SPY PICS: Alfa's first SUV

The first spy shots of Alfa Romeo's first SUV, the Stelvio, have emerged six months ahead of production and about a year before it finally goes on sale in the first quarter of 2017 – six months later than originally planned.

Seen here wearing a heavily disguised production body for the first time, the Stelvio is expected to make its world debut at the Los Angeles motor show in mid-November.

Wearing a front-end designed similar to that of the all-new Giulia sedan on which it's based, the Stelvio appears to present similar proportions to Jaguar's new F-PACE SUV, which itself is based on the British brand's new XE mid-size sedan.

Other design cues of the Stelvio, codenamed Tipo 949 D-SUV and also pictured here as a rendering, are hard to discern beneath the cladding. However, a 'fast' windscreen, rising shoulder line, rounded roofline, twin exhaust outlets and wrap-around tail-lights can also be seen.

Official details remain under wraps, but like the Giulia – which is based on the same Giorgio platform and due on sale here in early 2017 – entry models should be rear-wheel drive and all-wheel drive will also be available.

Engines will also carry over from the Giulia, which means you should expect an entry-level turbo-petrol four-cylinder delivering 206kW and a high-performance Quadrifoglio Verde (QV) variant employing a twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 with 376kW.

That latter accelerates the Giulia QV to 100km/h in about four seconds, so expect the Stelvio QV to be only slightly slower.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles boss Sergio Marchionne told a workers’ meeting at an Alfa Romeo production plant in February that the brand will call its inaugural crossover the Stelvio.

The vehicle is now scheduled to start production in the final quarter of 2016 – a year later than originally planned – before going on sale in Europe early in 2017.

Alfa's global chief Harald Wester told motoring.com.au at last month's Geneva show that the Alfa SUV will make its world public debut in the European late Autumn (September-November).

Alfa used the Swiss show to finally confirm full details of its all-new mid-size Giulia sedan, which enters production on March 14. However, Alfa is yet to confirm production on the other six models it promised by 2018 as part of its five-year business plan.

These include a larger, seven-seat SUV codename Tipo 962, Spider and Coupe versions of the Giulia, a full-size sports-luxury sedan codenamed Tipo 941, and (eventually) replacements for the Giulietta small hatch and the MiTo light hatch, which has just been discontinued Down Under.