First Test: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

"If you think it's no longer possible, a little light will come from somewhere." For example, in the form of two bright LED lightbulbs that invite you to play.

It is not known how many car buyers (and car buyers, of course!) Have slept sleeplessly since they succumbed to her for the first time. We are talking about Alfa Romeo's Giulia Quadrifoglio. A tin-plated definition of sensuality that carries the power of a bodybuilder beneath its beguiling shell.

How much you would like to shake it daily with your butt, thanks to the power of 510 PS on the rear wheels. How would you like to do without an oh so practical large tailgate. Just follow the heart, all the objections of the spouse (or the spouse, of course!) And the offspring in spite of.

But no, somehow did not work. Until now! Of course, Alfa Romeo has another ace up its sleeve. Just as the always four-door Giulia followed the technically largely identical SUV counterpart Stelvio, the lady with the cloverleaf on the cheek now gets her male watcher aside.

And with this we go on tour: first ride in the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

Even Alfa's mid-size SUV, which size-technically sorted somewhere between BMW X3 and X5, now stomps with the double-charged 2,9 liter big V6 engine and a maximum performance of 510 PS to the dealer.

Even the Stelvio Quadrifoglio demonstrates its power already in the state: Richly cared for, with gills in the hood and the four massive tailpipes at the rear, the 4,69 meter long multi-purpose vehicle looks brawny, but (thank God, some may think) less autoerotic than the Giulia counterpart.

Multipurpose? Means for the purpose?

Minivan? That's what we want to find out here, starting with the purpose of everyday mobility. That's the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, of course. The sports seats screw you into the car without annoying.

With the sinfully red start button on the left in the steering wheel, the beast comes to life. Seemingly. Because of the V6 engine, in whose development the expertise of Ferrari has flowed, it should rumble quite dull. Or is it the blunted driver?

In inner-city traffic, the performance monster is lammfromm, swimming relaxed with and - this is an art, both of car and driver - does not lead to superfluous intermediate sprint to the next red light.

The Alfa Romeo DNA

On the highway, there is still time to try out the driving modes of the dynamics control system called DNA. As so often you are stuck in traffic in normal mode. The button in the center of the knob is used to adjust the electronically controlled shock absorbers. There are two characteristics: soft and hard. Quick one chooses the softer vote, because even that is very communicative, which concerns any soil condition, but leaves tooth fillings and eyeballs where they belong.

Free view, a few slow-moving trucks. Such a passing process is faster with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio over than the word "truck" is to be read. Nevertheless, the machine has enough time to be amazed. Because with the heavy kick on the accelerator, the load does not click forward as fast as you might expect. Despite the double charge remains a second, before the Alfa Dir kicked in the back.

Perfect tee

With the targeted steering but then it looks like a perfect tee in golf. First it must be made, but then you hear the sound of the club head on the ball, that this blow is perfect. And Bämm - away is the ball, far away.

Since we are with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio on Spanish roads with their speed limits and a watchful eye of the police officers on the road, and of course neither us nor other road users want to make nervous, the inconspicuous driveway on the mountain road comes as called.

It leads to the almost 5,5 kilometer circuit of Circuito Ascari. In accordance with the surrounding area, the asphalt band of the track with 13 left and 13 right turns in sinks and over climbs on the land. A challenging terrain, especially as light drizzle sets in.

Now Giulia must be jealous! Because in contrast to the brute driving dynamics of the power sedan, the Stelvio meshes with its all-wheel drive with the asphalt. The system distributes the power permanently between the two axles and up to a maximum of 50 percent forward, but usually leaves it with a slight rear endurance of the drive.

The butt must twitch

The result: Even the Stelvio Quadrifoglio can make the buttocks twitch. But then, when the Giulia is either a skilled hand in the barriers or loses control with a bursting rear, the Stelvio flips back on track, to distress helps a skillfully placed kick on the gas pedal.

The eight-speed automatic remains at any time master up to 600 Newtonmeter torque, the large real-metal shift paddles on the steering wheel for the time being unused.

The design-related higher center of gravity of the Stelvio in comparison to the Giulia does not matter for the perception on the racetrack, every thought of more swaying inclination is also filled in the SUV by an overdose of endorphins. And of course the lovingly balanced chassis, which may finally show here with the sportier damper tuning, what it really wants from you.

QV stands for ... 

In the Quadrifoglio models of Stelvio and Giulia, the DNA control has a fourth driving mode called Race. The remains but also in the four-wheel drive model because of the wet asphalt turned off. Even so succeed in a too impetuous acceleration orgy out of the Petit Eau Rouge the departure. Rear prance and the gas shock to ward off the drift still succeed, but then goes through the speed surplus just stop the route. A few meters of grassland and gravel bed plow the Pirelli P-Zero at lightning speed. But the Stelvio Quadrifoglio always drives exactly where it should go.

Back on the track, he taps a few lumps of earth and pebbles from tire tread and wheel arches and continues the hunt. A greater vote of confidence can not demand the addictive car the driver.

307 km/h

So the sleepless nights could quickly end even after the first high-speed off-road experience. Because the Stelvio Quadrifoglio offers the same dynamics as the Giulia storms in 3,8 seconds on Tempo 100 and maximum with 283 km / h forward. 307 km / h Topspeed it is the notchback model, which requires only two rollers for power transmission but 0,1 seconds more for the country road sprint.

13.800 Euro surcharge of the 89.000 Euro expensive Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio compared to the same motorized Giulia with automatic transmission are also for four-wheel drive, more space and the large tailgate a lot of money. Family peace will be worth it for the true connoisseur.

So who dreamed of the Giulia Quadrifoglio, she could afford mentally and financially, but was not allowed to - for now can start their common life with the Stelvio.

Specifications: Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio

Text: Bernd Conrad

Cover picture: Thomas Starck / Alfa Romeo