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Alfa Romeo Tonale drops the non-hybrid 2.0-liter for the U.S.

Until last week, we were expecting the Alfa Romeo Tonale to be sold with two powertrains here. When the compact crossover greeted the world for the first time in February, Alfa Romeo told us our market could expect a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder as the base option, putting out 256 horsepower through a nine-speed automatic to all four wheels. The premium choice would be a plug-in hybrid powertrain that paired a 177-hp, 1.3-liter four-cylinder turning the front axle with a 121-hp electric motor working the rear axle for a combined 275 hp. The PHEV would also be capable of 30 miles of pure-electric motoring in the U.S. Alfa Romeo boss Jean-Philippe Imparato told Automotive News Europe during the media drive that the non-hybrid 2.0-liter is no longer an option for the U.S. because Alfa Romeo needs to go especially aggressive on reducing emissions here. In Europe, the Tonale can be ordered with both powertrains as well as a diesel. Here, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) recently proposed a new set of regulations that lay out tougher benchmarks for an automaker's CO2 emissions. If the regulations pass, 35% of an automaker's sales in the state will need to be zero-emissions vehicles (ZEV) by 2026 and 100% by 2035. California, by itself, is on the cusp of passing Germany as the world's fourth-largest economy, according to Bloomberg. Furthermore, 13 states and the District of Columbia adhere to CARB emissions rules, nine of those follow California's ZEV program, and three more states will join the ZEV regulations over the next three years. Alfa Romeo sold just over 18,000 cars here last year, and it needs plenty of Tonales to offset all those Stelvios. Across the Atlantic, the Euro 7 emissions giving carmakers public fits are slated to come into force on July 1, 2025. For these reasons as well as Alfa Romeo's commitment to going all-electric this decade, Imperato told ANE the PHEV is "an existential need" in the lineup. An Alfa Romeo spokesperson in the U.S. elaborated to Car and Driver, "As a premium brand, the PHEV better aligns with what our customers want in this segment as it provides an elevated experience, greater performance, and more than 30 miles of electric range." The subtext here is that the Tonale's corporate twin, the Dodge Hornet, will offer both powertrains when it goes on sale next year.

Alfa Romeo won't sully the GTA name by putting it on the Stelvio

Alfa Romeo began celebrating its 110th birthday by resurrecting the heritage-laced GTA nameplate on a track-happy evolution of the Giulia Quadrifoglio. Enthusiasts went wild when they heard the news, but the company warned it's not about to put the GTA name on every model it makes just to capitalize on its popularity. First launched in 1965, the GTA acronym has historically denoted a lighter version of an existing model developed with racing (or, at least, track use) in mind. The recently-unveiled Giulia GTA fits the bill; a Stelvio GTA wouldn't, according to the company. Executives thought long and hard about it and ultimately ruled it out. "GTA is an important name for Alfa Romeo. Frankly speaking, we had a meeting on a Stelvio GTA, but it's just not in line with customer expectations. It has to be the best possible [on the track]. On the Stelvio, we have a higher center of gravity [than on the Giulia], so it won't achieve the same goals," said Fabio Migliavacca, the company's product marketing boss, in a candid interview with British magazine Autocar. His comments suggest the 505-horsepower Quadrifoglio model is as hot as the Stelvio will get in the foreseeable future. There's no indication Alfa Romeo is planning to add a second sedan to its range — its next new model is widely believed to be a smaller crossover — so the GTA treatment will be limited to the Giulia (pictured). This could explain why demand for the car and its two-seater GTAm counterpart has been exceptionally high. The stripped-out, 540-horsepower sedans are limited to 500 numbered units combined worldwide. Alfa Romeo hasn't started taking orders yet, and it had the misfortune of unveiling the model mere days before the Italian government imposed an ongoing national coronavirus quarantine, but it has received more expressions of interest than it has build slots. Migliavacca revealed a majority of the enthusiasts the firm has heard from prefer the more hardcore GTAm over the slightly softer GTA. It's lighter, and consequently quicker around a track. "A lot of people are raising their hands and saying, 'I want to have one,' 'I want to have four,'" he said. "It's truly an amazing reaction considering the timing." Related Video:

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio is like a taller, more practical Giulia

With the Giulia on its way to dealers in the coming months, Alfa Romeo's third current model for the US market is close behind. The 2018 Stelvio will give the company an offering in the ever-popular crossover SUV segment, and should bring Alfa's signature style and driving dynamics to the party. On paper, the Stelvio seems capable of delivering on classic Alfa fun. For starters it shares engines with the Giulia sedan, starting with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder in the standard Stelvio and Stelvio Ti models making 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque. Alfa will offer a Quadrifoglio model as well, which has the same twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 as the Giulia Quadrifoglio that pumps out 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque. The company claims that the Stelvio Quadrifoglio will get to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds, just a tenth behind the Giulia. View 11 Photos Regardless of trim level, every Stelvio sends power through an 8-speed automatic transmission connected to Alfa's Q4 all-wheel-drive system. A mechanical limited-slip rear differential is available, and the Quadrifoglio adds a torque-vectoring rear differential. The drivetrain propels an aluminum-intensive chassis. The doors, fenders, front and rear frame assemblies, and various suspension components are all made of the lightweight metal, contributing to a near 50/50 weight distribution front and rear. Suspension is independent all the way around, and the Quadrifoglio gets a sportier, adaptive version. Styling-wise, the Stelvio also lives up to the Giulia. In fact, it looks more or less like a tall Giulia wagon. The front fascia is roughly the same, just with a taller center grille and slightly more swept back lower sides. The slope of the nose is much less raked, too. The character lines along the flanks and even the rear bumper are all very similar to the Giulia Quadrifoglio. The one part that isn't as successful, though, is the tail end. It appears Alfa tried to give the Stelvio a gently sloping hatch, but the result is a bulbous backside with lot of sheet metal. Inside, the Stelvio again echoes its sedan sibling, though in this case the top of the dash peaks above the center screen and slopes down to the right vent. In the Giulia, the top of the dash drops down immediately from the gauge cluster, and only rises again at the right vent. Speaking of gauges, the Stelvio features a 7-inch screen nestled between the tach and speedometer, the latter reading up to 200 mph in the Quadrifoglio.