Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV proves it has the speed of a sports car

Stephen Edelstein
By

There was a time when the idea of a Nürburgring lap record for SUVs was absurd, but that time is long past. The competition among automakers to have the fastest SUV at the famous German racetrack is just as intense as it is for any other category of performance car.

Victory in the latest Nürburgring battle goes to Alfa Romeo. The Italian automaker’s Stelvio Quadrifoglio lapped the 12.9-mile track in 7 minutes, 51.7 seconds, making it the fastest SUV to ever do so. It beat the previous SUV champ, the Porsche Cayenne Turbo S, by about 8 seconds. It’s worth noting that any time under 8 minutes was once considered supercar territory.

Recommended Videos

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio was piloted to glory by Fabio Francia, an Alfa Romeo test driver who also achieved a 7 minute, 32 second lap in the automaker’s Giulia Quadrifoglio. Alfa says that is a record for a production-model sedan. The Stelvio is essentially a Giulia with an SUV body, so the mechanical differences between the two are fairly minimal. In the case of both models, the Quadrifoglio (Italian for “four-leaf clover,” referencing Alfa’s racing insignia) is the highest-performance version.

Related

One look under the hood shows why it’s not surprising that the Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio are record setters. Both cars pack a Ferrari-derived, 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine, which produces 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio sends that power to the ground through all four wheels. The SUV will do 0 to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, and reach a top speed of 177 mph, according to Alfa Romeo. Not bad for a vehicle that’s supposed be a practical family hauler.

While you can admire the performance of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, you can’t actually buy one yet. U.S. sales don’t start until early 2018, although less-extreme base model and Stelvio Ti trim levels are in showrooms now.

The Stelvio Quadrifoglio’s Nürburgring lap record probably won’t go unchallenged for long. Porsche will almost certainly return with a new hot rod Cayenne based on the redesigned third-generation model, and Lamborghini’s Urus SUV is still waiting in the wings. Alfa Romeo may have won this battle, but the war for performance bragging rights will continue.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Tesla Model 3 vs. Hyundai Ioniq 6: Which electric sedan is best?
Front three quarter view of the 2023 Hyundai Ioniq 6.

There are finally some more electric sedan options. For years, the Tesla Model 3 was really the only good electric sedan that comes at a reasonable price -- until, Hyundai recently launched the Ioniq 6. The Ioniq 6 certainly takes some cues from the larger Ioniq 5, but is smaller and sleeker, with a design seemingly inspired by the Porsche 911.

But the Tesla Model 3 is still clearly an excellent option for those looking for an electric car, and who don't want a larger crossover. Which is better? Here's a look.
Design
The exterior design of the Tesla Model 3 and Hyundai Ioniq 6 is quite different. If you've seen a Tesla car before, then you'll immediately recognize the Model 3 -- it looks largely like a slightly different version of every other Tesla (except the Cybertruck).

Read more
Scout Motors Electric SUV: rumored price, release date, design, and more
Scout SUV Teaser

There's another electric SUV on the way, and this one comes with a familiar name. Volkswagen is reviving the classic Scout name for a new electric SUV that's billed as being an "RUV," or a rugged utility vehicle. And, it could well prove itself as the best electric SUV in its price range, when it does finally come out.

The new EV isn't due out for quite some time, but there's already a fair bit that we know about it. Curious to learn more? Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming Scout SUV.
Design
There's very little we actually know about the Scout SUV so far, but we do know a little about the eventual design. A few teasers for the upcoming vehicle have been released, showing sketches of both the SUV and the accompanying pickup truck, along with what's presumably the front of the SUV -- though in a dark environment, with little detail.

Read more
Volkswagen ID.GTI concept is another icon reimagined as an EV
Front three quarter view of the Volkswagen ID.GTI concept.

Volkswagen reinvented one of its most iconic models with the ID.Buzz, a modern, all-electric homage to the classic Microbus. But that's not the only fan favorite vehicle currently in the automaker's catalog.

Debuting at the 2023 Munich Auto Show, the Volkswagen ID.GTI concept aims to do for the Golf GTI hot hatchback — VW's signature performance car — what the ID.Buzz did for the Microbus. VW claims a production version has already been given the green light, although it won't say when it will appear.

Read more