At some point, you almost have to feel bad for Alfa Romeo. Despite having some pretty cool cars, a blend of bad decisions and a tainted perception of reliability has put the brand in a position where it would almost make more sense to kill it than try to bring it back to profitability. Fortunately, the brand isn’t done just yet, and a heap of new models between now and 2026 could be exactly what the company needs to bounce back. Still, at the same time, one can’t help but wonder: Is this the beginning of the end for Alfa Romeo?

The Alfa Romeo Tonale Comes First

Alfa Romeo didn’t live up to its promise of delivering a new compact electric SUV in 2020, and don’t even get me started on what happened with the revival of the 8C and GTV – they both failed to launch just as quickly as Alfa Romeo crucified the 4C Spider in an effort to save its own skin. The company didn’t even live up to the original plan for the Tonale, which was delayed along with the announcement that prices would start climbing. However, things are starting to finally move forward and, according to Alfa’s CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato, the Tonale will launch in March of 2022.

After the official reveal, Alfa will begin sales of the new Tonale in Italy by the end of June 2022, with the rest of the world to (assumingly) follow shortly thereafter. The initial reason for the Tonale’s delay was that Imparato wasn’t satisfied by the performance delivered by the plug-in hybrid system, so apparently, a solution wasn’t that hard to implement. The goal is for the Tonale to be sportier than the Peugeot 3008 PHEV, but only time will tell if the company can actually pull that off.

Read our full review on the Alfa Romeo Tonale

But this is just one of the five models, so what’s coming next?

2022 and Beyond – A Big Mystery At Alfa Romeo

Following the Tonale will be four more models, none of which have been disclosed. One is rumored to be called the Brennero and will supposedly be a badge-engineered version of the next-gen Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade (so much for “new,” right?) This is the most likely scenario and the quickest way Alfa can bring a follow-up to the Tonale in quick secession. The other three models could be just about anything. We’d love to see the 8C and GTV projects come back to life, but for a company that’s still deeply in the red, working on a sports car – despite the need following the 4C’s demise and the appreciation from enthusiasts – just doesn’t exactly make sense. There is, perhaps, the potential for a wagon, but I wouldn’t hold my breath much. If it were to happen, it would likely be a rebadged Peugeot, Opel, or Vauxhall station wagon as they are pretty much the only companies with the Stellantis brand lineup that build wagons.

Beyond 2026 – When Alfa Goes Electric

Now, assuming everything works out and Alfa’s new models are good enough to keep the company alive, Imparato is adamant that every new model launch from 2027 will be an EV. If everything plays out right, but this time next decade, every car in Alfa Romeos lineup will either be dead or have gone through a complete and total transformation to electric drive. This all, of course, depends on the company’s success going forward and, if this huge new model push over the next five years doesn’t play out in Alfa’s favor, this could very well be the end of the road for a once iconic brand. But, if everything does work out, Alfa could end up being one of Europe’s leading luxury EV builders.