TEST Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio versus Jaguar F-Pace SVR
66 SEPTEMBER 2019 leisurewheels.co.za
VITAL STATS
Jaguar Alfa Romeo
0–60km/h: 2.4 secs 2.5 secs0–100km/h: 4.8 secs 4.4 secs
60–120km/h (Drive): 4 secs 3.5 secsQuarter mile: 12.9 secs (@179.5km/h) 12.7 secs (@ 182km/h)
Braking (60–0km/h) 1.6 secs (11.9m) 2.5 secs (12.8m)
Braking (120–0km/h) 3 secs (48.2m) 4 secs (50.1m)Top speed (claimed) 283km/h 285km/h
This page,
clockwise
from top:
Thanks to
those Giulia
underpinnings
the Stelvio
comes alive
when the
roads get
twisty.
Alloys feature
a now iconic
Alfa Romeo
design.
Quadrofoglio
means
business.
Opposite
page,
clockwise
from top
left: Optional
22-inch rims
are wrapped
in Goodyear
rubber. A
rear-wheel-
drive bias
means the
F-Pace SVR
will reward
enthusiastic
drivers.
The Special
Vehicle Racing
department
has worked its
magic on this
F-Pace and it
shows.
response, the chassis, limited
slip differential, the active rear-
axle torque vectoring system, the
engine, the gearbox, the magnificent
paddle shifters behind the steering
wheel... this is a driver’s car among
driver’s cars. And it just happens to
be an SUV.
Our comparative tests confirm its
performance potential, too. The
Stelvio Q completed the 0–100km/h
sprint in 4.4 seconds, and the
60–120km/h dash in 3.5 seconds,
beating the Jaguar in both instances.
However, the Jaguar’s huge disc
brakes did do a better job in the
emergency stops, beating the Italian
SUV by some way: the Alfa required
four seconds (50.1 metres) to come to
stop from 120km/h, while the Jaguar
completed the same test in three
seconds (48.2 metres).
Although we did not measure lap
times (being mindful of expensive,
privately owned tyres and an abrasive
track surface), there is no doubt in
our minds the Alfa will run rings
around the Jaguar on a circuit. Back
in 2017, a prototype production
version of the Stelvio set a new lap
record at the famous Nürburgring
(also known as the Green Hell), at
the time beating cars such as BMW’s
M4, Lamborghini Gallardo and the
Ford GT.
That record has since been broken
by the Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S
4Matic but it stands to prove the
performance potential of this
spectacular Alfa Romeo.
It’s a pure driver’s car, is the Q.
A precision tool.
The interior? Yes, it’s got one.
There are seats and quite a bit of
space, a handy boot and some luxury
amenities, too. But (inferior) interior
details hardly seem to matter the first
time you hear that engine spin to
7 000r/min.
More good news is that overall
build quality of the Stelvio is far
superior to Alfas of yesteryear.SUMMARY
It’s been a long time since two SUVs
elicited as much passion as these two
vehicles did among those who drove
or, who were passengers in them.
The Jaguar is the Hulk in this
comparison. Loud, obnoxious and
super powerful, it doesn’t just go
through a corner... first, it grabs the
corner by the scruff of the neck, roars
at it, bends it into a shape it likes, roarsbecause it’s a Jaguar.
Truth be told, at R1 530 000 it
represents pretty good value for
money considering the massive
performance potential, presence
and luxury. It should also represent
a relatively good investment.
If the Jaguar is Hulk, the Alfaagain and then thunders through it.
Yet it is also a Jaguar and there
seem to be a lot of people who admire
the leaping cat brand. In fact, quite a
number of bystanders apparently
couldn’t care less about 405kW or an
active exhaust system; they were
simply besotted with the Jaguar