Here’s our best look yet at Alfa Romeo’s new Stelvio.
The compact crossover SUV is scheduled to enter production in the fourth quarter of 2016. Expect sales to start in the United States around the middle of next year, which would make it a 2018 model year arrival.
Talk of an Alfa Romeo SUV dates back to 2008but things never got serious until Fiat Chrysler Automobiles [NYSE:FCAU] CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed plans for one during his company-wide five-year strategy announcementmade in May 2014. Marchionne has since updated those plansto include two additional SUVs, one positioned below the Stelvio and another above it.
The Stelvio is designed to rival the likes of the BMW X3 and Mercedes-Benz GLC. The underpinnings are likely to be a modified version of the rear-wheel-drive “Giorgio” platform that debuted in the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia. It means the Stelvio may come with rear-wheel drive as standard in some markets and all-wheel drive as an option.
It’s likely the powertrain lineups will be shared with the Giulia. For the U.S. market, this means a base Stelvio with a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder and possibly a range-topping Stelvio Quadrifoglio with a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V-6. Other markets should receive a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel option. Transmissions should include 6-speed manual and 8-speed automatic units.
It also appears that the Stelvio will share some design cues with the Giulia. Though the prototype is heavily camouflaged, we can see the familiar Alfa Romeo grille design. The headlights, too, look like the units on the Giulia.
Look for a debut of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio later this year, either during September's Paris Auto Show or November's Los Angeles Auto Show.
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