Alfa-Romeo: Plus 57 percent sales in Europe

The Tonale is raising the entire Alfa program, as the facelifted Giulia and Stelvio also sold significantly better in the first half of the year. In Germany, the brand increased from 1,488 units in January to June 2023 to 3,116 units compared to 2022, achieving growth of over 109 percent. However, it is also a fact: there have been years when Lancia sold more units of the Y on the last market, Italy, than Alfa Romeo sold of all model series worldwide - reaching five-digit unit numbers. The colleagues at Auto Zeitung have the figures for February 2023: 3,384 new Alfa Romeos were registered in Europe. In February 2022, according to Auto Zeitung, there were just 1,485 units - one of the brand's weakest months ever!

In Turkey, Alfa sales literally exploded

What should not only please Alfisti: Alfa Romeo was able to maintain the momentum of the first quarter and further consolidate its growth. In Europe, Alfa Romeo grew by 57 percent in the months from January to June 2023 compared to the previous year. In a region with strong and consistent growth, the above-average results in Germany (+109 percent), Italy (+131%), and France (+123%) stood out. Only the Middle East and Africa region grew even more: Here, Alfa Romeo continued its solid and steady growth. An increase of 173 percent for the entire region confirms the strongly positive trend. A driver of this growth is Turkey. The country recorded the highest growth rate within the Alfa Romeo world in 2022 and achieved around ten times the sales figures in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous year. The countries Israel (+40%) and the United Arab Emirates (+37%) also contributed to the consolidation of the good results in the region.

Alfa's hope: China could still develop a taste for it

The Asian region is also "a strategic key area" for Alfa Romeo, according to a press release. The sales results in this region for the first half of the year are stable and at least at the previous year's level. However, China stands out: In May 2023 alone, Alfa Romeo increased registrations in the country by 94 percent compared to the same month last year. The Alfa Romeo Giulia is especially popular in China: 35 percent more buyers opted for the sports sedan in the first six months of the current year than in the same period in 2022. Additionally, with the opening of the first dealer in Hong Kong, Alfa Romeo is strengthening its presence in Asia.

In the USA, the figures did not explode to the same extent, but the quality seems to be right: According to the latest "Initial Quality Study" by market research company J.D. Power, Alfa Romeo is the number one among premium brands for American car buyers. In the survey, J.D. Power records how frequently problems with new cars occur in the first three months after purchase. In this assessment, Alfa Romeo improved by 24 places compared to 2022 - more than any other brand - and is now at the top of the premium brands. Across the entire automotive industry, Alfa Romeo ranked third here. Furthermore, the study awarded the Alfa Romeo Stelvio the first place in the segment of "compact" premium SUVs there.

Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo, was delighted:

“The results of the first half of the year are a confirmation of the good work of our entire team. We have achieved the goals we set for ourselves. The discipline with which we pursue our strategy is based on the desire to establish Alfa Romeo as a leader in quality within the premium sector. The awards our brand has received show that we are on the right track. We will ensure with passion and determination that the entire year 2023 will also end with results similar to the positive first half.”

What does this mean?

The Cuore Sportivo was only beating weakly in the early 2020s. But with the Tonale and the facelifts of Giulia and Stelvio, the heart of Alfa Romeo is beating stronger again. And after new models were announced for 2023 and 2024, fresh blood is finally flowing through the veins of the recently heavily affected brand. If Stellantis now keeps the momentum, the brand could make a comeback – a brand that is among the very strong and resilient.