Alfa Romeo’s CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato said Wednesday that the brand is set to release one new vehicle per year until 2026 starting with the production version of the Tonale small crossover concept in 2022.
The Tonale, which was initially supposed to be launched at the end of this year, will be presented in March, the CEO told Reuters. The small SUV was reportedly pushed back as a result of Imaparato’s displeasure with the performance of the plug-in hybrid.
Getting the electrified vehicle right will be important since the Stellantis brand will follow its four-year push with an EV. Moreover, starting in 2027, all new Alfa Romeos will be electric, according to the CEO.
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Alfa Romeo has been road-testing the production Tonale over the past year
Imparato previously said that Alfa Romeo will have to improve its business model, which will mean adding two new crossovers to the lineup. That includes the Jeep Compass-related Tonale plus another smaller crossover that is rumored to join the lineup after that.
The brand also said it would focus on expanding its foothold on the American market. Whether either crossover will join the Stelvio to be sold in the U.S. remains to be seen, but the market’s expectations regarding big vehicles would suggest that the smaller crossover is unlikely to make it stateside. What it is planning for the market remains unclear at this juncture.
The brand will focus on driving pleasure, though, not on technology. Imparato was recently quoted saying that he does not want to sell “an iPad with a car around it.”
Alfa Romeo is also set to ditch the Giorgio platform that underpins both the Giulia and the Stelvio, the only cars the brand currently sells in the U.S. It will be replaced by the STLA-large architecture that it will share with Maserati.
