Bigger is beautiful for Alfa’s Stelvio
From June 4, UK learner drivers will be able to take lessons on motorways. About time too. I’ve never understood the logic in not allowing people to experience a road system they’ll be using from virtually the day the L-plates go in the bin.
But hold on, there’s a bit of small print – the motorway lessons will be voluntary and learners will need to be accompanied by an approved instructor and in a car fitted with dual controls. Still, it’s a good idea which I hope will instil proper lane discipline into drivers from the start, thus easing one of my driving gripes. PRODUCT planning in the car industry has never been simpler – just build SUVS, and preferably in several different sizes.
It’s also a great recipe for getting yourself out of trouble. It’s working for Jaguar, which has transformed itself from being a sports car company into a four-wheel drive firm and, with it, bringing sales its accountants could only dream of.
Now Alfa Romeo has performed the same simple trick. For years it has tried to compete with Audi and BMW with its sporty saloons without much success – primarily because it didn’t build very good cars – but first up of the new breed is the Stelvio SUV.
Clearly Alfa Romeo is doing very well with it too because there’s a bit of a supply problem at HQ and we have been struggling to get a test car.
However, I thought I’d give my local dealer a go – Hersham and Walton Motors, which also happens to be the longest serving Aston Martin dealer in the world. So thank you to Paul Flitter for lending us this Stelvio Milano Edizione fitted with the 2.2-litre diesel engine. Most customers, Alfa Romeo Stelvio Milano Edizione five-door SUV
2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel, 207bhp 6.6sec 58.9mpg
says Flitter, choose the 280bhp petrol engine. He also tells me that interest in the Stelvio is significantly stronger than for the excellent Giulia saloon.
The stylists have done a commendable job of giving it an Alfa-like look and it’s one of the best-looking SUVS on the road, more interesting to look at than the Jaguar F-pace and as attractive as Volvo’s new XC40 although