The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio–the first crossover from the resurrected brand–is aiming to take on a raft of other European and Asia crossovers now dominating vehicle sales.
Stelvio, named after a harrowing mountain pass in the Italian Alps, is built on FCA’s new Giorgio platform, which also underpins Alfa’s Giulia compact sports sedan.
It will be built at FCA’s plant in Cassino, Italy, and makes its global debut on November 16 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. It is expected to begin appearing in showrooms in 2017.
Fiat Chrysler is investing $6 billion to expand Alfa’s product lineup with the goal of generating global sales of 400,000 in 2018.
Stelvio is expected to account for a significant chunk of that volume.
Reid Bigland, the global head of Alfa Romeo, told Autocar UK that Stelvio would stand above its German competitors because of how it drives.
“The reason people will buy our midsized SUV is that they will get blown away by the driving dynamics,” he said. “Every car Alfa makes must stand apart for that reason. This car will not disappoint.”
Stelvio will come with two available engines. The base model and mid trim Ti is powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four with direct injection making 280 hp and 306 pounds-feet of torque.
The all-wheel-drive crossover features a torque vectoring differential to improve traction and stability, while its standard Q4 all-wheel-drive system allows transfer of up to 60% of torque to the front axle.
Inside the cabin, Stelvio shares some features with the Giulia, including its climate controls, flat-bottomed steering wheel with paddle shifters, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto-compatible infotainment system.
They also share Alfa’s “DNA” selector knob, allowing the driver to change driving dynamics, including Race modes for the Quadrifoglio models. A second rotary dial in the center console controls the infotainment system.
When it enters production next year, Stelvio will be available in 13 exterior colors with a sizable number of interior trim and color choices. Pricing was not announced.
The local dealership of the vehicles, Alfa Motor, said they do not currently have any plans to bring the new car to Iran.
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