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Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio named Performance SUV of the Year

2019 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio
Photo: Alfa Romeo
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Derek Boshouwers
McLaren 720S takes car category in AVA Awards

Alfa Romeo’s Stelvio Quadrofoglio has been named Performance SUV of the Year by the Automotive Video Association (AVA). In the Performance Car of the Year category, top honours went to the McLaren 720S.

The winners were chosen from among five finalists in each category after all were put through a series of tests and then rated by a special panel.

The Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrofoglio narrowly edged out runner-up the Maserati Levante GTS in the Performance SUV category. In the Performance Car category, meanwhile, the AVA said that the rear-wheel drive McLaren 720S and its mid-mounted 4.0L twin-turbo V8 (710 hp, 568 lb-ft of torque) took it to a commanding victory over the Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye; the BMW M5 was also in contention in this category.

2018 McLaren 720S
2018 McLaren 720S
Photo: McLaren

What is the AVA?
The American organization represents more than 500 million unique views per year and gathers the hottest vehicles of the year and the most popular automotive video journalists under one roof.
Formed by video media outlets that span the U.S., the collective represents the auto industry's national media organizations that focus on video exclusively.

It has just held its second annual awards event at the Resort at the Mountain in Welches, Oregon.

Here’s the full list of contenders in each category:

Performance SUVs:
Dodge Durango SRT (475 hp) - here's our review
Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio (505 hp) - here's our photo gallery
Maserati Levante GTS (550 hp)
Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 (469 hp)
BMW X3 M40i (355 hp)

Performance Cars:
McLaren 720S (710 hp)
BMW M5 (600 hp)
Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye (797 hp) - here's our review
Ford Mustang Bullitt (480 hp) - Here's our review
Maserati Quattroforte (523 hp)

2019 Maserati Levante GTS
2019 Maserati Levante GTS
Photo: Maserati
2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye
2019 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat Redeye
Photo: Dodge

Here's video coverage of the AVA event!
 

Derek Boshouwers
Derek Boshouwers
Automotive expert
  • Over 5 years' experience as an automotive journalist
  • More than 50 test drives in the past year
  • Participation in over 30 new vehicle launches in the presence of the brand's technical specialists