Alfa Romeo Will Expand its Lineup with a Large SUV and a Giulia Coupe

Word is spreading that Sergio Marchionne will make one great final gesture before he retires. By great gesture I mean he will formally announce plans for a large SUV and the long-awaited Giulia Coupe. This announcement is said to take place later this year in June on the 14th anniversary of Marchionne’s inauguration as FCA boss man. In addition, Marchionne should shed light on the mild-hybrid powertrains that will motivate both new models.

Alfa Romeo’s Large SUV

There’s no word as to what the larger SUV may look like, but it probably won’t fall far from the Stelvio tree. After all, the Stelvio does feature a very attractive design and could look nice on a larger vehicle. The SUV is said to feature seating for seven, so it will have three rows and, and the interior will likely be an evolution of what we already see in the Stelvio and a bit larger, obviously.

More important than the exterior and interior is what will motivate the SUV. It will be the subject of Alfa’s new 48-Volt mild hybrid system. It will also make use of electric turbos to help improve efficiency as well. According to Autocar, the SUV will get the 2.9-liter V-6 from the Giulia Quadrifoglio, and when paired with that mild-hybrid setup, it should deliver some 641 horsepower – enough to bring the SUV within 20 horsepower of the Ferrari 488. There’s no word on battery size, any type of all-electric range, or any of that nonsense, however, we’ll surely hear more about that soon.

Alfa Romeo’s Giulia Coupe

red Alfa Romeo Giulia coupe — Alfa Romeo

We’ve been expecting the Giulia Coupe for a while so it should be no surprise that we have an exclusive rendering of this one. It’s based on the Quadrifoglio model, however, so it’s a little more aggressive than what you should expect from the standard model. Be that as it may, it’s quite the looker, though, isn’t it? As you can see it has the typical Giulia styling cues and the traditional Alfa grille, but it’s also a bit shorter which looks really good with that long hood.

According to Autocar’s report, it will feature the second mild-hybrid drivetrain that Alfa is working on – a variation of the 2.0-liter gasoline engine found in the Giulia Veloce. In that model, it’s good for 276 horsepower, but the 48-volt mild-hybrid system should pump things up to around 345 horsepower. And, with this increased performance the nature of the mild-hybrid system should help improve efficiency as well, allowing the engine to turn off and on as needed. We’re still a good month or so out from the official announcement, so a lot could change between now and then so stick tight for more details.

Final Thoughts

At this point, a Giulia Coupe is a bare necessity considering it's been demanded for so long. The Giulia is one fine machine, and it’s about time that Alfa expands its lineup. And, there’s no better way to do so than to cater to a segment that’s in decline for most automakers. When you’re Alfa Romeo, that kind of thing doesn’t matter because people want your cars, and that’s how the brand is going to play it. As far as the SUV goes, this will be a huge move toward Alfa getting a strong foothold here in the United States.

There’s no denying that SUVs are on the top of everybody’s list as far as desirable cars go so having another true SUV, and one that can seat seven, will allow Alfa to step deeper into the territory. It won’t start fighting mainstays like Chevy and Ford head-on quite yet, but it’s a step in the right direction. And, being a luxury brand, it probably never will. Its main competitors will be Audi and BMW. However, a little bit of customer poaching from more affordable brands isn’t off the table if Alfa plays its cards right. It will be interesting to see what the next few months hold for the big AR.