Believe it or not, Alfa Romeo made an SUV way back in the 1950s called the 1900 M, aka the Matta (translation: mad). Consider it an Italian Jeep for the military that eventually made its way to the civilian market. That means the Stelvio wasn’t the brand’s first SUV. However, as Alfa’s first premium mid-size SUV, the Stelvio arrived for the 2018 model year with a lot more comfort and convenience features and, as our Pick of the Day shows, significantly better on-road performance. You can find this 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio listed on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Charlotte, North Carolina.
In the 2010s, Alfa Romeo made its formal return to the U.S. after being absent from it since 1995. Yes, Alfa built the Ferrari-V-8-powered 8C Competizione in the previous decade, but only a fraction of the limited production run came to the U.S. The 4C and 4C Spider, Giulia sedan, and Stelvio SUV signaled a multi-pronged approach to luring U.S. buyers away from similar BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi models. Named after the 48-turn Stelvio Pass in the Italian Alps, the Stelvio mixed curvy sheet metal with standard Q4 all-wheel drive, leather seats, bi-xenon headlamps, and 280 horsepower from a 2.0-liter turbo I-4. Many SUVs try to look sporty with varying degrees of success, but the Stelvio nailed it.
Like some of its predecessors, the 2018 Stelvio was also available as a high-performance Quadrifoglio model. Alfa didn’t just dial up the boost on the regular model’s four-banger — it dropped in a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V-6 that cranked out a lovably ridiculous 505 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque. Delivered through an eight-speed automatic, torque-vectoring differential, and all four 20-inch wheels, that monstrous output was capable of pushing the 4,360-pound Stelvio Quadrifoglio to 60 mph in 3.6 seconds and achieving a top speed of 176 mph. An adjustable performance suspension and Brembo brakes kept it from flying off back roads — and mountain passes.
Inside, the driver faced a Formula One-inspired steering wheel with a red engine start button, and aluminum paddle shifters. Leather and Alcantara 14-way power front seats kept both people up front in place during high-g turns. The standard carbon fiber trim; 8.8-inch infotainment screen with GPS, Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay; and 14-speaker Harman Kardon audio system were easier to enjoy during more sedate driving.
The seller hasn’t disclosed much about this particular Stelvio Quadrifoglio aside from it being a garaged, one-owner vehicle in “excellent condition” that comes with service records and new brakes.
That last update is especially important considering the power these models have. At the Texas Auto Writers Association’s 2018 Texas Auto Roundup, I took a few laps around the Eagles Canyon Raceway in a Stelvio Quadrifoglio and discovered that it absolutely rips — I had never experienced that kind of speed and excitement in an SUV before. I don’t recall driving on the street, but I did plenty of that in a Giulia Quadrifoglio (which had the same engine) and discovered that the rear wheels kept losing their grip when I got on the throttle hard — and this was on dry, straight roads! If you buy this 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio for $26,500 (or best offer), you’ll have plenty of fun too (and perhaps a new stack of speeding tickets).
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
