Alfa Romeo is currently in a critical position. For one, its sales represent just a tiny fraction of its German competition, and so, in order to boost its mainstream appeal and stay competitive, the Italian luxury brand had to release a series of crossovers--namely the sporty Stelvio and more recently, the Tonale, which is a model that could save Alfa from going extinct.
Even with the Stelvio, Alfa is still lagging behind the market, so while it focuses its efforts on the Tonale to take the brand mainstream, it also has awesome plans for the Giulia that will help elevate the Italian marque's status quo.
A 1,000-HP Electric Giulia Is On The Cards
While Alfa Romeo has confirmed plans for a full EV next year, don't get too excited as it'll be another crossover SUV based on the same Stellantis CMP platform as the Jeep Avenger. Instead, we will focus right now on the next-generation Giulia. While the current model is a great car to drive and look at, BMW still managed to sell more 3-Series units by the boatloads compared to the overall sales of its Italian counterpart in the United States. How bad is the situation? Well, 30,400 units of the 3-Series managed to find homes in America, while Alfa Romeo as an entire brand sold a miserable 12,845 units.
But perhaps that might change with the next-generation Giulia because along with a number of new, fully-electric cars and crossovers from 2025 to 2026. As a model that is set to be released first, among a series of next-gen all-electric Alfas, the upcoming Giulia will apparently be the poster child for Alfa's electrification plans. Speaking in an interview with Top Gear, Alfa CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato says that releasing an electric sedan first before an electric crossover makes more sense.
The CEO is ecstatic that the new Giulia will be better than ever. " "With an EV you speak first of range. A saloon is better for that. The Giulia is back. We have to design a Giulia we will love. A connection with the past without jeopardizing the future."
And oh boy does the next-generation Giulia sound great--at least on paper. Imparato adds: "It starts at 350bhp. The Veloce is 800bhp. The Quadrifoglio is 1,000bhp."
It will be underpinned by the upcoming Stellantis Group STLA Large platform, which benefits from 800-volt rapid charging and up to 500 miles of range. The EV architecture means that switching from internal combustion engine (ICE) ownership to EV should be second nature thanks to its long range and charging times that are as fast as filling up with dinosaur juice.
"I don't want you to suffer inconvenience from switching to EV. The question for me is not whether to switch to EV, it's to get the right handling and agility." - Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO, Alfa Romeo
The CEO also says that the Alfas will be distinct from the other cars that will also use this platform through their design and driving dynamics, but he also acknowledges that this can't be proven yet until we're able to drive it.
But There's More: A Two-Door Coupe Currently In Development
Alfa Romeo also acknowledged the existence of an upcoming coupe that's still in the development stages but has not yet been green-lit for production. The car has even been teased to customers and they've already collected deposits for all the build slots, but the final decision to produce the coupe will only be finalized this spring.
Imparato says: "We're working on something we can put alongside the 8C in our museum, to be proud of as part of the history of Alfa Romeo. If we decide no, I have to give the deposits back. If we decide yes, that means we allocate resources and commit to quality."
With all of these plans, do you think that Alfa Romeo has what it takes to remain relevant, especially in the EV age? Is a 1,000-horsepower Giulia the right next-generation EV to launch first before an electric crossover that will presumably sell in bigger numbers?