They’re big, haul all our cargo, and don’t guzzle gas like they used to. Now, SUVs are beginning to take on a whole new role, with sport sedan-like handling and muscle car-style power. It’s about time, we say.
The big ballers in the 2018 SUV game right now include the 707-hp 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which propels 0-60 mph in just 3.5 seconds, and the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, the Italian automaker’s first-ever sport utility, which just lapped Nürburgring in a record 7 minutes 51.7 seconds, making its mark with the fastest time ever posted by a production SUV.
Dubbed Alfa Romeo’s ‘halo’ model, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio hit the famed German track earlier this month, posting a new benchmark time that’s a full eight seconds faster than the previous production SUV record.
Alfa Romeo setting records
As Reid Bigland, Head of Alfa Romeo, puts it, “We specifically engineered and designed the Stelvio Quadrifoglio to set world-class benchmarks, and it did not disappoint with a world-record Nürburgring lap time of 7 minutes and 51.7 seconds…We’re proud to now hold two Nürburgring lap time records with the Giulia Quadrifoglio as the fastest four-door production sedan and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio as the fastest production SUV.”
Under the Hood: Stelvio’s 505-hp V6 Engine
In an SUV that puts down 505 hp and can reach a top speed of 177 mph/285 kph, getting your everyday, mundane tasks accomplished likely won’t be an issue. Powered by an all-aluminum, direct-injection 2.9-litre 24-valve twin-turbo intercooled V6 engine, the Stelvio Quadrifolio sports an all-wheel drive setup paired to 443 lb.-ft. of torque, so towing big toys and trailers or hitting back trails (in a luxury SUV, why not?) will be an easy affair for this stylish beast.
2018 Stelvio and Stelvio Ti SUV Price and Availability: Expect the Stelvio and Stelvio Ti to arrive at dealerships in early 2018, priced at MSRP of US$41,995 / C$52,995 and US$43,995 and C$54,995, respectively.
