Electric Alfa Giulia confirmed
The Alfa saloon will return, but not as we know it
Not so long ago, the news of a non-Tesla all-electric compact executive saloon would have grabbed all the headlines. Such is the rate of progress now that it almost feels par for the course. BMW showed an i3 electric 3 Series for China just last week, an A4 e-tron feels as predictable as the next sunset and you can bet Mercedes won't be far behind its long-standing adversaries.
That Alfa Romeo has committed to an electric four-door is a little more newsworthy, however. With the demise of the Giorgio platform (the one underneath the Giulia and Stelvio) confirmed a little while back, and the Tonale tasked with doing the big sales volumes, the future for both saloon and SUV looked a little uncertain. Now there's a bit of clarity on the matter, albeit from an AutomotiveNews interview with CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato rather than a formal press release.
"We are not abandoning the Giulia. There will be a future Giulia and it will be an electric-only model", he said. Which is fairly unequivocal. Whatever the Germans have planned for the EV small saloon - and whatever Jaguar might be cooking up for its electric-only future - Alfa will have a competitor for. Which is good to know; the ICE Giulia was and remains a great car, but it was only ever going to have limited impact against the established opposition arriving as late as 2015. Now it seems the wait for an Italian alternative will be much shorter.
There's less good news for the Giulietta hatch, which won't be replaced - you probably don't need us or Jean-Philippe to tell you why. "For the compact segment we have the Tonale, which is a global product. The Giulietta was only a European model and we want Alfa to be global", he added. No real surprise. And, let's be honest, it's not a car that'll be missed hugely - a world without an Alfa Giulia would be a sadder place than one without a Giulietta.
For the moment, there aren't any firm details on what a Giulia EV might actually be, but it's well known that parent company Stellantis is investing heavily in battery-powered platforms. There's going to be one that fits just fine for a mid-size Alfa saloon. Imagine how good it might look, too, given the current Giulia and the freedom that doing away with a combustion engine affords designers.
Of course, there's one thing that doing away with a combustion engine also means, and that's the demise of the V6-engined Quadrifoglio. Which we knew was coming, but somehow feels sadder with actual confirmation. Apparently an electric flagship is being considered, though it'll struggle to match that 2015 car for sheer impact. Nobody ever expected an Alfa sports saloon to be good, only for the 510hp Giulia to romp to the top of its class - cool car. Given the news, now might just be the time to buy one...
Source: Automotive News, via Carscoops
EV's are a lot less complicated ( - insert Alfa reliability gag here - ).
As the EV market grows I think we'll see more genuinely good looking cars (Taycan is the only one that hits WANT!). Alfa Guilia EV with 450 Bhp and 600 lb/ft would be a decent fit, OK it will be 300Kg heavier than the out going model but it sounds like an interesting take on the Performance Exec.
Certainly, as a concept, nicer than the i4
In October 2019, FCA CEO Mike Manley, said during a results call that that the Giorgio platform was being updated to support electrification.
We have changed the suspension. We have updated all of the electrical architecture in that so that it can take the next-generation infotainment as well as very, very advanced high-tech features."
“Do not make confusion between rumour and information. We did not at Alfa Romeo state anything [regarding the canning of Giorgio] for the moment,” he said.
“It is clear that we need to prepare for a future that leverages the fantastic assets of the Stellantis Group, but always protecting the spirit of Alfa Romeo.
“As a consequence, we are working on the next steps our core techno strategy. We are doing this while specifying Alfa Romeo as a sporty brand that’s uniquely Italian, as has been the case since 1910.
“I will not answer questions about Giorgio, but we only said we would have a large platform [the EV-focused STLA architecture] at Stellantis.
“I can tell you, though, that whatever solution we come up with will enable us to put this kind of car [points at Giulia GTAm] on the road.”
I've had two, a MY19 and a MY21, both as daily drivers and covered about 8k in total. Had zero issues with either.
Wonderful cars, absolutely joyous to drive.
This must be one of the most abused ideas about the future appearance of cars. There is still a requirement / demand for a crash structure ahead of the passenger space, pedestrian crash regulations to meet, standards for light heights and a myriad of other bureaucratic rules to adhere to before we see something that doesn’t confirm to the norm. Plus how many of the public want to drive round in something radically different from what they know?
I’d be hugely tempted by something that looked like a coach built / concept car / spaceship / sphere / intergalactic banjo but I just don’t see the rules and the senior management letting it happen. Ever.
Remove the ICE from the Giulia and what are you left with? Just the Giulia name.
I recall Alfa used to use the slogan in their adverts not so long ago: " Without heart we would be mere machines".
Looks like an electric Giulia will just be a mere machine then.
I very much doubt I will sell the Alfa after I finish paying for it.
Alfa have managed to add a little "something" to a Giulia to make it preferable to several people over a 3 series or A4 (not even taking the snarling halo models into account). Why couldn't they do the same in the electric age, be it by design, handling, exclusivity or something completely different? Just because you plug it in instead of fill it up it doesn't mean that all EVs are destined to be the same.
.... plus I like the Kia EV6
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