By Staff Reporter

The Germans dominate the performance luxury sedan and SUV space but you can only ignore the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio at your own peril. To ensure that the dynamic remains top of mind, the pair has received minor interior and exterior updates.

Exterior

Both models now offer updated LED taillights featuring burnished lens along with a glossy black look for the exterior badges. The SUV Stelvio gets updated 21-inch wheels designed specifically for the Quadrifoglio model. Mopar has also designed an exclusive Quadrifoglio accessories line for MY2020, featuring a carbon fibre front grille with “V” insert, mirror caps and rear spoiler.

The colour palate has been improved with the introduction of retro-colours such as Rosso 6C Villa d’Este, Ocra GT Junior, and Montreal Green. These were already on offer in the regular Giulia and Stelvio.

Finally, an optional Akrapovič exhaust system made from titanium and combined with carbon fiber tips is being offered. This will invariably enhance the excitement associated with these two flamboyant Italians.

Interior

Whilst the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio could go toe-to-toe with the Germans under the skin and in looks, the interior lagged behind. Alfa has sought to correct this with these latest updates.

The interior has been redesigned to enhance the quality and offer more storage space. A new leather trimmed steering wheel and gear stick are standard and customers can now choose red or green seat belts over the classic black version. New perforated upholstery will also be available on the Quadrifoglio models, fitted with leather and Alcantara sports seats as standard and available with optional carbon shell Sparco seats.

The on-board technology has also been upgraded to include the all-new infotainment system with 8.8-inch central touchscreen display, featuring connected services and a new interface design. Exclusively available on the Quadrifoglio models, the system features specific screens for vehicle performance and level 2 autonomous driving.

Power

The power remains unchanged with the 2,9-litre V6 engine still delivering 375 kW and 600 Nm. Buyers however get level 2 autonomous driving which is the highest level of autonomous driving currently permitted where the driver gives the car control of the accelerator, brakes and steering under certain conditions. The main enabling technologies are lane keep assist, active blind spot assist, active cruise control, traffic sign recognition and intelligent speed control, traffic jam assist and highway assist, and driver attention assist.

Local availability of the updated Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia Quadrifoglio is yet to be announced.