Alfa Romeo: Large electric SUV

In an interview with the Dutch "Autoweek," Alfa boss Jean-Philippe Imparato explained that he wants to bring an SUV "in the upper segment" to the market. However, he remained vague on the details: "Exactly how we do this is still a question, but in addition to a D-segment model, there will also be an E-segment car with very high performance." The D segment refers to the successors of Giulia and Stelvio, the basis for all models would be the new STLA Large platform, which starts at 4.7 meters in length. The large SUV might not necessarily be produced in Italy, as Imparato said:

"The question I asked myself was: 'Do we want to remain a European brand or do we want to enter the world's most profitable segment?' The answer was: 'We are targeting the most profitable segment.' With that, we are aiming for models like the X5, X6 and the 7 Series from BMW. This decision was made recently and will enable us to penetrate growth markets like China."

With this, he also named the main competitors. He also mentioned a time frame: 2027. By then, Alfa Romeo wants to offer only electric vehicles in the main markets of Europe, the USA, and China – starting in 2024 when the compact SUV Brennero is launched and Giulia and Stelvio are replaced. The current name circulating is "Castello," which would slightly deviate from the mountain passes that gave Stelvio, Tonale and Brennero their names. Instead, "Castello" could refer to the Castello Sfortzeso, a castle complex in Milan's old town. Alfa Romeo was once founded in Milan and still carries the city’s coat of arms in its logo.

What does this mean?

From Alfa Romeo's perspective, upward growth makes sense, as practiced by Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, because: The larger the car, the larger the margin. And of course, you are better positioned globally with a large SUV than with sedans, although they have the advantage of consuming less power as a result of electrification. This is why Nio, for example, starts in Germany with the ET7 and not with ES6 or ES8. The platform for Alfa would be available, but: First, Tonale, Brennero, and Co. need to bring numbers, otherwise the brand's comeback won't happen – even if a (less innovative) Castello would perfectly round out the product range at the top. Perhaps at least as the lightest and most dynamic SUV in its class?