With the update of its Stelvio, Alfa Romeo took the opportunity to correct a few small flaws here and there. The same goes for its sports version Quadrifoglio. Fortunately, the heart of the beast remains unchanged.
While many brands come to play in the sports car court with the addition of a new "super-SUV", these models are generally a marketing asset, but nothing more. Compared to a sedan, they are no match. This is the case for everyone… except for the Italians!
Good genes
Yes, the difference with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio is that it was developed - in conjunction with its little sister, the Giulia - at first glance as an ultra-sporty SUV called Quadrifoglio. A version which was then watered down for ordinary engines. This is why its platform (Giorgio) automatically includes a carbon fiber transmission shaft, rear propulsion and a revolutionary front axle that Alfa describes as semi-virtual and buy used car in kenya. Concretely, it gives the front gums the best possible contact zone with the ground in order to benefit from the best bite. In short, in Italy, we do not laugh - well more - with dynamic driving!
Good news for 2020: these good genes, which are an integral part of Alfa Romeo's latest models, are still present. Yes, the two cars are updated with a few small novelties, but the essential remains unscathed. Phew!
Reviewed and corrected
It must be said that when the Alfa Romeo Stelvio was launched in 2017, no one had then made any negative reviews about the chassis. No, the black dots were mainly in the passenger compartment. Alfa Romeo listened and things have changed! Quadrifoglio or not, all Stelvios are now equipped with a new central console. It welcomes a new set of controls that feel much more qualitative than before, a new central armrest and even optional wireless charging.
Just above it is a brand new infotainment system. It is equipped with an 8.8 "screen which, in addition to being larger than the one it replaces, is also tactile. This new system represents a great leap forward for Alfa Romeo! brand can finally compete with premium brands It was about time! In addition, the update of the Stelvio concludes with the addition of some colors, some carbon fiber accessories and a series of additional driving aids.
The perfezione
In short, there you have it in terms of the developments present following this recent facelift. Now let's move on to what doesn't change. Yes, Glory to the gods of combustion engines and damn emissions, the fabulous twin-turbo V6 still takes place under the hood of this Quadrifoglio version. As a reminder: with a displacement of 2.9 liters, it produces 510 hp and 600 Nm of torque from 2,500 rpm.
Developed in collaboration with Ferrari - shuuut, it's a secret - this petrol mill is packed with character. In addition, he can now sing through an Akrapovic titanium exhaust! As always on the Stelvio, it is associated with an 8-speed automatic transmission from ZF and the all-wheel drive with active torque vectoring on the rear axle.
(Best) Italian job
Before talking to you about dynamic driving at the controls of this 510 hp SUV, let's take it… on the motorway. Follow you. Here, we discover a vehicle with a fundamentally sporty temperament but whose comfort is nevertheless not neglected. The adaptive suspensions do a good job while the new double glazing reduces aerodynamic noise. Ultimately, the general comfort is increased. Moreover, the management also seems better calibrated to us. Alfa Romeo will never admit it - and nowhere does it indicate it - but it is suspected that the Italian engineers have reworked the programming of the assistance. The steering is thus less abrupt at the central point but still just as direct.
Come on, let's get out of this monotonous road. At the bend of a village, the tarmac twists in front of us. We put the gearbox in manual mode and we select the Race driving mode. Two less gears and the engine wakes up. Hop, first turn. Wow. The nose of the beast plunges towards the rope with vivacity while the roll seems nonexistent and the grip imperturbable. Could this large SUV have turned into a super-sports sedan? You could believe it in the way it connects the curves. What a pleasure!
Verdict
With the slight upgrade of its Stelvio, Alfa Romeo corrects its small mistakes of youth without removing the ardor of its ultra-sporty SUV. No doubt: this Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio remains, again and again, the sportiest and most dynamic of all.
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