Stelvio? No

It seems that once again the bosses at Alfa are trying to breathe some much needed life into the marque.

The Giulia is a great step in the right direction. It’s got a rear- drive chassis, a good range of engines and the class-leading ZF eight-speed auto. However, I find it odd that Alfa has decided to follow this car with an SUV (the Stelvio, see evo 230).

I know this is anecdotal, but I drive 25,000 miles a year, home and abroad, and I see many more 5-series saloons and estates than X3- and X5-type cars. In fact I see countless 5-series, A6 and E- class oil- burners out on the roads relative to SUVS at the Stelvio’s price level.

Alfa would be wise to develop a really well-styled 5-series rival instead. The engines are there, including the vital six- cylinder diesel and eight- cylinder petrol from Maserati. Whilst 90 per cent will buy a four-banger, they aspire and long for a six or eight under there.

Coupes should follow. All of us dream of a big coupe winding down the Route Napoléon. None of us dream of an X3 plodding to Pets at Home. Alfa needs to sell the dream and get on with building a better Ghibli. This is where the real volume is, not some horrid compact, hard-riding, bad- handling small 4x4. Stephen Taylor, Helensburgh