Alfa Romeo Is Building A Larger SUV To Combat The Audi Q7
The Alfa Romeo Stelvio is getting a big brother, the company has confirmed. Based on the success of the brand’s first SUV, a larger version is being put together to rival the likes of the Audi Q7 and BMW X5.
According to a report in Auto Express it will be the largest car Alfa has ever made. It’s set to be based on the same platform as the Stelvio, pictured throughout this article because, well, we don’t have any pictures of the as-yet unnamed flagship SUV. You’ll have to use your imagination for now.
The report suggests that to meet emissions targets the Uber-Stelvio will use a mild hybrid 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol drivetrain with 48-volt electrics and up to 400bhp. The aim is to maintain “Alfa DNA,” says the firm. Chief technical officer Roberto Fedeli told the British weekly car magazine that:
“The Stelvio for sure is an example of Alfa DNA, why don’t we translate that in a car which is a little big bigger?
“We have to marry the new car with the right level of electrification. Plug-in hybrid could be a problem for the Alfa DNA point of view, but for instance a 48-volt mild hybrid solution is something that we can do without losing anything,”
On the other hand, it’s expected that around 200kg would need to be added to the Stelvio’s mass in a larger guise, serving up extra difficulties on the handling front. Just in case you’re wondering why Alfa is going down the large SUV route, it’s for profits. The margins are higher in larger cars and it would open up markets that Alfa can’t currently tap.
A replacement for the ageing Giulietta will follow the large SUV. Auto Express also reports that Alfa is considering whether to completely reinvent the slightly frustrating 4C with a new chassis and engine. The current car has failed to meet company targets.
Source: Auto Express
Comments
I hope that the Quadrifoglio version gets the 4.7 Maserati under the hood.
Would be awesome
Probably not cus its an old ferrari engine dating back to the early 2000s so its to old to be used any more
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If they end up fighting the rs4, i’m not mad
The rs4 is an estate not a suv tho . A giulia quadrifoglio estate (which is not happening ) would be a rs4 competitor . This bigger stelvio is more likely going to fight the SQ7 and x5m
The Germans need to big up…I love Ze Italians, but Ze Mighty Germans need to step it up
I really hope that they realise that (A) the target group of SUVs and (B) the typical Alfa-Romeo buyers are disjoint sets.
Well the stelvio’s a suv and it’s selling well
Shitshitshitshitshit…. The problem is that the suv portion of the car market poisoning brand like alfa jag ecc ecc suv are not supersaloons… They are heavy, big and taller than normal cars… Yes they can handle well , but there’s an immense engineering job to make an high car to handle this well … When they potentially create new saloons and coupe that will handle better by nature … But many people love suvs… They’re becoming an icon, an status quo … Sadly :(
But if a company like Alfa wants to stay alive, that’s what has to be done. A victory can’t be achieved without sacrifices
I hope Alfa Romeo Stelvio will beat BMW X5.
Meh…it’s rather a competitor to the GLC, Q5 and X3, the larger model would be in the same category as the X5
I know … In this period of crisis carmakers needs to build just what people want following the trends …
If they going to sell well do it, so they can have more money to develop more sports car.
Stop
Its fca, so why not put a hemi, or hellcat engine??? That would sure make it a go to choice over the sq7, and can compete with gls63. I wouldn’t mind if its a hybrid to keep mpg and emissions if it has a hemi.
No, it’s FCA, but they also have Ferrari, Maserati, etc. Their engines are so much more sophisticated to be used for Alfa rather than Hemi engine. Italian car with American engine? Hell no…