Named after two of the most extraordinary stretches of paved surface, the Stelvio QV NRing may present the only vehicle named after a mountain pass and a race track. One would expect to see the incredible supercar hidden behind this name, but the Stelvio QV is an SUV. A mad one at that, and even madder as the super-exclusive NRing Edition. Revealed alongside the aesthetically stunning Giulia QV NRing Edition, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio shares its unique ability to evoke Alfa Romeo Nurburgring achievements not many can match. However strange it may sound, the Alfa Romeo was cool at the Nurburgring before anyone could be cool there. This SUV celebrates that achievement.

What Makes the Alfa Romero Stelvio Nring Edition Special?

SUVs have never been Alfa's foray. Nevertheless, the Stelvio QV proved to be well equipped to surge into the autobahn fights against even the fiercest of the crossover competitors. The Stelvio QV NRing put another layer of track-worthy cues to further entice its race qualities. It's kinda blasphemous to write about a track and an SUV in one sentence, but that's the world we live in.

First of, the NRing Edition gave the Stelvio QV some neat touches such as the Circuito Gray matte paint, carbon fiber trim around the front grille, carbon mirror caps, and dark badges.

It is much the same makeup as on the Giulia, however the Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRing Edition does have a few unique touches. Unlike the Giulia QV NRing Edition, the Stelvio QV NRing Edition has 20-inch wheels (19s on the Giulia), a dual-pane sunroof (carbon roof for the Giulia), carbon fiber side sills, and crimson calipers. It is a fantastically subtle, yet compelling improvement over the "standard" Stelvio QV.

This gave Alfa Romeo a possibility to integrate a different chassis setup and tailor the suspension to support the added weight (300 or so pounds more) and higher positioned center of gravity. Bear in mind, the Stelvio, although an SUV has a really low center of gravity. In part, thanks to the low-placed 2.9-liter twin-turbo V-6. While it is the same unit as in the Giulia QV, the Stelvio QV engine feature somewhat different ECU calibration. It fits better the SUV character. And it does have an AWD system — basically the same one as in the Levante.

If you are still wondering what makes this car special, then let me tell you one or two more things about it:

-* Philippe Krief, the chassis engineer that worked on the Ferrari 458 Speciale, worked on the Giulia QV and the Stelvio QV

-* The Stelvio QV engine develops 503 horsepower and 442 pound-feet of torque

-* Torque vectoring differential at the back controls the power delivery between left and right wheel

-* If the rear wheel slips, AWD system can send up to 50 percent of the power to the front

Now you have some perspective about the intricacies of this super SUV. So, don't be surprised to know that it will reach 62 mph in 3.8 seconds and that it will reach 176 mph at the other end. There are, however, some numbers about the 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRing Edition you should be surprised about:

-* 0-100 mph in less than 9 seconds

-* a quarter of a mile in 12.2 seconds

Conclusion

True, both are as fast as the other QV versions, but the thing is that they are an homage to the fabulous Alfa Romeo racing history. But this homage costs a lot of money. Alfa Romeo priced the Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRing Edition at $97,485. I am not exactly sure that this car is worth it. However, considering that Alfa Romeo plans to import only 110 units of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio NRing Edition and the Giulia Quadrifoglio NRing Edition, then the price might have some merit.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

Read our full review on the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

Four Things I Love about the Stelvio

Four Things I Hate About the Stelvio