The company has frozen its product plan until 2026 but is still finalizing its first model for 2027
by Brad Anderson
March 11, 2024 at 06:27
The boss of Alfa Romeo, Jean-Philippe Imparato, would love the company to launch an all-electric SUV similar to the Ferrari Purosangue for the U.S. and Chinese markets, but acknowledges that the outcome of European elections and the U.S. presidential election may force it to shift its priorities.
The Italian car manufacturer is planning an all-electric fastback SUV underpinned by its STLA Large platform for 2027. However, if Donald Trump were to win the U.S. election, it is possible he could delay or freeze plans across many states to ban the sales of new combustion-powered cars. He may also roll back Inflation Reduction Act incentives. If this happens, the company may instead launch a small electric hatchback in Europe.
“My gut would call for giving to Alfa an electric sports car similar to the (Ferrari) Purosangue, but we also have to watch how geopolitics and global markets could evolve, eventually choosing a more Europe-oriented small hatchback,” Imparato said.
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If a new European Union parliament is elected in June, it may reconsider current plans to enforce BEV-only sales by 2035.
Alfa Romeo has also frozen its product plan until 2026 and will make its decision on its new 2027 model by the end of this year. While speaking with Auto News at an event in Milan, Italy, Imparato said that a large SUV targeting the U.S. and Chinese markets would form an important part of its plan to increase its proportions of sales outside of Europe from 18% to 40%.
The company’s immediate priority is the new Milano, a sub-compact SUV. This new model will be offered in both battery-electric and combustion-powered guises and will share its underpinnings with the Peugeot e-2008 and Jeep Avenger. Development is also underway for replacements for the Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV.
