If anyone out there is asking why are we going this far back and reminiscing something that is practically a history, well the reason is simple. Since the Alfa Romeo Stelvio has taken the spot as the company’s first production SUV, we thought it would be cool to look back on a concept that announced Alfa’s interest in this highly popular segment. The Kamal debuted in 2003 at Geneva Motor Show with these specs – V6 3.2 L engine with 250 hp, 221 lb-ft of torque, AWD with three differentials, six-speed sequential gearbox, and 124+ mph top speed.
Back then, 13 years ago, Alfa had a pretty impressive family that consisted of models such as 147, 156, GT, GTV, Spider and 166. The 2003 Alfa Romeo Kamal concept hinted that something new and completely different is coming to the company’s, already impressive range of models but sadly it never got past the concept form. Back than the Kamal was significantly smaller than today’s Stelvio and was envisioned as a proper SUV with AWD and torque vectoring capabilities paired up with three differentials that were supposed to give it the all needed off-road edge. But because it is Alfa it also had to have a sporty pedigree so the engineers made sure it has an independent suspension at both axles and a fast six-speed sequential gearbox with electronic clutch developed by Magneti Marelli.
Alfa Romeo Kamal Engine
The one thing it had, and is in common with Stelvio Quadrifoglio, is the quad exhaust tips peeking from the rear bumper, implying that there is something bad lurking under the hood. Originally Kamal hosted a 3.2-liter V6 engine taken from the 147 GTA which was able to produce 250 hp and 221 lb-ft of torque which got delivered to 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Pirelli Scorpion tires that were created especially for it. The company also claimed that it was able to top out at speeds over 124 mph, but that was just a free estimate they made.
What was sad, and somewhat strange, is that Alfa Romeo never released the images of its interior. There were just a few sketches but nothing concrete and palpable. They stated that Kamal had side-hinged rear doors activated by an internal mechanism and a rear window that opened independently of the tailgate for practicality. The original press release back then stated that the spacious 400-liter trunk gave Kamal “internal versatility of an MPV.”
There is also another reason why this forgotten concept is reemerging once again, and that is the fact that Alfa registered the “Kamal” moniker with the United States Patent and Trademark Office in April this year, which can only mean that one more high-riding Alfa Romeo might be in prep for future. The fact that supports this claim is that the company has two SUVs on its agenda by 2024 and who says that one of them isn’t the Kamal, especially now when SUV segment is booming lately.
