Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q: Australian pricing

When the stove-hot 375kW Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q arrives in Australian showrooms from mid-January 2019, it will be priced at $149,900 plus on-road costs.

With a top speed of 283km/h thanks to its formidable 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 -- shared with the Alfa Romero Giulia Q and developed by Ferrari -- the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q's 375kW of power and 600Nm of torque pumps through an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive system.

The benchmark 0-100km/h time is claimed to take just 3.8 seconds and together with uprated suspension, brakes, wheels, tyres and a sporty new interior fit-out, Alfa Romeo says the new Stelvio Q is the "fastest SUV in its class".

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q Review

The Italian road rocket's main rival, the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S, has an electronically limited top speed of 270km/h -- 13km/h less than the Stelvio -- and rips to 100km/h in the same time, 3.8sec.

Price-wise, the circa-$150K Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q undercuts the $171,530 Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S by around $21,000.

"We are excited to offer the hotly anticipated all-new Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV at such a competitive price and look forward to attracting new fans to the brand in search of a practical SUV without comprising on performance and driving excitement," said Alfa Romeo Australia CEO, Steve Zanlunghi.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Q holds the Nurburgring lap record in its class, with a time of 7:51.7sec, thanks not only to its epic engine but a claimed 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, adaptive suspension and a clever Q4 all-wheel drive system with active torque vectoring that can shunt all power to the rear wheels when required.

Compared to regular Alfa Romeo Stelvio models, the Q features an aggressive body kit with a deeper, lower front bumper and side skirts, flared wheel-arches and a sporty rear bumper punctuated by a pair of dual exhaust outlets.

Standard features for Aussie versions of the Stelvio Q include 20-inch alloy wheels, an eight-speed automatic transmission with large aluminium paddle shifters attached to the steering column and what Alfa Romeo is calling premium natural leather upholstery.

Suede-like Alcantara is also in abundance and the front sports seats are heated and have eight-way power adjustment. Leather covers the door panels and heated steering wheel, while aluminium Quadrifoglio door scuff plates are also in evidence.

Aluminium and carbon-fibre accents in the cabin along with Quadrifoglio floor mats and various seat and dashboard stitching colour options communicate the SUV's high-performance bent, while an 8.8-inch infotainment system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay takes care of navigation, audio and vehicle configuration systems.

Ambient interior lighting is included and other standard equipment comprises forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), adaptive cruise control and lane departure warning. The Stelvio has a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

The Stelvio Q employs the same Giorgio platform and V6 turbo engine as the Alfa Romeo Giulia Q sedan, which beat the likes of the Mercedes-Benz E 63 AMG and BMW M5 to take out the 2018 running of Australia's Best Driver's Car.

Although the Stelvio Q doesn't get the carbon-fibre bonnet of the Giulia Q, it does get a carbon-fibre driveshaft and features plenty of light-weight aluminium components, such as the suspension, doors, quarter panels and bonnet, as well as the engine and brakes.

The bonnet features vents that channel cool air into the engine bay as well.

Alfa Romeo says the Stelvio Q has a best-in-class specific power output of 129kW per litre and is also the power-to-weight champion, its 1830kg kerb weight ensuring one kiloWatt for every 4.88kg.

The Italian brand says its muscular SUV has the "most direct steering on the market" with a 12.1 ratio and features electronically controlled adaptive dampers to offer racetrack levels of firmness and grip when required, and a softer ride for commuting and cruising.

Options include Sparco bucket seats with carbon-fibre shells and a carbon-ceramic Brembo brake package. Boot space is the same as regular Stelvio models at 499 litres, expanding to 1600 litres with the rear seats folded down.

How much is the Alfa Romeo Stelvio?
Stelvio 2.0T – $65,900
Stelvio 2.2TDI – $67,900
Stelvio 2.0T First Edition – $71,900
Stelvio 2.2TDI First Edition – $73,900
Stelvio Ti 2.0T – $78,900
Stelvio Q 2.9T – $149,900
* Prices exclude on-road costs