Spurred by the popularity of the Stelvio SUV, Alfa Romeo is planning to build not one, but two new SUVs. One of these two models is a smaller SUV that will compete against the likes of the BMW X1, Audi Q3, Mercedes GLA-Class, Range Rover Evoque, and Volvo XC40. Among other things, the baby SUV will be launched with hybrid tech and Level 3 autonomous driving technology.

It wasn’t just going to be the Stelvio. Alfa Romeo always planned to have an SUV family. The Stelvio was the first of many offerings, and when it turned into a hit among fans and customers alike, it gave Alfa Romeo the equity it needed to push forward and develop more models to round out the family.

The baby Alfa SUV is the next step in building up that family.

For now, the focus is on the baby Alfa SUV, which the company expects will become the best-selling model in its 108-year history. Those expectations carry tremendous weight, but confidence is brewing within the company that it can produce a model that can live up to expectations. Details are scant at the moment, but a report from Auto Express indicates that the new SUV will use a shrunken version of the company’s scalable Giorgio platform. It’s the same architecture that underpins the Stelvio and the Giulia sedan, so it makes sense that Alfa goes this route. Using the platform means that the SUV will be offered in rear-wheel drive, though a four-wheel-drive option is also expected.

The latter opens up a world of possibilities for the model, ushering Alfa Romeo into the future of the auto industry. There’s no better model to ride into that future than a crossover, right? As for the electrified powertrains, that’s likely the company’s answer — and replacement — to the diesel engines that it has stopped offering to customers.

Regardless of how development goes — it doesn’t even have a name yet — it’s importance to Alfa Romeo can’t be understated. Given the expectations, the baby SUV will be the model that pushes the Italian automaker to achieve its goal of posting 400,000 annual sales by 2022. Whether it’s successful in doing that remains to be seen, but make no mistake, the new Alfa crossover has a lot to live up to.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio.

Read our full review on the 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio.

Read more Alfa Romeo news.