Fiat Chrysler has withdrawn from its YouTube site a video that mistakenly showed a pre-production version of Alfa Romeo’s new SUV, the Stelvio.
The mini-documentary was all about the making of the Giulia sedan at the company’s factory in Cassino, Italy. But at about a minute into it the Stelvio appeared making its way along the production line.
The video was quickly removed, but not before many global motoring websites grabbed the image off the screen. It showed the SUV with a light disguise over doors and mud guards but with a visible front end.
The screen grab provides the clearest look yet at Alfa Romeo’s first SUV – earlier spy images, like the one pictured at right, featured prototypes wearing heavy body cladding.
Stelvio will use the same rear- and all-wheel drive Giorgio platform as the Giulia sedan. The two cars should be roughly the same length and width, although the Stelvio will obviously be taller and have a higher ride height.
It will also get the same suite of engines offered in the Giulia. Depending on the market, this will include a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine in both 150kW and 206kW trims, and a 2.2-litre turbo-diesel developing either 110kW or 135kW.
A high-performance variant – and one is expected to take on the Porsche Macan, along others – is likely to be powered by the same Ferrari-designed 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 as used in the Giulia Quadrifoglio.
In the Giulia it delivers 375kW/600Nm and sprints from 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 307km/h. Stelvio is expected to break cover at the Los Angeles motor show in November. Don’t expect it in New Zealand until late 2017 or early 2018.