Once upon a time, Rome was the center of the known world. But after the fall of the Western Roman Empire at the hand of barbarian leader Odoacer, the cities of Ravenna and Milan gained prominence over the settlement founded by Romulus – the mythical first king of Rome – in 753 BC.
In time, however, Mediolanum one-upped Ravena. The economic capital of Italy also lent its name to the somewhat underrated Alfa Romeo 75, sold in the United States market as the Milano. Just under 400,000 examples of the breed were produced between 1985 and 1992, with the 75 being one of the final true Alfas according to the Alfisti.
Stellantis, namely the automotive colossus formed by Fiat Chrysler and Groupe PSA, has revived this nameplate for a very different Milano from the original. Rather than a D-segment sedan with rear-wheel drive, the all-new Milano is a B-segment crossover with either front- or all-wheel drive.
Previously speculated to be dubbed Brennero, the 2024 Alfa Romeo Milano is described as the Turinese marque's first "sport urban vehicle." Reading between the lines, you won't be able to off-road in this fellow. Leaked in all its glory back in September 2023, the newcomer is based on the STLA Small vehicle architecture.
Teased in front of Milan Cathedral, the Milano is joined at the hip to the Fiat 600 and Jeep Avenger. Both are small crossovers with three-cylinder turbo and full-electric powertrains. In addition to FWD and AWD electric powertrains, Alfa Romeo is believed to offer the posh crossover with a three-cylinder turbo in the first years of production.
Photo: via CocheSpias
Big kahuna Jean-Philippe Imparato made it clear that Alfa Romeo will become a BEV-only automaker by 2027. Come 2025, the Italian marque will debut its first exclusively electric vehicle in the form of the next-generation Giulia. The go-faster version is expected to pack in the ballpark of 1,000 ponies, which is almost double the peak output of the Ferrari-based V6 powering the Giulia Quadrifoglio.
Speaking of which, the front-drive Milano is expected to mirror the peak output of the 600e and Avenger EV. More to the point, look forward to 156 ps and 260 Nm (154 horsepower and 192 pound-feet). The numbers for the dual-motor setup aren't known at press time, but we do know the Avenger EV will be offered with two drive units as well.
Under the skin, look forward to a 54-kWh battery with a net capacity of 51 kWh. Estimated range? Under the WLTP, it's highly probable for the 2024 Alfa Romeo Milano to top 400 kilometers (249 miles). Regarding the 1.0-liter turbo, don't get your hopes up for anything other than 100 ps and 205 Nm (99 horsepower and 151 pound-feet) on full song.
Similar to the 600 and Avenger, the Milano isn't meant for the US market. The 600 and Avenger are manufactured by Stellantis Poland at the Tychy plant, which should be the stomping ground of the Milano as well. Better known as the 75 in Europe and the United Kingdom, the original Milano was assembled in the Milanese suburb of Arese.
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
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