Alfa Romeo creating electrical flagship in US, launch set for 2027

Plans for an expanded Alfa Romeo lineup have been curtailed throughout the time of Fiat Chrysler Vehicles, however new mother or father Stellantis has totally different concepts.

Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has instructed retailers together with Autocar, Reuters and Top Gear it plans to unveil a brand new sports activities automotive in 2023, and launch a brand new electrical flagship in 2027.

The flagship is being developed within the USA, however gained’t be constructed wherever in North America.

“Our supply for a big measurement car should match worldwide markets, American, Chinese language, European,” Imparato instructed reporters throughout a media name, citing the car’s proposed position in strengthening Alfa Romeo’s place as Stellantis’ worldwide premium model.

“I extremely worth that we’re promoting vehicles in America and China and Asia,” he stated.

“If I wish to be constant, firstly we go premium and secondly we go all over the place on this planet, then I’ve to be current within the premium E-segment.”

Alfa Romeo has but to lock in the place this car will likely be constructed, what this car will appear to be, and even what physique type it’ll use.

It may very well be a crossover or a sedan, or one thing that blurs the traces between these two à la the upcoming Toyota Crown, but it surely’s reportedly unlikely to be a big SUV within the vein of a BMW X5 or X6.

He instructed Autoweek earlier this year this flagship could be a “E-segment automotive with very excessive efficiency”

“We wish to discover the right combination,” he stated. “It’s a choice we’ll take by the top of this yr”.

“I wish to reinvent sportiness for the twenty first century, offering a excessive degree of vary and a excessive degree of efficiency whereas additionally defending the client when it comes to roominess – however with out destroying the aerodynamics, which is a key driver of our future growth.

“Sooner or later in time, we should evolve the idea of what an SUV is in 2027. However for me, aero means a saloon [of sorts], which ties into Alfa’s DNA.”

Solutions of a physique type someplace between sedan and SUV echo remarks Imparato has made previously in regards to the next-generation Giulia, saying it might sit on the “tipping level between the sedan and the station wagon” and “have the perfect of each worlds”.

The subsequent Giulia may very well be bigger than the present automotive and is predicted to take a seat on the brand new STLA Massive structure, together with the next-generation Stelvio.

It’s seemingly the brand new flagship mannequin would additionally use the STLA Massive structure, which Stellantis says will supply 400V or 800V know-how and batteries measuring 101-118kWh.

Additionally set for use by a raft of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram fashions, the STLA Massive mechanicals will supply as much as 800km of vary, and have each single- and dual-motor electrical powertrains with motors producing between 150 and 330kW of energy.

STLA Massive vehicles will measure between roughly 4800mm and 5500mm lengthy.

In 2023, Alfa Romeo will unveil a sports activities automotive which might symbolize a swansong for combustion-powered sports cars on the Turin model – and, extra particularly, for the Ferrari-developed 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 that’s additionally utilized in Quadrifoglio variations of the Giulia and Stelvio.

Imparato had beforehand stated sports activities vehicles weren’t a precedence for the model, and that mainstream fashions would want to return first with the model first needing to prove it can be profitable.

However with Alfa Romeo confirming it was worthwhile in 2021, even earlier than the launch of the Tonale that’s anticipated to considerably enhance the model’s volumes, that point seems to have come early.

In 2024, Alfa Romeo will introduce a brand new SUV to fit in below the Tonale, although Imparato has confirmed it gained’t be referred to as Brennero as had beforehand been reported.

It might reportedly be joined by an electrical gentle hatch, conceptually much like Stellantis merchandise just like the Peugeot e-208 and Opel e-Corsa, although Imparato stated his precedence as CEO is to burnish Alfa Romeo’s premium credentials.

Imparato additionally stated final yr he was all for reviving the GTV, and has spoken of his “dream” to develop a modern-day 33 Stradale and Duetto.

With the demise of the Giulietta and 4C, Alfa Romeo now sells solely three fashions globally: the Giulia and Stelvio, in addition to the brand new Tonale due right here within the first half of 2023.

The corporate will introduce solely electrical automobiles after 2025, and can swap to an EV-only line-up by 2027.

Earlier than Fiat Chrysler Vehicles merged with Groupe PSA to turn into Stellantis, it had detailed plans to dramatically develop its lineup, just for these desires to be dashed.

Alfa Romeo had detailed a second-generation 8C supercar, a revived GTV coupe and a big SUV as lately as on its future product plan in 2018.

Plans for these fashions have been scrapped in 2019 as a part of cost-cutting for the model because the model recorded losses whereas not rising its gross sales sufficiently.

Alfa Romeo hasn’t provided a sedan bigger than the Giulia for the reason that 166, which left manufacturing in 2007. It introduced in 2014 it’d launch a BMW 5 Series rival in 2018, however this fell by the wayside.

When FCA and PSA merged to turn into Stellantis in 2021, the newly fashioned entity introduced the way it’d be positioning its sprawling vary of manufacturers.

Of its European marques, it listed Fiat and Citroen as Core manufacturers, Opel/Vauxhall and Peugeot as Higher Mainstream, and Alfa Romeo, DS and Lancia as Premium manufacturers.

It additionally dedicated to giving every of its manufacturers a time window of 10 years and funding for this era to develop, with even ailing Lancia – down to at least one mannequin in a single market – asserting it’s launching three new fashions.

On the high of the Stellantis pyramid is Maserati, which the automotive large is referring to as its Luxurious model.