and a sophisticated audio system with subwoofer. Besides, the SUV boasts of a 525 litres boot space. Users can configure the electric tailgate directly from the Alfa Rotary selector with eight different setup levels, for optimal boot access.
The Alfa Connect system is developed in partnerships with Magneti Marelli. It comes with a set of features and functions, especially the latest-generation HMI interface. The system can be controlled from the Rotary Pad and the display. It also comes with voice recognition system and allows full connectivity with all mobile devices.
The SUV also gets navigation with high-resolution 3D maps and high-speed route calculation which is also available without a GPS signal thanks to the Dead Reckoning technology, and functions for TomTom map updating from the USB port.
Under the bonnet of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio lies a new generation of all-aluminium four-cylinder engines. The SUV comes with an automatic 8-speed transmission and Q4 all-wheel drive.
The petrol engine is a 2.0-litre turbocharged unit that produces 280 hp and 400 Nm of torque. The distinctive features of this engine are MultiAir electro-hydraulic valve actuation, “2-in-1” turbo and 200-bar high-pressure direct injection. These technologies help deliver snappy accelerator response across the rev range and a first-class fuel-efficiency. The petrol powered Stelvio can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.7 seconds. The top speed is 230 km/h.
The second engine is a 2.2-litre diesel motor that generates 210 hp while producing a torque of 470 Nm. This is also the first diesel engine in Alfa Romeo’s history to be constructed entirely in aluminium. It features the latest-generation MultiJet II injection system with Injection Rate Shaping (IRS) and operating pressures of 2,000 bar.
The electrically-operated variable geometry turbocharger offers state-of-the-art mechanics and minimises response times. It also guarantees benefits in terms of efficiency. The Alfa Romeo Stelvio diesel can reach a top speed of 215 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds.
Alfa Romeo will later introduce new engines which will include a 200 hp 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol and an 180 hp 2.2-litre diesel engine. Both engines will come with an automatic 8-speed transmission and Q4 all-wheel drive. The 180 hp 2.2-litre diesel will also be available with real wheel drive.
The new Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV delivers excellent handling, worthy of a real sports car, because of the perfect weight distribution between the two axles. It also features the most direct steering ratio in its segment. The front suspension comes with a new double-wishbone with a semi-virtual steering axis while the rear gets a four-and-a-half link suspension system, patented by Alfa Romeo.
Stelvio utilises ultra-lightweight, hi-tech materials, such as carbon fibre for the drive shaft and aluminium for the engines, suspension systems, hood, wings, doors and tailgate. These elements reduce the SUV’s overall weight and provide excellent torsional rigidity.
Because of the Q4 all-wheel drive, Alfa Romeo Stelvio customers can trust on its excellent road-holding capability even on low-grip terrains. The SUV can also be equipped with the mechanical self-locking rear differential on request. Moreover, the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the world’s first car in its segment to offer Integrated Brake System (IBS). This new electromechanical system combines stability control with a traditional servo brake.
Other key features on the SUV include Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Autonomous Emergency Brake (AEB) with pedestrian detection. It also gets Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM), Rear Cross-Path Detection, Active Cruise Control and Lane Departure Warning (LDW).
The Stelvio also incorporates the Alfa DNA selector, which modifies the car’s dynamic behaviour. The driver can select between three modes – Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency.
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is manufactured at the FCA plant in Cassino (Frosinone, Italy) which also produces the Giulia.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Image Gallery
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Petrol Engine Specifications:
No. of cylinders: 4
Bore x stroke (mm): 84 X 90
Displacement (cc): 1995
Compression ratio: 10:1
Max. Power (hp): 280
Max. Torque (Nm): 400
Timing Control: Chain
Fuel feed: Electronic Injection Electronic Injection
Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic, All Wheel Drive
Top speed (km/h): 230
Acceleration 0 ‐100 km/h (sec): 5.7
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Diesel Engine Specifications:
No. of cylinders: 4
Bore x stroke (mm): 83 X 99
Displacement (cc): 2143
Compression ratio: 15.5:1
Max. Power (hp): 210
Max. Torque (Nm): 470
Timing Control: Belt
Fuel feed: Electronic Injection Electronic Injection
Transmission: 8-Speed Automatic, All Wheel Drive
Top speed (km/h): 215
Acceleration 0 ‐100 km/h (sec): 6.6
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Dimensions and Weight:
Wheelbase (mm): 2818
Length (mm): 4687
Height (mm): 1671
Front track (mm): 1613
Rear track (mm): 1653
Width (mm): 1903 (excl. mirrors)
Front overhang (mm): 861
Rear overhang (mm): 1008
Kerb weight (kg): 1660 (petrol) / 1659 (diesel)
Fuel tank (litres): 64
