Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia face-lifts are here sporting a stunning new green shade
Both these new variants have the looks, the performance, and now the features as well. Can this make them become a formidable player against its rivals?
Alfa Romeo has updated the Stelvio and Giulia are things have changed for the better. Both these cars were quite splendid to begin with, and now that they have received a minor facelift, the Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio have won my heart.
For those who are wondering what Quadrifoglio is, let me quickly explain, Quadrifoglio is the performance division of Alfa Romeo and their work helps Alfa Romeo compete with vehicles belonging to the Mercedes AMG, BMW M series and Audi’s RS division. The Quadrifoglio vehicles are sensational yet sensible, and that is what makes them so very good. Amongst the models offered by Alfa Romeo, often people would talk about the 4C and I understand that, however, the spotlight ought to placed on these 2 pocket rockets.
Things have changed for the Alfa Romeo duo, particularly on the inside, but I would like to start from the exteriors. Why start from the exteriors you ask, well, I have always felt that the Alfa Romeo line of cars look simply wonderful, and the Stelvio and Giulia continue to live up to that standard set up by Alfa.
On seeing the refreshed Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglios for the first time, I immediately fell for the new Montreal Green exterior paint which looks absolutely gorgeous. The paint has not only been used by Alfa Romeo to make people like me stare at their cars, but this is the Italian brand’s way of honouring the Alfa Romeo Montreal (The Alfa Romeo Montreal is a beautiful, underrated Italian hero | GRR).
The exteriors of both these cars have seen a few changes, minor ones though. The LED taillights of both the cars look similar, and these rear lights have received a new dark black lens finish. Furthermore, Mopar will be ready to provide accessories such as a Carbon fibre front grille, mirror caps, a rear spoiler. In terms of looks, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio gets to one up the Giulia, as it gets an exclusive option to use a new set of 21 inch alloy wheels.
Both the cars will continue to utilise Alfa Romeo’s Solid and Classic range of colours, from which the classic range offers colour shades like, the 6C Villa d’Este Red, GT Junior Ocra and my personal favourite, Montreal Green. We have often seen Alfa Romeos in red, but with this range of classic colours, that might just change. This is all that is new in terms of the exteriors, now let us dive inside the interiors, the place which has received the most changes.
The inside of the 2020 Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio looks staggering, with an updated centre console and steering wheel. On entering inside, you would notice the black-red or black-silver dashboard options, which looks extremely sporty. The most considerable change is in the form of the new 8.8 inch infotainment system which is equipped with all the modern features that one would expect.
This media system displays connected car features and for the ones thrilled by performance figures, this infotainment unit also lays out details like temperature of mechanical components, torque delivery, turbo pressure, power used, top speed and a digital chronometer for acceleration. The infotainment system has been updated in such a way, that it makes the cabin of the car roomier, and more space is always welcome. Another welcome option comes in the form of choosing between a green or red seat belt.
While I have been so clearly swayed by the incredible exterior and interior of this high performance duo, it is important for me to talk about the performance aspect as well. Both these cars are powered by a Ferrari sourced 2.9 litre twin turbo V6 engine which generates a generous 505 ps, and this engine sends power to all 4 wheels thanks to Alfa’s Active Torque Vectoring System. Performance has not changed much from the 2019 version of 2 cars, however, an added feature is that of an optional Akrapovic Titanium Exhaust System with carbon fibre tailpipes which would create the sweetest of sounds.
Clearly the Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio are capable of high speeds and naturally with high performance vehicles like these, safety is equally important. The safety features have been updated to advanced safety features, and by doing so, this brings to the duo, Level 2 ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System), Active blind spot assist, active cruise control, traffic sign recognition, traffic jam and highway.
The Stelvio and Giunia Quadrifoglio has the features, the safety, the performance and the looks, all in all, it is the complete package and it is going to leave its rivals in the dust, without any doubt.
