There was a glimmer of hope for Alfa Romeo when the Turinese automaker unveiled the 952-series Giulia in 2015 for the 2016 model year. Alfa Romeo enthusiasts and motoring journalists got really excited in 2016, hoping that the Stelvio rear-biased crossover would help the Italian marque get closer to German rivals Audi, BMW, and Mercedes.
Come 2023 going on 2024, it's pretty obvious that Alfa Romeo is nowhere near the Germans in terms of sales volume. Rather than blaming the Giulia and Stelvio for these appalling results, one should point the finger the poor management and even poorer product planning. How poor? Well, how about the lack of touchscreen infotainment despite the Tonale having a touchscreen infotainment system?
Speaking of which, big kahuna Jean-Philippe Imparato famously demanded better performance from the plug-in hybrid powertrain of the Tonale, thus delaying the small crossover's launch. Joined at the hip to the Dodge Hornet, the Tonale will gain a smaller brother in the form of a B-segment crossover. To debut in 2024, the newcomer was previously believed to bear the Brennero nameplate.
It won't be called that, though. None other than Alfa Romeo issued a call to action in June 2023, with the Stellantis-owned automaker urging the Alfisti to come up with a moniker for the subcompact crossover. Internally referred to as Kid, but also known under the 966 codename, the yet-unnamed model is described by its maker as being a sport urban vehicle rather than a sport utility vehicle.
The urban part may lead certain people to believe that all-wheel drive isn't on the menu. However, leaked images of the vehicle's digital instrument cluster happen to reveal a two-motor configuration. A front-mounted electric motor should be on the menu as well, along with a 1.2-liter turbo connected to a manual. The Groupe PSA-supplied engine is further expected with mild-hybrid assistance and a dual-clutch transmission with six forward ratios, a combo that premiered on the Jeep Avenger e-Hybrid.
Photo: Alfa Romeo via CocheSpias
Having mentioned leaked images of the instrument cluster, guess what? The crossover's exterior design is also known. The folks at Halo oto have rendered the Stelvio's smaller brother based on said images, and the end result looks pretty close to the real thing.
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, but one thing is clear: the proportions of the vehicle are similar to those of the Jeep Avenger and technically similar Fiat 600, which are based on the CMP vehicle architecture (a.k.a. eCMP for electric applications). With Alfa Romeo intending to go electric by 2027, chances are the subcompact sport urban vehicle may come with electric muscle exclusively.
Looking at the bigger picture, a three-cylinder turbo wouldn't sit well with the Alfisti. The 1.2-liter engine in the Avenger isn't fit for a Jeep either, although it should be highlighted that Jeep is pivoting to electric vehicles as well. Think Recon and Wagoneer S, with both due in 2024 for model year 2025.
Given the existence of the Avenger EV and 600e, it's easy to imagine the all-new crossover getting a 54-kWh battery pack for a WLTP-rated driving range of up to 400 kilometers (249 miles) in the combined test cycle. The Jeep and Fiat both feature a front-mounted electric motor with 156 ps and 260 Nm on deck, meaning 154 horsepower and 192 lb-ft.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News