The all-new Alfa Romeo Stelvio will go on-sale here on 20 March from $65,900+ORC…a cat amongst the pigeons?

THE ALFA ROMEO STELVIO will officially go on-sale here on 20 March with media test drives occurring in May. If you can’t wait until then to read what we think of the Stelvio, then you can check out Paul Horrell’s pre-launch test drive HERE.

Locally, the Stelvio will be offered with either a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine making 148kW and 330Nm of torque (it’ll hit 0-100km/h in 7.2secs) or a 2.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine producing 154kW and 470Nm of torque, it’ll hit 100km/h in 7.6 seconds. Both engines will be mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and offered with Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel drive which is a rear-biased set-up but although it can send up to 60% of its torque to the front axle if needed.

Pricing for the Stelvio 2.0L Petrol is $65,900+ORC while the diesel variant will cost slightly more at $67,900. For an extra $5000 buyers will be able to option the Veloce Pack which adds things like 19-inch alloys, aluminium interior trim including pedals, Koni dampers, heated front sports seats with powered bolsters and a sport steering wheel.

Alfa Romeo is also offering a limited run of First Edition vehicles (200 diesel and 100 petrol) selling from $73,900+ORC and $71,900+ORC, respectively. The First Edition includes the Veloce Pack and adds a panoramic sunroof, privacy glass and a 14 speaker Harman Kardon sound system.

Announcing the pricing, Alfa Romeo Australia CEO Steve Zanlunghi said: “We’re thrilled to be announcing the highly-anticipated release in Australia of Alfa Romeo’s first SUV, the all-new Stelvio. More than 2000 Australians have signed up to be kept informed about the Stelvio.

“The latest evolution of the Giorgio family architecture, the Stelvio seamlessly blends everything the Alfa Romeo brand stands for; style, passion and exhilaration,” he said.

“The premium mid-size SUV segment in Australia is forecast to grow and the introduction of the Stelvio now allows us exposure to this opportunity and with it, further expansion of the brand,” he said.

“Stelvio opens doors to customers that may not have considered our brand in the past due to the family’s lifestyle – the Stelvio has the opportunity to meet this brief while still providing a dynamic driving experience.”

The Stelvio is aimed at the Porsche Macan and even the First Edition variant undercuts the entry-level Macan at $80,110+ORC. The big power and currently the fastest SUV around the Nurburgring, the Stelvio QV will arrive in Australia later in the year with pricing released closer to its launch.

Question: Will the Stelvio give the likes of the Porsche Macan, Jaguar F-Pace and BMW X4 a blood nose?