Driving report Alfa Romeo Stelvio: Even Alfa is now a SUV-brand

Even if it was already written, it must be mentioned again: the sales of The SUV grows and grows. Now were authorised in Germany in the current year to October, about 587 000 “Sport Utility Vehicles”. This is an increase of an astonishing 25 percent. Along with the nearly 256.000-terrain vehicles (stable with a plus of 2.3 percent) are the long-legged cars is now the largest Segment in the registration statistics, in the compact class with well-641.000 new vehicles. The formal separation of off-road vehicles and SUV’s on the part of the Federal motor transport has long been repealed, some blurring of the facts. The irrepressible growth is based largely on the simple fact that the range of models is getting bigger and bigger, and also the long muscle brands had a SUV before, only with the pair of Pliers, such as Jaguar, Maserati, Lamborghini or Alfa Romeo.

Boris Schmidt

editor in the Department “technology and Motor”.

F. A. Z.

The Italian brand from the Chrysler-Fiat group has traditionally a lot of Fans, but not only in Germany. It is new, brilliant models are missing, and the offer is 2018, more than clear: Giulia and Giulietta are not really fresh, the elderly subcompact Mito Ekes out a shadowy existence, then there is still the beautiful niche athletes, 4c, and since the spring of 2017, the SUV Stelvio. The lights a little, to October, have been sold in Germany, 2489, more than half of all new Alfas (4898).

The Stelvio, there are prices starting at 41,000 euros, there will be three 2.2-litre Diesel with 160, 190 or 210 HP to the choice of two 2.0-Liter gasoline engine with 200 or 280 HP. All of the engines are Turbos. A special role is played by the now of the editorial driven Top model plays with the nickname Quadrifoglio (Italian for four-leaf Clover). Here, at least 89.000 Euro be called. But there is also a with the help of Ferrari-developed Bi-Turbo V6 engine with a capacity of 2.9 litres, 510 HP and 600 Newton meters of maximum torque. The power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, an electronic system ensures that, initially, all the power to the rear wheels, only when they lose, the liability, up to half of the front axle. In addition, a suspension with electronic dampers, and other springs and, in contrast to the Normal Stelvios. All in all, a sporty driving behavior on the level of a Porsche Macan. With a lap time of 7:51,7 minutes on the Nürburgring-Nordschleife and the Stelvio QV has admission shortly after his market been shown, where the Hammer hangs. Recently, the Alfa Stelvio QV is the fastest SUV on the nürburgring’s Nordschleife. At 7:49,4 minutes, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S 4 Matic at the end of November has set the bar. Now, to whom it will arrive on the 2.3 seconds?

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but, As the Stelvio is driving, the driver not only in the foot, but also in the Hand. By means of a rotary switch in the center console, he can set different modes, from very gently – then three of the six cylinders may be deactivated until the “Race”mode, there are “Normal” and “dynamic”. In the case of “Race” is it hard, the engine revs higher, the automatic switch is still snappy, the steering is more direct, everything is geared to maximum sportiness. Harder Schaltrucke to be taken in purchase. Huge shift paddles offer to manual operation, but are actually superfluous. Bother you in everyday Use, when flashed or wiped. In less than four seconds, the Alfa POPs under a mighty roar, on request, from a standstill to 100 km/h. The maximum speed of 283 km/h we have, due to the mounted winter tires, not check. We do not doubt.

These tyres, we also write that the Stelvio at Tempos beyond the 220 km/h on the highway but a little nervous and had trouble braking, relatively, to bring the 1.8-ton car from 100 km/h in a reasonable brief. On the outside it is not, of course, was 16 degrees in November, the winter tires don’t like.