LA Auto Show 2016: 505hp Alfa Romeo Stelvio QV

So the vehicle has a ideal 50:50 weight distribution over its front and rear axles, power comes in the form of the same wonderful 503bhp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 found in the flagship Giuila sedan, and stopping is via carbon ceramic brakes that come as standard.

Alfa Romeo’s first venture into the SUV market has been unveiled at the 2016 Los Angeles Motor Show.

The 4C roadster was the first model the brand offered when it re-entered the U.S. It went on sale in limited numbers in 2014.

Alfa Romeo returned to the USA market in late 2014 after a almost two-decade absence and is betting on the Stelvio to help draw a new generation of buyers as well as fans of rival German brands. The former two trim levels are powered by a 280-horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged four cylinder engine, mated to an eight-speed automatic gearbox.

“The Stelvio has all the ingredients to eventually become Alfa Romeo’s best seller”, said Ian Fletcher, a London-based analyst for IHS Automotive.

Like the Giulia with which it shares its “Giorgio” platform, the Stelvio will be offered in three flavors: base, Ti, and Quadrifoglio. This model puts out 505 horsepower and 443 torques from a 2.9-liter, turbocharged V6.

The 2018 Stelvio helps fill out Alfa’s sparse North American model lineup, which up to now has consisted of the 4C sports auto and late-arriving Giulia sedan.

In default mode the Q4 system sends all the torque to the rear axle, so the Stelvio drives like a sports sedan, using two clutches in the rear differential to control torque delivery to each wheel individually, rather than wasting power by braking the inside wheel, which is how conventional torque vectoring works. Much of the SUV’s body is made from aluminum, including front and rear frames, brakes, doors and fenders. Alfa’s upper and lower control arm front suspension is paired with a patented multi-link rear suspension. All the way around, the suspension is independent.

We can’t tell you what either of these versions will cost, but we can reveal where the Stelvio fits into the SUV market, dimensionally speaking. The front is nearly the same, except for a taller middle grill and a slightly more swept back lower sides and a less rake slope of the nose.

It’s all very impressive sounding on paper, underlining Alfa Romeo’s intent to come out punching hard from the outset. Alfa Romeo gave the 2018 Stelvios a sloping hatch on the tail end which results to a bulky backside.

Detailed Australian specifications are yet to be announced, but expect the top-flight Stelvio to adopt a similar specification level to the Giulia QV in Australia, which would mean leather-and-Alcantara seats, a Harman-Kardon stereo, a quad-tipped Monza exhaust and a navigation-equipped, 8.8-inch colour infotainment screen will be among the standard inclusions list.

All trims will feature a backup camera, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, leather seats, an F1-inspired flat bottom steering wheel, push button start, power liftgate and a 7-inch thin film transistor instrument cluster display.

The Quadrifoglio gets carbon-ceramic brakes supported by Alfa’s Integrated Brake System, which the brand claims reduces stopping distances by combining a stability control system with the car’s servo brake.