This story contains a speculative rendering of a hypothetical Tonale Quadrifoglio made by X-Tomi Design and is neither related to nor endorsed by Alfa Romeo.
Alfa Romeo is back with an all-new model after a long period of dryness, and naturally, its fanbase all over the world is already speculating on a hot variant of the Tonale. X-Tomi Design didn’t waste any time and created a Tonale Quadrifoglio render showing the potential of the C-SUV in terms of styling. At the same time, Alfa Romeo officials speaking to various media confirmed that they are working on such a variant although the project has not been green-lit yet for production.
Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato told Top Gear: “We’re working on a Quadrifoglio version of the Tonale but won’t push the green button unless we can get the highest level of performance”. Imparato has already spoken about the future of the Quadrifoglio badge which will be going electric provided the engineers will be able to achieve “the right performance and handling”.
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In the same context, Daniel Tiago Guzzafame, Alfa Romeo’s global product manager, told Australian and Japanese media that fully electric and performance variants of the Tonale are possible, although the final decisions have yet to be taken. As reported by Drive, Guzzafame said that the technical capability for a Tonale EV is there, but they will need to see if there’s demand in the C-SUV segment before they introduce such a model.
As for the Tonale Quadrifoglio, he admitted they are looking at some alternatives, both with pure-ICE and electrified powertrains. The latter sounds more likely given that Alfa Romeo will become an electric-only brand by 2027. The product boss confirmed they will be rolling out Quadrifoglio variants of future models using it as “a brand within the brand, an umbrella to all of our model lines”. However, this will happen depending on the potential of each model, both in terms of performance credentials and market coherency.
Read Also: Alfa Romeo Considering Quadrifoglio Variants For Future Electric Models
The Tonale Quadrifoglio would likely become a rival of the hardcore Mercedes-AMG GLA 45 4Matic and Audi RS Q3 Sportback, rather than the milder BMW X2 M35i xDrive and Mercedes-AMG GLA 35 4Matic, since Imparato wants the full package. Currently, the most powerful Tonale is the plug-in hybrid with a combined output of 272 hp (202 kW / 275 PS). Thus, it is safe to assume that a Quadrifoglio should get something in the range of 350-400 hp combined with a more focused chassis setup. Also, we shouldn’t rule out the possibility of a fully electric Tonale Quadrifoglio, which would allow for greater power and better acceleration figures.
As for the render, X-Tomi Design did a great job in applying the Quadrifoglio design elements on the body of the Tonale. These include a redesigned front bumper with GTAm-style intakes, a new set of wheels hiding larger brakes, lowered suspension, fender flares, extra vents, side-sill extensions, a carbon-fiber roof, and a larger rear spoiler. Imparato has clarified there won’t be any GTA-branded SUVs, since this nameplate is reserved for low-slung models like performance sedans and sportscars.