New large Alfa-Romeo will be electric saloon

Alfa Romeo’s new large car, due for launch in 2027, will be an electric saloon rather than an SUV, CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has confirmed. In an interview, he said: “Knowing the DNA of Alfa Romeo is saloons and sportiness, the answer will probably not be an SUV. I want to reinvent sportiness for the 21st century, providing a high level of range and a high level of performance while also protecting the customer in terms of roominess but without destroying the aerodynamics, which is a key driver of our future development.

“At some point in time, we will have to evolve the concept of what an SUV is. But for me, aero means a saloon, which ties into Alfa Romeo’s DNA. If I want to be consistent in going premium and going global, then I have to be present in the premium E-segment.” The new BMW 5 Series rival will be a global model sold in all major markets. This is the latest announcement in Alfa Romeo’s planned portfolio of one new model every year for the next five years. A supercar is due to be shown in 2023, while a small electric SUV will arrive in 2024. Imparato confirmed that Alfa Romeo made the same profit in the first half of this year as it did for the whole of last year, meaning its future investment should be assured. “I want to be the global premium brand of Stellantis,” says Imparato. “If I want to be this level, I must be competitive on profit per unit against the market and around my colleagues. That is how I become credible and get the investment to feed my product line to 2030 and beyond.”