LA MOTOR SHOW: Alfa's first SUV revealed

Alfa Romeo's first SUV has made its world public debut at the Los Angeles motor show, promising enough style, speed and tech to shake up the mid-size German crossover hierarchy.

Revealed in top-shelf Quadrifoglio Verde (QV) form powered by the same Ferrari-sourced 375kW twin-turbo V6 as the upcoming Giulia QV sports sedan, the Stelvio was first seen in leaked images published by a US website late yesterday.

As with the Giulia, Australians face a long wait for the Stelvio, which won't appear in local showrooms until early 2018 – in this case only a few months after its European release.

When it does finally arrive Down Under, the Stelvio will rival mid-size luxury SUVs like Audi's upcoming second-generation Q5 and the new Jaguar F-PACE, plus the BMW X3, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Porsche Macan – all of which (except the Macan) are priced from under $75,000.

While the Stelvio Quadrifoglio will be priced well above $100,000 to compete with cars like the Macan Turbo, it will also be offered in cheaper 2.0-litre four-cylinder form.

Reflecting the importance of the US market in which it was launched, so far only a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol version has been confirmed alongside the QV.

It's claimed to produce a class-leading 206kW of power, along with a flat torque curve with 415Nm available between 2250 and 4500rpm, and world-class levels of performance, efficiency and refinement.

However, a volume-selling 2.0-litre turbo-diesel – also matched as standard with all-wheel drive and an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission – is also expected.

The Quadrifoglio version pictured here features four exhaust outlets and body-coloured side skirts with carbon-fibre inserts, but mainstream versions are expected to wear matt-grey lower bodywork all round.

All Stelvios, however, will wear the distinctive 'Kamm tail' design that pays tribute to the similar styling seen on many previous Alfa road and race cars.

Every Stelvio will also come with a flat-bottom steering wheel with integrated push-button starting, a full-colour 7.0-inch thin film transistor (TFT) cluster display straddled by two large white-on-black analogue gauges.

The 2.0-litre petrol-powered entry-level Stelvio will come standard with 18-inch alloy wheels, leather seat trim, reversing camera, rear parking sensors, a powered tailgate and 6.5-inch multimedia display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility.

In addition, Stelvio Ti models will add 19-inch wheels, genuine wood interior accents and an 8.8-inch widescreen infotainment display the new Connect 3D Nav developed by Magneti Marelli.

Options will include Sport and Lusso trim packages, column-mounted aluminium paddle shifters, plus advanced safety aids in addition to a full complement of airbags, including full-speed Forward Collision Warning -- Plus, Adaptive Cruise Control – Plus with Full Stop, Lane Departure Warning, Blind-spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path detection and front parking sensors.

Riding on the same new platform as the Giulia, the five-door Stelvio wagon adds an all-wheel drive system incorporating Alfa's Q4 drive distribution technology, which is claimed to make it "100 per cent rear drive" by transferring up to 60 per cent of torque to the front wheels only when required.

Also employed by Alfa's inaugural SUV, which is expected to eventually be joined by both smaller and larger SUV models, are AlfaLink suspension, Q2 limited-slip rear differential, Chassis Domain Control and Integrated Brake System from the Giulia, which also donates its torque vectoring control and cylinder deactivation technology to the Stelvio QV.

Alfa says the torque converter auto, which incorporates a lock-up clutch "to give the driver a powerful feeling of in-gear acceleration once the gear is engaged", has been specifically calibrated to change gears in just 100 milliseconds in the QV's Race mode.

In Race mode – one of four settings available via the Stelvio Quadrifoglio's new Alfa DNA Pro selector (also including Dynamic, Natural and Advanced Efficiency), Alfa claims the QV can hit 60mph (97km/h) in just 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 285km/h – down from 305km/h in the Giulia QV.

Apart from its 90-degree twin-turbo intercooled 2.9-litre V6 that delivers a "class-leading" 375kW of power, making it Alfa's most powerful production engine ever, and 600Nm between 2500-5500rpm, the QV comes with a host of other extras.

They include 20-inch wheels, a sportier bodykit, firmer adaptive suspension, leather/Alcantara seat trim, 12-way power-adjustable front seats, exclusive leather steering wheel and instrument panel stitching, 200mph QV speedo, and carbon-fibre interior trim.

High-performance options for the Stelvio Quadrifoglio include lightweight carbon-fibre shell Sparco racing seats and a Brembo carbon-ceramic material (CCM) brake system.

Other range-wide options will include seven wheel designs up to 21-inch, 13 exterior paint colours, a multitude of interior colour and trim choices and a 900-Watt,12-channel, 14-speaker Harman Kardon Logic 7 sound system.

Named after Italy's highest (2758m) mountain pass, which spans 20km and 75 bends, the five-seat Stelvio will be a key part of Alfa's plan to sell 400,000 cars annually by 2018.

Measuring 4680mm long, 2160mm wide and 1650mm high, it will be produced alongside the Giulia, which was launched in 2015 but doesn't hit Australia until January 2017, at Fiat's refurbished Cassino plant in Italy.

The famed Italian car-maker says it blends the five ingredients that make it one of the world's most desirable automotive brands: distinctly Italian styling, innovative, state-of-the-art engines, impeccable weight distribution, unique technical solutions and an outstanding power-to-weight ratio.

Although Alfa is yet to come clean on key specification details, the latter is aided by the use of carbon-fibre for the driveshaft and aluminium for the engine, suspension, brakes, doors, wheel-arches, bonnet, front and rear vehicle frames, front shock towers, brakes and suspension components.

The resurgent Italian brand claims the result is near perfect 50/50 weight distribution, segment-leading torsional rigidity and the most direct steering available.