Alfa Romeo is taking a big step in the automobile industry by launching their first ever SUV, the Stelvio at the Los Angeles motor show.

The flagship model aims to take down the Porsche Macan and is scheduled to be available in UK stores next year.

The name Stelvio is inspired by the famous mountain pass and falls in line with the other cars in the Alfa Romeo family. It is the next one following the Giulia saloon and the auto brand is aiming to bring at least eight different cars in the series by 2020. The Quadrifoglio form SUV is designed to take on some of the prominent players in the race including the Porsche Macan Turbo and the Mercedes AMG GLC 63. The height of the car is nearly the same as its competitors but it is wider in size and expected to more headroom for passengers.

A bunch of prominent design cues can be found in the Stelvio that are inspired by the Giulia. The car features the brand’s well known shield like grille, narrow LED headlights, carbon inserts, quad exhaust system with blistered wheel arches. On the whole, they are inspiring, stylish and offer an aggressive look to the car. The base model of the SUV will however be toned down a bit so that it syncs with other budget friendly models in the segment. The design changes will also allow the brand to attract buyers who are not a great fan of sporty looks but would prefer a practical, everyday SUV to commute.

Inside the car, you will find an infotainment system designed to offer easy access with a touch of style. Carbon fiber materials are used in abundance coupled with wood and fabric making it look posh. There is a large 8.8-inch screen to navigate through the infotainment system and it does have a control wheel in the center for those who prefer analog over digital controls.

An impressive set of performance numbers is what makes the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV worthy of your attention. Under the bonnet, the car is powered by a 2.9-liter twin turbo V6 engine that produces an impressive 503 horsepower. The powerful engine is linked to a ZF automatic eight speed transmission and is said to be the best in the class, as changing gears are done in just 150 milliseconds when racing mode is active. Carbon ceramic brakes ensure best safety as they are more than capable of bringing this large car to halt.

Another version of the Stelvio will use a 2.0-liter turbo V6 engine producing up to 276 horsepower. Speculations claim the company is planning to come up with two more diesel engine variants in the near future.