Italian car-maker to continue to roll out SUVs but sedan's future will be safe as EV, says boss
Alfa Romeo has confirmed that it will not walk away from small sedans despite its big push into SUVs, with the Italian car-maker’s boss confirming a Giulia-replacement is in the works. “We are not abandoning the Giulia”, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato told Automotive News.
“There will be a future Giulia, and it will be an electric-only model.”
It was feared that Alfa had grand plans to drop slow-selling sedans and, with the exception of the upcoming GTV and, possibly, Spider, become an exclusively SUV brand. Indeed, during the interview Imparato confirmed that an entry-level crossover, dubbed Brennero, was coming in 2024 that would be followed in 2026 with a BMW X5-sized SUV rival that will be positioned above the current Stelvio.
The fact that the Giulia will be battery-powered should come as no surprise, Alfa Romeo has already declared its aspiration to become a full EV brand by 2027. Before the all-new Giulia touches down, it’s thought Alfa Romeo will introduce one final facelift of the current sedan in 2023 which could herald the long-awaited overhaul of its outdated infotainment system and the introduction of more electrified engines. Despite confirming a replacement Giulia is coming, one car that has been scrapped has been the Giulietta hatch. Plans for the BMW 1 Series rival have been put on ice as it’s thought the Tonale SUV will indirectly fill the gap left by the old car. Once on sale Stellantis hopes the Tonale will become Alfa Romeo’s best-selling model helping the car-maker raise its total global volumes to more than 100,000. That’s a significant improvement on last year when just 52,000 Alfas found homes worldwide.
Keyword: Alfa Romeo Giulia to live on as EV