TOP OF THE CLASS

Alfa Romeo have channelled an illustrious racing reputation spanning over a century into the Stelvio, an SUV unlike any other, says Neil Lyndon Alfa claim that the Stelvio can be compared with a sports car in its handling

The new Alfa Romeo Stelvio has Neil Lyndon smiling from ear to ear

‘I’ve rather taken to this car,’ said my friend as I was driving him home in the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio. ‘It’s comfortable, quiet, easy to get in and out of, and seems to be well-finished. Very nice.’

The creators of the Stelvio, Alfa’s first-ever SUV, ought to be delighted when they read these plaudits, especially when I add that my friend is blind. As far as the Alfa people are concerned, the Stelvio’s exceptional qualities are primarily to be found in its looks. They would automatically presume that people need to be able to see this car in order to appreciate its uniqueness.

Myriad are the SUVs on the road today and most of them look much the same as each other but nobody is going to mistake the Stelvio for a Vauxhall or a Volkswagen. Short but tall, its dimensions emphasise its powerful athleticism. At the same time the bulgy and muscular body exudes style and authority. The Stelvio’s nearest visual counterpart might be the Porsche Macan, which is also closely comparable in price with the £46,645 all-in price of the top-of-the-line ‘Nero Edizione’ 2.2-litre diesel version of the Stelvio we borrowed. But for those who are concerned about the exclusivity of the badge on their car, an exotic Alfa surely trumps a common-or-garden Porsche every time?

Alfa Romeos have always been a breed apart. Their cars were competing in races almost as soon as the company came into being in Milan in 1910, since then the marque achieved more wins in races than any other. Throughout the 20th century, theirs was a name to conjure the most stirring images of sporting endeavour. Enzo Ferrari’s first racing team put Alfa Romeos on the grid; and it will forever be with Alfa Romeo that the name of Tazio Nuvolari – possibly the greatest of all Grand Prix drivers – will automatically be associated in the minds of enthusiasts.

The Stelvio naturally draws up and trades upon this inheritance. With its high body and steeply raked steering column – which militate against sharp control in corners – no SUV can ever truly be considered a high-performance car; but the Stelvio makes a more convincing case for itself in this department than 99 out of 100 SUVs you can buy.

With most of its body and suspension made of aluminium, a carbon fibre driveshaft and a brakeby-wire system, the podge that weighs down most SUVs has been mercilessly pared out of the Stelvio. Though the transmission incorporates full-time allwheel drive, Alfa decided against offering any form of off-road capability – a decision which also helps to reduce weight and emphasises that the Stelvio is to be judged solely as a road car.

Alfa claim that the Stelvio can be compared with a sports car in its handling and, for once, a car maker’s hot air turns out to be securely grounded. The quick steering of the Stelvio together with its grip in corners and absence of body-roll make it as enjoyable to drive on country roads as many models with sporty pretensions. Most so-called hot hatchbacks would wallow in the wake of the Stelvio’s acceleration from 0-60mph in little over seven seconds.

As to my friend’s observations about the finish in the cabin of the Stelvio, they were all fully justified. He was enjoying feeling his way with fingertips around the soft-touch materials on the fascia and the luxurious leathers of the seat upholstery. He also liked exploring the capacious interior of the central armrest and sliding the hard, polished cover over the cup-holders. Meanwhile, I was taking pleasure from the classically thin-rimmed steering wheel, fitted with Ferrari-style paddle shifters on the column and a fetching starter button mounted within the spokes.

Alfa may be pushing it when they claim 43.5mpg for this 190bhp but all their other boasts about the Stelvio stand up to scrutiny. This, truly, is one SUV in a hundred.