Having already returned to being a relevant carmaker thanks to the 4C sports car and the Giulia sedan, Alfa Romeo is getting its vehicle development plans into high gear with several fresh models by 2018, two of which will be SUVs. The first hauler was originally scheduled to hit showrooms in 2017 and it made its global debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. It goes by the name Stelvio and will compete against the likes of BMW X3, Audi Q5, Jaguar F-Pace, and Porsche Macan. Unlike most of its rivals, Alfa Romeo also developed a high-peformance version of the Stelvio, and just like the Giulia sedan, it wears the green Quadrifoglio badge.

But the badge isn’t the only thing that the two nameplates have in common. The crossover itself is based on the sedan, sharing many components in the chassis and drivetrain, as well as the same styling language. What’s more, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio will hit the streets with the same 2.9-liter V-6 rated at more than 500 horsepower!

"The all-new Stelvio, named after one of the greatest driving roads in the world – the Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps – sets a new benchmark for the segment,” said Reid Bigland, Head of Alfa Romeo. “Stelvio is uniquely engineered to challenge two-door sports cars on the track, without sacrificing any of the characteristics you would expect from a premium SUV, resulting in the perfect mix of high performance, capability and Italian design.”

As it is the case with all automakers that jumped on the SUV bandwagon recently, Alfa Romeo hopes the new rig will help increase its global sales. Specifically, the SUV is part of a business plan that includes eight new vehicles and global annual sales of 400,000 units by 2018. In 2014 and 2015, Alfa Romeo delivered fewer than 70,000 cars. Will the Stelvio make a difference? Join me in my review to find out.

Continue reading to learn more about the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Specifications

• Make: Array
• Model: 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
• Segment: Array
• Engine/Motor: V6
• Horsepower: 505
• Torque: 443

Pros

Cons

Exterior

Not surprisingly, the Stelvio's exterior design is heavily based on the Giulia's. Much like the Giulia Quadrifoglio, the performance version of the SUV received an extremely aggressive front fascia with sleek headlamps that extend well into the nose, a big V-shaped Alfa Romeo shield, and a split intake below. All these features are borrowed from the Giulia, but while the sedan's side intakes are very larger, the Stelvio has narrower, vertically oriented units, giving it a more SUV-like stance. The engine hood is also very aggressive for a crossover, sporting prominent bulges on each side and a pair of black-painted vents. Needless to say, this is the kind of SUV you don't want to have in our rear-view mirror.

Similarities with the Giulia Quadrifoglio continue onto the sides, where the same beefed-up character line defines the door-handle line before ascending a bit to form the muscular rear haunches. Although the black fender vents of the sedan are missing, the Quadrifoglio cloverleaf badge is present on the SUV as well. Other defining features for a high-performance Alfa Romeo include black window frames, black lower side mirror caps, and the familiar round-spoke rims. Behind them lurk big brake discs and red calipers.

Around back, the taillights are the only features that remind of the sedan, but the clusters are unique to this model, with revised LED strips and the reverse lights mounted toward the upper edge. Everything else is different, but that's not to say that the Stelvio's rear fascia looks bland. The raked, coupe-like rear glass is complemented by a fairly big roof spoiler, while the tailgate has a small, but effective lip spoiler. Down below, the clean-looking fascia sports a deep, trapezoidal license plate recess, and a sporty, diffuser-like element with black inserts, four small fins, and two large exhaust outlets on each side.

Alfa Romeo didn't provide additional information about options, but did say that the Stelvio can be ordered in 13 exterior colors, many of which should be avaialble with the Quadrifoglio version too.

All told, the Italian crossover looks more like a slightly taller hot-hatch than a traditional SUV, which makes it the most aggressive choice in its segment.

Competing Designs

Although it will join a rather crowded market, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio doesn't have too many rivals to go against in the performance realm. There are only two crossover that can match the Alfa Romeo by design, the Porsche Macan and the Jaguar F-Pace.

Relatively new to the market being launched in 2014, the Porsche Macan Turbo (left) is essentially a shrunken Cayenne with many features borrowed from the 911 sports car. The smaller size actually helps the Macan stand out a sportier looking crossover, giving it a sense of lightness compared to the larger Cayenne. The sloping hood, the swept-back, 911-like headlamps, and the massive vents in the front bumper have made the Macan the most aggressive-looking vehicle in this niche, and although the Stelvio Quadrifoglio looks pretty brutal, the Macan benefits from a smoother design. The rear end is also as sporty as they get, mostly due to the slender 911-inspired taillights, the beefed-up bumper, and the big diffuser.

Moving over to the much newer F-Pace (right), which was launched for the 2017 model year, the British hauler looks aggressive in just about any trim level thanks to the larger front grille flanked by squinty headlamps above and massive intakes below. Unlike the Macan, the F-Pace's front end is actually very similar to the Stelvio due to the taller fascia and boxier overall design. The rear end is also pretty similar to the Alfa Romeo, with the aggressively sloped rear window flanked by a big roof spoiler and prominent character line above and below. Unlike its competitors, the license plate recess sits higher in the tailgate, which gives it a more conventional SUV appearance. However, the slim taillights and the diffuser-like element in the bumper keep its stance on the aggressive side.

Interior

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio's cabin is also based on the Giulia, sharing not only the design, but also many of the sedan's features. The SUV's dashboard is also a multi-layered element with an Alcantara-wrapped top, carbon-fiber trim in the middle, and a leather lower section. Both have identical A/C vents, center consoles and steering wheels, but the crossover did get a few unique features. For instance, the dash top remains flush at each side above the A/C nozzles, as well as above the infotainment touchscreen. The area above the instrument cluster has two smaller hoops instead of the Giulia's significantly arches design. This gives the Stelvio a more spartan, but also elegant appearance.

The race-inspired steering wheel uses the same thick-rim profile of the sedan and groups vehicle controls and a red engine start button on the left side, just below the spoke. The optional paddle shifters are made from aluminum. Behind the steering wheel lies a seven-inch digital cluster flanked by two large analog gauges. The layout includes a Quadrifoglio-specific speedo with 200-mph marking.

Two rotary dials in the center console enable the driver to control the DNA Drive Mode system, which comes with a fourth Race model compared to the standard model, and the 8.8-inch (versus the standard 6.5-inch) screen infotainment system. Just like in the Giulia, it displays performance information, telemetry data, and 3D graphic navigation among others. The already familiar Apple Car Play and Android Auto apps come standard.

Also standard are the sports front seats in leather and Alcantara with 12-way power and adjustable thigh support. Optionally, customers can get lightweight carbon-fiber Sparco racing seats with aggressive bolstering. Alfa Romeo claims that these seats are the lightest in segment. Nearly every surface comes with red contrast stitching for a striking, sporty appearance. Audiophiles will get to play their favorite tunes through the 900-watt, 14-speaker Harman Kardon premium audio system.

Competing Interiors and tech

The Macan's interior (left) is pretty sophisticated too, and comes with plenty of tech. But unlike the Stelvio, the Macan cabin is a bit more on the SUV side, with a bulkier dashboard design and a mix of perfectly horizontal and vertical lines. There's a multi-function steering wheel inspired by the 918 Spyder supercar, an instrument cluster formed by three round dials with the tachometer in the center. The brand's latest PCM infotainment system is offered too, but the touchscreen interface is significantly smaller at seven inches. However, it comes with real-time navigation, WiFi hotspot, Apple CarPlay and pretty much every feature you get with the Alfa Romeo in the range-topping Turbo trim. You also get acres of leather, Alcantara, contrast stitching, and numerous color combinations. A big plus for the Macan is that you can customize many interior features via the Porsche Exclusive program.

The Jaguar F-Pace (right) also provides all the luxury you expect from a premium and usually expensive brand. Compared to the Stelvio and Macan, the F-Pace received a much cleaner interior design with all the important features stacked neatly in and above the center console. The steering wheel looks rather classy by comparison, while both the center console and door panels get wood veneer, including Satin Grey Ash. The instrument cluster is similar to the ones found in the XE and XF sedans, made up of two analogue dials and a centrat digital display. Optionally, you can get a 12.3-inch all-digital screen. The sporty, leather-wrapped seats can't be upgraded to carbon units like in the Stelvio, but they come with 14 different adjustments plus heating and cooling functions.

Drivetrain

As you might have already guessed, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio uses the same all-aluminum, direct-injection, 2.9-liter V-6 engine as the Giulia Quadrifoglio. Developed in cooperation with Ferrari, the mill delivers 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, the same amount as the sedan, which makes the Stelvio by far the most potent crossover in its class.

The engine, which uses two turbochargers integrated into the exhaust manifold, mates to either a six-speed manual transmission or eight-speed automatic gearbox and the company's Q4 all-wheel-drive system. Standard on all Stelvio models, the system delivers all-season traction and performance capability thanks to its ability to transfer up to 60 percent of the engine’s torque to the front axle. The Q4 is linked to the Stelvio’s Chassis Domain Controller (CDC) and driver-adjustable Alfa DNA Pro drive mode, enabling the drivetrain's integrated actuator to adapt to changing ground conditions or driver need in milliseconds.

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio is also extremely quick, needing only 3.9 seconds to hit 60 mph from a standing start. Top speed is rated at 177 mph, a significant increase from the usual 155-mph rating of performance-oriented crossovers.

But the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is not just about performance. For improved fuel efficiency, it features a Cylinder Efficient Management (CEM) deactivation system, which enables the engine to run on three of its six cylinders. Unfortunately, Alfa Romeo has yet to release consumption estimates.

The crossover is also equipped with a rear mechanical limited-slip differential that optimizes rear-wheel traction. Called the Q2, the differential provides the proper level of torque to one of the two rear wheels based on traction conditions.

Thanks to the available four modes, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio can provides different driving experiences. When used in "Dynamic" mode, it delivers sharper brake and steering feel with more aggressive engine, transmission and throttle calibrations. "Natural" mode is a comfort setting for balanced daily driving, while "Advanced Efficiency" uses an eco-friendly setup to achieve the lowest fuel consumption. Finally, there "Race" mode. Exclusive to the Quadrifoglio and Alfa DNA Pro system, this mode activates the over-boost function, opens up the two-mode exhaust system, turns ESC off and delivers sharper brake and steering feel with more aggressive engine, transmission and throttle calibrations. This is the mode you definitely want to use when taking the Stelvio on the track.

Competing Performance

While the Porsche Macan Turbo and Jaguar F-Pace S have what it takes to challenge the Stelvio Quadrifoglio as far as exterior and interior features go, none is as powerful as Alfa's first-even performance SUV. The range-topping Macan Turbo's 3.6-liter V-6 generates only 400 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque, which is more than 100 horses and 30 pound-feet behind the Stelvio's. However, despite being significantly less powerful, the Macan Turbo hits 60 mph in as low as 4.4 seconds with the Sport Chrono package, which should be close to the Italian SUV. A more powerful Turbo S model is underway, but don't bet on it having more than 440 horsepower.

The same goes for the Jaguar F-Pace, which doesn't even get close to the Stelvio Quadrifoglio as far as specs go. Equipped with a supercharged, 3.0-liter V-6, the range-topping S model comes with 380 horsepower and 332 pound-feet of twist on tap. This is enough to push the crossover from 0 to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, but none of these figures can match what you can get from Alfa Romeo. It looks like Jaguar enthusiasts will have to wait for the F-Pace SVR to get similar performance.

Chassis

Also sharing some features with the Giulia, the Stelvio can brag about having the lightest and most rigid platform in its segment. Featuring a low center of gravity, the rear-wheel-drive architecture uses numerous aluminum components, including front and rear frames, front shock towers, brakes, and suspension elements. All these in addition to the doors and fenders.

The sporty suspension system comprises a double wishbone front unit with semi-virtual steering axis, a patented Alfa-link rear axle design with vertical rod. Alfa Romeo says this combination ensures "top performance, driving pleasure and passenger ride comfort." The crossover also comes with a four-channel chassis damping system that instantly adapts to driving conditions and a segment-first, integrated braking system (IBS). Replacing traditional system of electronic stability control (ESC) and brake booster, it returns enhanced braking responsiveness.

Speaking of which, Alfa Romeo offers an optional Brembo carbon-ceramic brake package for the ultimate stopping power.

Safety

In the safety department, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio has everything it takes to stand up to its competitors. It comes with advanced multistage driver and front-passenger air bags, driver and front-passenger seat-mounted side air bags, front and rear side curtain air bags, and driver and front-passenger inflatable knee air bags. Driver assisting features include Full-speed Forward Collision Warning-Plus, which provides autonomous braking when frontal collision appears imminent and Adaptive Cruise Control-Plus with Full Stop, which helps maintain distance from the vehicle ahead and, under certain traffic conditions, the system can bring the car to a full stop without driver intervention. The standard package also includes Lane Departure Warning, which alerts the driver of inadvertent lane departure. Blind-spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path detection and front- and rear-park assist sensors are available on the options list.

Prices

Pricing information is not yet available, but the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is likely to fetch at least $70,000 before options. This sticker would make it slightly more affordable than the Porsche Macan Turbo, priced from $76,000, but significantly more expensive than the Jaguar F-Pace S AWD, which starts from $57,700.

Future Competitors

Now that we've already established that the Stelvio Quadrifoglio has no rival performance-wise in this niche, let's have a closer look at the crossovers that will challenge the Italian hauler in the future.

Jaguar F-Pace SVR

The F-Pace SVR is first on our list for two reasons. First, SVR-build Jaguars and Range Rovers are cool as hell and feature a large amount of unique elements inside and out. Second, all SVR models are powered by V-8 engines, which means that the F-Pace SVR will most definitely use the supercharged 5.0-liter mill. This unit is available in two different output stages and I think the crossover is more likely to borrow the slightly lower specs of the Range Rover versions, which comes with 542 and 502 pound-feet of torque on tap. There's also the possiblity that Jaguar lowers the rating a bit more for the F-Pace, which is lighter than the Range Rover Sport, but horsepower should remain above 500 horses. I guess it's safe to assume that the F-Pace SVR will be a worthy competitors for the Stelvio Quadrifoglio. When will it arrive? It could be here in 2018, but Jaguar is still mum on the details.

Find out more about the Jaguar F-Pace SVR here.

BMW X3 M

The already iconic BMW X3 has yet to receive a full-blown M version, but the third-generation crossover is rumored to finally spawn a performance-oriented model. Likely to arrive sometime in 2018, the X3 M should share its drivetrain with the M3 and M4, which means it will be powered by a turbocharged, 3.0-liter inline-six powerplant. Specifics are yet unknown, but with the current mill generating 425 horsepower and 406 pound-feet of torque in both the coupe and the sedan, the next-gen engines should be good for at least 450 horses. Sixty mph should come in less than five seconds thanks to a new eight-speed automatic and an all-wheel-drive system.

Learn more about the BMW X3 M here.

Conclusion

A crossover is a great way to return to the market as a relevant player and a high-performance version of it makes things that much better. What's more, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio isn't just a more powerful version of the regular vehicle, it's the most potent hauler you can buy in this class and offer an extra 100 horsepower over its closest rival. On paper, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio is hard is beat and leaves the likes of Porsche, Jaguar, and BMW in need of better performance-oriented products. We'll see what happens when at least one of them will deliver, but until that happens, the Quadrifoglio is the king of the performance crossover realm.

Update History

Updated 09/14/2016: With about two months before its official debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, Alfa Romeo Stelvio made a brief appearance in video presentation coming from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.The new SUV will be put on sale early next year and will be produced at the company's Cassino Assembly Plant. (MotoriOnline)

Updated 06/28/2016: Our spy photographers caught the upcoming Porsche Panamera out for a new testing session, and for the first time they also managed to take some shots of the interior.

Updated 06/16/2016: The upcoming Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV was caught testing near Nurburgring. Hit "play" to watch the car in action!

Updated 05/09/2016: Our spy photographers caught the upcoming Alfa Romeo Stelvio out for a testing session on the roads around the Nürburgring.

Updated 09/16/2015: Our spy photographers caught the first Alfa Romeo SUV mule out for some testing sessions. The model is expected to debut in mid-2016 and will be the second - after Giulia - from the eight new models the company plans to launch by 2018.

Updated 08/07/2015: Alfa Romeo is reported to have finally started work on its upcoming SUV, set to be introduced after the new Giulia.

Updated 07/31/2014: British magazine AutoExpress reports that the future Alfa Romeo SUV should be unveiled in 2016 and will deliver up to 500 horsepower. Click past the jump for more details on the car.

Updated 10/24/2012: Today we have a rendering for the upcoming Alfa Romeo SUV.

Spy Shots

October 24, 2016 - Alfa Romeo Stelvio caught testing once again

June 28, 2016 - Alfa Romeo Stelvio reveals its interior

May 9, 2016 - Alfa Romeo Stelvio caught testing on the roads around the Nürburgring

September 16, 2015 - Alfa Romeo SUV mule caught testing

Rendering