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Alfa Romeo Stelvio caught hiding under ugly black camouflage

The vehicle you see here, bedecked as it is in camo-shaped warts and baubles, is the Alfa Romeo Stelvio. Behind all that ungainly black plastic hides a jacked-up crossover based on the bones of the upcoming Gulia sedan, which, painfully, we're still waiting to officially launch. Suffice it to say that we're not expecting to see a production version of the Stelvio until much later in 2016. Up front, the well-established rounded-triangle grille that marks the Alfa Romeo marque comes through loud and clear... though it looks a little bit sickly covered in all that cladding. We're sure it'll be appropriately prettied up for production, and we're equally certain the slit-like headlamp cutouts are hiding stylish swept-back lighting units. We can't make out much of the Stelvio's bodysides, but we see some nicely aggressive rolling stock to go along with what appears to be a pretty steeply raked greenhouse. View 10 Photos That incongruously shaped chunk hanging off the back glass was likely tacked on to hide the shape of the actual tailgate, and perhaps there are some sensors or computers hanging around inside the box to feed more data to engineers. There's no telling what's powering this Stelvio mule, but it could be a version of the 2.9-liter, 505-horsepower, twin-turbo V6 that we can't wait to sample in the Guilia Quadrifoglio Verde. For production, expect four- and six-cylinder options, in both gasoline and diesel flavors, depending on where the car is sold. We can clearly see the Stelvio is out on the road, generating test miles ahead of a hoped-for release in early 2017. The next logical question, then, is this: Will Alfa Romeo actually launch the Stelvio on time? Related Video: Image Credit: Brian Williams/Spiedbilde Spy Photos Alfa Romeo Crossover Future Vehicles alfa romeo stelvio

Alfa Romeo could introduce a new model in June

While the automotive industry's collective attention is turned towards the 2020 Geneva Motor Show opening in March, Alfa Romeo is also looking forward to the party it will throw in Milan, Italy, to celebrate its 110th birthday. The city-wide festivities will culminate with the unveiling of a mysterious new model, according to a recent report. Thousands of Alfisti from all over the world will convene in Milan on June 24 to commemorate the milestone, and Italian website MotoriOnline learned Alfa will take advantage of the media coverage to organize its own mini auto show. The publication added the model we'll allegedly get a preview of will be either a crossover or a coupe. Both are intriguing propositions. While enthusiasts would undoubtedly prefer to see a born-again GTV, or a follow-up to the 8C, sales figures clearly demonstrate the crossover body style is popular all over the world with no risk of falling out of style, and Alfa's only take on it is the Stelvio. The yet-unnamed model that could break cover in Milan will be about the same size as the Jeep Renegade, the Fiat 500X, and the Mini Countryman, among other city-friendly soft-roaders. This positioning rules out the production version of the Tonale concept introduced during the 2019 Geneva show; besides, it's expected to appear at this year's edition of the event. Little would prevent Alfa from using the platform found under the aforementioned Renegade and 500X, as all three carmakers are under the same umbrella, but MotoriOnline speculated the firm's third high-rider will be the first Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) product built on a PSA platform. If that's accurate, it signals Alfa will unveil a concept car, not a production model, because the tie-up between the two giants hasn't even been finalized yet. The second option floated by the publication is a heritage-laced two-door developed as a tribute to emblematic past models, like the Duetto and the GTV. While that's plausible, especially considering the event will be a anchored to Alfa's illustrious history, the chances of one day seeing it in showrooms are low because executives gave two-door models the boot when they put together the firm's latest product plan in late 2019. Crossovers remain an essential component of Alfa's future range, however, and the aforementioned product plan clearly states a small SUV will join the range in 2022, a year after the Tonale, with an available electric powertrain.

2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Review | Heck of a third impression

The 2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio does not make a good second impression. The first impression? A-OK, as you approach its distinctive Alfa face, admire its tight proportions and wonder why someone would paint it something other than Alfa Rosso. It's so definitely not German, which counts for a lot should you live in a neighborhood where everyone drives a black BMW or silver Audi. That this Stelvio costs $94,340 seems steep, but at least it has the looks to back it up. Then you pull the door handle and the action is eerily reminiscent of a Dodge Dart. The door opens and the sound and feel are just a bit hollow. You sit down inside and press a button, any button, or turn a knob. The plastic feels cheap and the action is flimsy. It's basically the exact opposite of what you get in an Audi or Porsche. Even their touch-sensitive controls emit a hearty click. Car journalists may go on about "soft-touch materials" in cars, but it’s the switchgear that one ultimately interacts most with. If the volume knob feels Fisher-Price, who cares that the dash and just about every other interior surface is covered in leather? To be fair, the Alfa's cabin is indeed covered as such, and since this is the Quadrifoglio, it gets green and white stitching with carbon fiber trim. It certainly doesn't look cheap, even if it definitely feels it and sounds like it given the duo of distinctive rattles that had already developed in a press car with a mere 3,400 miles on it. There's also the infotainment system, which is highlighted by an 8.8-inch screen that doesn't take good advantage of its sizeable real estate. There's a control knob with accompanying Menu and Option buttons. It's better than Lexus Remote Touch, but that's a bar previously used at a corgi agility competition. Rival systems are easier to use (not to mention FCA's own Uconnect touchscreen) and appear more state-of-the-art (because they are). It's very possible that a prospective luxury SUV shopper would stop right there, never even bothering to go on a test drive. If they'd just come from a Porsche, Audi or BMW store, it's particularly easy to see that happening. Of course, it's the test drive where the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio makes its third and best impression. It's as sizzling and wild as you might have heard. The delicacy and immediacy of the controls are immediately noticed.