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Alfa Romeo Stelvio caught testing under the cloak of darkness

With Americans still going crazy over compact SUVs and crossovers, the upcoming Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the Italian automaker's latest attempt at regaining its status as a household name in the US. Photographers managed to capture a prototype testing at night with very little camouflage to hide the SUV's overall design. These photos are the clearest ones we've seen of the upcoming SUV. The prototype's front end is extremely similar to the Giulia's with two oval-shaped outlets on the side of the fascia with a v-shaped grille in the center. The headlights, which are surrounded by black tape, also mimic the units found on the Giulia. The ruffles in the camouflage on the hood suggest that the Stelvio gets a pair of vents. The profile of the crossover is much more round than previous prototypes depicted with the overall shape mimicking the Jaguar F-Pace, but much smaller in size. The taillights, surprise, surprise, also resemble the same ones found on the Giulia. There's no way to know what type of engine is powering the Stelvio prototype, but the two tailpipes and skinny tires point toward something much more subdued than the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 that puts out 505 horsepower in the Giulia Quadrifoglio. We expect the production version of the crossover to get the same gasoline and diesel options as the Giulia, depending on where the vehicle is sold. The Stelvio – and this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone – looks like a larger, taller Giulia. While the prototype looks ghastly with its camouflage, we expect, and hope, that the SUV will look a lot better at its debut, which could take place at next month's Los Angeles Motor Show. Related Video: Featured Gallery Alfa Romeo Stelvio Spy Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Design/Style Spy Photos Alfa Romeo Crossover SUV alfa romeo stelvio

2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray vs the world: How it compares on paper

The 2020 Chevy Corvette Stingray in its base form offers an astonishing amount of performance for the money. In fact, so impressive is the car's spec sheet that the Corvette kind of exists in two different competitive sets: one of cars priced similarly, and another with cars of similar performance and reputation. To get a feel for how it handles each of these segments, we've compiled specifications for those two sets of players. You can find the first set below, which looks at cars of roughly the same price point. Following that is a bit of analysis, and then there's a chart of cars with similar performance and reputation. And that chart will also have some analysis. Though final pricing for the Corvette hasn't been announced yet, we know the Corvette will start at less than $60,000. And as far as pricing goes, its closest competitor is the Porsche 718 Cayman, which also starts at just under $60,000. Both are mid-engined and rear-drive, but the Corvette offers an extra 195 horsepower and 190 pound-feet of torque. The Cayman does boast a curb weight of right around 3,000 pounds, so it weighs a few hundred pounds less than the Corvette, but it's likely not enough to make up for the power deficit. The Corvette's sub-3.0-second 0-60 time bears this out against the Cayman's best 4.5-second run. Impressively, though, the Cayman has more cargo space than the Corvette in a package that's nearly 10 inches shorter. The Cayman also still offers a manual option for those that prefer self-shifting. The 2020 Toyota Supra is on the cheap end of this sports car class, just crossing $50,000. It also boasts more power than the Cayman, though it's still down by 160 ponies and 105 pound-feet of torque to the C8. It's also about as roomy as the Corvette, despite being about the same size as the Cayman. Cargo space is a bit tighter. Its driving characteristics will likely differ, too as the Supra sits on a front-engine platform. It might even feel closer to a C7 Corvette in some ways. The other mid-engine entry in this price range is the 2019 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. Its small 1.7-liter turbo inline-4 only makes 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque, but it's also far and away the lightest of this group at 2,487 pounds. That's roughly 1,000 pounds lighter than the Corvette. It isn't as fast as the Corvette in a straight line, but that lightness surely pays dividends in cornering and braking.

Alfa Romeo could reportedly bring Sauber F1 tech to its road cars

In the summer of 2018, Alfa Romeo laid out its five-year plan, only weeks before former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) CEO Sergio Marchionne passed away. Alfa ambitiously projected several new vehicles of various shapes, sizes and performance levels but gave only vague details. A new report from Piston Heads adds a layer of color to the timeline, suggesting one or more of these upcoming rides could feature influence from Alfa Romeo's Formula 1 partner Sauber. PistonHeads.com recently had the chance to chop it up with Sauber Team Principal Frederic Vasseur at the F1 pre-season sessions in Barcelona, where Alfa Romeo and Sauber were testing out their just-unveiled 2019 car. According to the brief conversation, Alfa and Sauber have collaborations in the works beyond the paddock. "We are already working on another project together and you will see the result quite soon," Vasseur told PH. "It's a huge opportunity for us, but it will involve only the guys at the factory in Switzerland, as the trackside guys are focussed on the racing." Vasseur later tipped that they might have several projects in development. Without any more details, there's a lot of room for speculation, so let's quickly unpack what Alfa has already admitted to be planning. In addition to two new SUVs that will launch in the upcoming years, the performance-minded Italian brand said it would resurrect two well-known and highly desirable nameplates: 8C and GTV. Both cars will reportedly be hybrids, with the 8C serving as a halo mid-engined supercar, while the GTV will essentially be a Giulia coupe, complete with an eventual Quadrifoglio variant. Considering how great and high-powered the current Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglios already are, it seems unlikely these projects would deal with those current models. It's possible Sauber is helping Alfa Romeo with the GTV, as previous reports suggested the two-door will have F1-derived technology, but it is unclear if the coupe is coming "quite soon." It's also possible that Sauber is collaborating with Alfa on all of its upcoming performance electrification and hybrid technology. For now, it's a guessing game, but if the reports are accurate, we won't have to wait much longer to learn more. News Source: Piston Heads Rumormill Alfa Romeo Crossover Racing Vehicles Performance Sedan F1