Alfa Romeo updates Giulia and Stelvio ranges
BY ROBBIE WALLIS | 20th Aug 2018
ALFA Romeo has revealed a UK-market update for its Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV ranges with cleaner diesel engines, added specification and new variants, but it is currently unclear if these changes will make their way Down Under.
When asked by GoAuto if the refresh would carry over to Australian examples, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) Australia declined to comment.
In international models, the 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine will be upgraded to Euro 6D certification with the addition of AdBlue that helps reduce levels of nitrogen oxide in exhaust fumes.
Including AdBlue has resulted in a 10 horsepower (7kW) power increase for the oil-burner’s lower two tunes, which could translate to the Australian Giulia’s Super Diesel variant increasing outputs to 141kW/450Nm. The Stelvio’s 154kW/470Nm diesel is expected to retain its current figures.
No changes have been made to petrol variants, which consist of 2.0-litre turbocharged engine on both models and a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 in the performance-oriented Guilia Quadrifoglio.
The Italian car-maker has also announced some updates to specification, with all British variants gaining Apple CarPlay and Android Auto projected onto an 8.8-inch touchscreen, while the Giulia Quadrifoglio adds rear privacy glass, anodised black brake callipers and 40/20/40 split-fold rear seats.
Giulia Veloce versions gain new-design 18-inch alloys, rear privacy glass and a convenience pack that includes keyless entry, external door handle lights and driver’s side dashboard storage.
The top-spec Stelvio Quadrifoglio, which packs the same 375kW/600Nm twin-turbo bent-six as its Giulia counterpart, is still set for an Australian arrival in the fourth quarter to take on the likes of the Mercedes-AMG GLC63.
Pricing is yet to be confirmed for the Quadrifoglio SUV in Australia, however it can be expected to command a sizeable premium over the range which kicks off from $65,900 plus on-roads.
Based on the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s price, the equivalent Stelvio can be expected to command a pricetag of around $140,000-$150,000.
Through the first seven months of 2018, Alfa Romeo Australia has sold 368 examples of the Giulia, up 5.7 per cent on the same period last year and enough to make it the brand’s best-selling model this year.
Meanwhile the Stelvio has recorded 182 sales since arriving in Australia in March.
