Rumors suggest a probable mild-hybrid variant for select markets. Nevertheless, the hybrid alternative will vanish as Alfa Romeo transitions solely to electric vehicles from 2027 onwards.
Noteworthy is Autocar’s coverage primarily focused on the UK market. Whether this model reaches the US remains uncertain. The Drive reached out to Alfa Romeo for comments on this particular piece, but the automaker chose not to respond.
Implementing platform-sharing as a strategic maneuver to maximize Alfa Romeo’s potential, Stellantis has adopted this approach previously. It famously rebadged the Alfa Romeo Tonale as the Dodge Hornet, much to the dismay of Alfa’s top brass. However, this time around, it’s highly probable that the Alfa Romeo offering will receive distinct sheet metal, rather than merely affixing a circular badge onto the front of the existing Jeep model.
In terms of design, the model is expected to resonate with cues from the original Alfa Romeo Giulietta, as hinted by CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato. The aspiration is that this new release will aid in revitalizing Alfa Romeo’s sales, which have yet to rebound to pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, the company managed to sell slightly over 30,000 cars in Europe, a decline from the 54,365 vehicles sold in 2019. This marks a protracted downward trajectory for the automaker, which moved over 131,000 units back in 2011.
Reflecting on the brand’s future direction last year, former UK head Damien Dally expressed Alfa Romeo’s ambition to bolster sales figures. “We aim to transition from being perceived as an emotional brand to a rational one,” he remarked. The objective is to pivot Alfa Romeo’s image from that of a luxury sporting marque to a brand that caters to a wide audience. Although it’s regrettable to alter what renders Alfa distinctive, the brand’s exotic allure isn’t translating into sales success.
The challenges for Alfa Romeo in the modern era are no secret. Numerous attempts to reinvigorate the brand have yielded limited results, with the current sales figures being just a fraction of their former glory. Whether a modest crossover, sharing a platform, can rejuvenate the brand is something only time will reveal. Enthusiasts remain hopeful that the illustrious Italian marque will thrive once again, even if it necessitates mundane models to sustain the business for now.
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