What else does an alluringly beautiful Alfa design need? That’s right, a hissing V6 with a lot of power. Whether the Alfa Romeo Tonale Quadrifoglio drawn in Photoshop will ever become a reality is another matter. Let’s dream together!
Alfa Romeo Tonale Quadrifoglio Verde, you can almost hear it in your mind’s ear as Italian Alfisti let the name roll off their tongues. And once again we have to acknowledge that Alfas – in addition to the sound of the model name – even as SUVs have that certain hip movement, like the Teutonic ones Cars are too popular. What the recently presented Stelvio brother with (partly electrified four-cylinder engines) is clearly missing is the emotional counterpart under the hood.
We are of course talking about the 2.9-liter V6 (F154) with 510 hp (375 kW ) and 600 Newton meters of torque, as used in the Giulia and Stelvio QV, for example. The joy of the unit increases further, it can turn beyond the 6500 and unfold its incomparable sound. Yes, this is exactly how the Alfa Romeo Tonale QV would have to face its potential competitors Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 S with 421, the Audi RS Q3 with 400, and the upcoming X1 M35i with 306 hp.
Alfa Romeo Tonale Quadrifoglio Engine
But away from Italian ease to German seriousness: how likely is the Alfa Romeo Tonale QV at all? The competition shows that high-powered compact SUVs do have their market. However, it also shows that in the vast majority of cases – excluding the five-cylinder Audi – it is not large-volume engines, but 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines that are the source of all driving pleasure. Probably mainly for reasons of efficiency, costs, and emissions. Alfa actually has such engines on the shelf, the 200 or 280 hp four-cylinder, as used in the Giulia, for example.
However, it is not one bit more powerful than the plug-in hybrid offered in the Tonale, consisting of a 1.3-liter four-cylinder and electric drive with a system output of 275 hp (202 kW). If the handle in the Stellantis construction kit remained, which, with the combination of 1.6-liter four-cylinder and electric motor, enables up to 360 hp (265 kW) of power – such as in the Peugeot 508 PSE. Whether the drive to the so-called SCCS platform from Jeep – on which the Tonale is based – fit? Not clear. “Mamma mia”, Alfa Romeo Tonale QV, but probably just a dream.
