ALFA ROMEO 4C

About the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

June 26, 2017 by admin 1 Comment

Stelvio expands Alfa’s North American product line to three.

The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio will soon arrive in dealer showrooms, the third US model for this premium Italian brand. The Stelvio joins the 4C sports car and the compact Giulia sedan, expanding Alfa’s reach into unchartered territory.

Indeed, that dominion is long dominated by the premium German makes — Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. This means that every shopper is a potential conquest buyer as Alfa brings forth its first-ever SUV.

Italy’s Stelvio Pass

Named for the famous Stelvio Pass in northern Italy, the 2018 Stelvio shares its underpinnings with the rear-wheel drive Giulia. Unlike the sedan, the Stelvio has standard all-wheel drive. Like the sedan, it will also offer a high-performance Quadrifoglio version arriving later.

The Stelvio’s chief competitors include the Audi Q5, BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC, Jaguar F-PACE, and the Porsche Macan. Certainly, stiff competition.

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio

Fortunately, Alfa Romeo has priced the 2018 Stelvio competitively, from $43,985, including destination. Even when playing with the Stelvio’s price configurator, I managed to keep the final cost below $50,000, or within the realm of competing models.

Specifically, my add-ons included special metallic paint ($600), 18-inch five-spoke aluminum wheels ($500), an 8.8-inch touchscreen display with Bluetooth and navigation ($1,550), satellite radio ($350), and a pair of driver assist packages totaling $2,300.

However, don’t expect such price restraint when the high-end, fully-optioned Quadrifoglio debuts. The upcoming 505-horsepower SUV may top $70,000 when all is said and done.

Model Highlights: Standard Equipment

All 2018 Stelvio models come with a 2.0-liter twin-turbo four-cylinder engine paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. A sport-tuned suspension provides swagger and, hopefully, without much sway. In any case, a 5.4-second 0-60 mph time is in the offing.

Standard equipment includes 18-inch aluminum wheels, bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights and LED taillights, and leather seats.

Packages and upgrades bring in 19-inch wheels, a sport-tuned suspension, black roof rails, sport steering wheel, and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

A heated steering wheel, sport leather seats, wood trim, and other amenities expand this model’s offerings.

Top Safety Offerings

On the safety front, the 2018 Stelvio goes well beyond a standard rearview camera by offering a pair of driver assist packages. The Driver Assist Dynamic Plus package ($1,500) brings in automatic high beam headlamp control, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control. An infrared windshield (useful for reflecting light and reducing heat) and lane departure warning round out the package.

Buyers may also choose a Drive Assist Static With Front Sensors package ($800), outfitted with blind spot and cross path detection, front and rear park assist, and automatic dimming side mirrors.

The Bottom Line

All in all, the 2018 Stelvio represent’s Alfa’s strongest North American entry to date. The competition is most certainly stiff and that means Alfa must execute flawlessly. If successful, Alfa may soon find itself in the company of the world’s best luxury brands — and that’s no small feat for a make largely unfamiliar to most Americans.

2018 Alfa Rome Stelvio Quadrifoglio — This pictured Quadrifoglio edition has a quad-tip exhaust system.

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Specifications

Alfa Romeo	Stelvio
Segment	Midsize Luxury SUV
Base Sticker Price	$42,900 (plus $995 destination)
Price as Tested	NA
Standard Engine	2.0-liter, twin-scroll turbo I4
Transmission	Eight-speed manual
Horsepower @ RPM	280 @ 5,200
Torque (lb.-ft.) @ RPM	306 @ 2,000 to 4,800
Seating	2+3
Curb Weight (pounds)	4,044
Wheelbase (inches)	111.0
Length (inches)	184.6
Width (inches)	74.9
Height (inches)	66.0
Headroom (f,r — inches)	40.2, 38.9
Legroom (f,r — inches)	36.6, 31.9
Shoulder room (f,r — inches)	NR, NR
Hip room (f,r — inches)	NR, NR
Storage (cubic feet)	18.5/56.5
Gross vehicle weight (pounds)	NR
Towing (pounds)	3,000
Payload (pounds)	NR
Fuel	premium
Fuel Tank (gallons)	16.9
EPA Fuel MPG (city/highway)	22/28
Manufacturing Plant	Cassino, Italy

See Also — What’s Next for Alfa Romeo?

Photos copyright Alfa Romeo Motors.

Fiat Chrysler Eases up on the Alfa Romeo Pedal

November 3, 2015 by admin Leave a Comment

Sergio Marchionne rethinks FCA’s Alfa Romeo strategy as China’s new car sales cool.

Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Up next: Alfa Romeo Giulia.

When announced, it was immediately recognized as a tremendously ambitious plan for the Alfa Romeo brand when Fiat Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne stated last year that global sales for the Italian marque were projected to reach 400,000 units worldwide in 2018. Representing nearly a six-fold sales increase over 2014, that figure was based on a $5.5 billion product investment, yielding as many as eight new models.

Much has changed since Marchionne made his eyebrow-raising prediction. The most significant change has to do with China, a market that has cooled and one FCA had expected would represent a significant part of Alfa’s growth. With China no longer the dependable market for new products it once was, the automaker will concentrate on strengthening the brand’s appeal in two other key markets — the United States and in Europe reports the Detroit Free Press.

New Products for Alfa Romeo

Nevertheless, Alfa Romeo will still get its new products. For instance, the Giulia sedan introduced in Italy last summer should reach our shores sometime next year. Specifically, it is an entry-level model with a high-performance variant, designed to take on the BMW 3 Series and the M3.

Additional products expected include a midsize coupe, at least two sports car, a large sedan, and a pair of utility vehicles. As a result, the release of those models over a three- to four-year period will now take five or six years to complete. Although the sequence of product rollouts and the timetable for those releases will be adjusted, we don’t yet know how it will unfold. An announcement will wait until January, according to Automotive News.

China Slowdown and a Market Peak

Certainly, the change in schedule is a disappointment for Marchionne and a bit of an embarrassment. At the same time, those plans followed earlier projections that were equally ambitious, but were established when key consumer markets were red hot. With China’s ascendancy slowing down and as the US market approaches its peak, an honest review of the Alfa Romeo itinerary is warranted.

The Alfa reworking comes as FCA must also manage expectations for its other brands. For example, the Fiat brand hasn’t met sales forecasts, although the 500X crossover has shown promise. Fiat’s gradual product expansion comes as consumers switch to crossovers, essentially leaving the 500 and 500L behind.

Jeep Tops 1 Million Sales Worldwide

The brightest mark in the FCA brand portfolio is Jeep. The 4×4 brand topped one million global sales last year as the automaker continues to bring Jeep goodness to more markets. Notably, October 2015 US sales for FCA rose 15 percent on the strength of a 33 percent increase for Jeep. Indeed, top to bottom every Jeep model is contributing; the all-new Renegade is now outselling the Compass.

As FCA adjusts its Alfa Romeo plans, it may once again look at the time schedule for its other brands. This past June, Reuters reported that FCA was delaying the release of “…at least a dozen current or new vehicles in North America.” Those models include the high volume Ram 1500 and the Jeep Wrangler as well as new models such as the Jeep Grand Wagoneer.

Most of the delays can be measured by the number of months, although a few models are scheduled to arrive a full year later than originally planned. However, pulling forward with the production schedule means leaning on suppliers to step up their game. Such pressure could backfire for a family of brands that are already at or near the bottom for quality.

Fiat Chrysler Names First 86 Alfa Romeo Dealerships

June 11, 2014 by admin Leave a Comment

First models arrive early this summer.

When Alfa Romeos were last sold in the United States, Bill Clinton was in his first term as president and the Internet was just getting started. That was in 1995. Soon after Fiat and Chrysler hooked up in 2009, plans to bring back the sporty Italian brand were announced, then withdrawn, before finally receiving an official go ahead last fall.

Alfa Romeo Dealer Network

On Tuesday, parent Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Ltd. announced that it had awarded the first batch of Alfa Romeo dealerships in the United States as well as in Canada. That group, composed of 82 American and 4 Canadian dealerships, will be supplemented by additional dealerships later this year. In the meantime, the 86 recipients will become the first dealers to sell the Alfa Romeo 4C, a two-seat sport coupe with expressive curves.

FCA quietly introduced the 4C at the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in Jan., and has since showed it at auto shows in New York and Montreal. Its official roll out took place at the New York International Auto Show in April where FCA said that both standard and limited-edition coupe models would be sold first beginning this summer.

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C

Initial and Future Franchises

The 82 US dealers are located in 33 states with the largest concentration found in Florida, Texas and California, markets where sales should be particularly strong. Peter Grady, Vice President of Network Development, Chrysler Group LLC, said that once the North American network has been completed, the company expects at least 300 franchises to be in place.

About the Alfa Romeo network Grady said, “Each Alfa Romeo dealer will have a unique staff dedicated to the brand’s premium market clientele. We require each Alfa Romeo dealer to have their sales and technical staff go through an intensive curriculum to ensure the highest levels of customer care and proficiency of the Alfa Romeo 4C.”

The entire group of new franchises already have Fiat and or Maserati dealerships. Just two dealerships will serve the New England states initially with Connecticut and Vermont covering that area. Hawaii, the Dakotas and Oregon were among the other states that will have to wait a bit for franchises. In Canada, two dealers will be placed in Quebec and one each in Ontario and British Columbia.

Italian Bred and Built

Built in Modena, Italy, the Alfa Romeo 4C features a mid-engine, transverse-mounted turbocharged four cylinder engine. This rear-wheel drive coupe’s engine displaces at 1.7 liters and makes 237 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 258 foot-pounds of torque at 2,200 rpm. That engine is paired with a six-speed twin-clutch transmission.

The 4C’s suspension features double wishbone up front with high-strength steel tubular-control arms, aluminum knuckles and a tubular anti-roll bar. To the rear is a MacPherson suspension with a rear strut and shock absorber with hollow piston rod and side-load spring, high-strength steel tubular-control arms and aluminum knuckles. This model rides on standard 17-inch wheels with 18- and 19-inch wheels available. Three-season Pirelli P Zero AR performance tires are standard.

The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C sits on a 93.7-inch wheelbase and is 157.5 inches long by 73.5 inches wide by 46.6 inches tall. It is outfitted with a 10.5-gallon fuel tank and takes premium unleaded gasoline. FCA estimates that it will get 24 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.

Pricing: To Be Determined

Pricing has not yet been announced with guesses ranging from $54,000 as estimated by Motor Authority to more than $70,000 offered by Edmunds. A starting price closer to $60,000 seems likely for the standard model with specially equipped models trending toward the higher end.

Photos copyright Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, N.V.

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