While it might not be appealing to all people, Stellantis accountants will love it.
Alfa Romeo needs new products after the discontinuation the Giulietta and MiTo. To make matters worse, the GTV revivals and the 8C revivals were axed. This means that the famed Italian brand now has only two models: the Giulia sedan, and the Stelvio SUV. The Stellantis brand will have a new entry in 2022 with the Tonale, which is a smaller crossover that was first shown two and a quarter years ago.
At the beginning of the month, a prototype in heavily camouflaged form was seen. Our friends at Motor.es were able to see what was hidden beneath the disguise. The compact crossover is quite striking, and although it doesn’t look like the Alfa Romeo sports car it deserves, the bean counters will say it’s just what the company needs.
The showcar was unveiled in March 2019 and it won’t change much from that. This is a good thing, as the original Tonale looked very promising. The production version of the car was expected to be available in the United States. However, it has been delayed to 2022 because of its plug-in hybrid engine, which Jean-Philippe, CEO Alfa Romeo, said was unsatisfactory.
The new Tonale will be placed below the Stelvio in the company’s very thin lineup. It is rumored that it will spawn a Dodge Hornet sibling next years, complete with a full PHEV setup. Stellantis has confirmed that a new Dodge-badged electrified model will be available next year. Reports suggest it will be a small crossover, twinned with an Alfa.
Although the Tonale is yet to be released in production form, there are rumors that Alfa Romeo may be working on a smaller crossover called Brennero. The Tonale is expected to be available in 2023 with electric and hybrid powertrains. However, nothing is confirmed.