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Alfa Romeo working on seven-seat, mild-hybrid SUV

Alfa Romeo will kick off its next product offensive with an SUV larger than the Stelvio (pictured) being prepared for launch about two years from now. The people-hauler, built on the Stelvio's Giorgio platform (the same as the Giulia sedan), will be the first brand offering with an electrified drivetrain, and the largest vehicle Alfa Romeo has ever built. A report last year said the coming SUV would probably slot into the BMW X5 and Mercedes-Benz GLE segment, however, the XL Stelvio has been benchmarked against the Audi Q7 and Volvo XC90, and a seven-seater model is likely. Alfa Romeo Chief Technical Officer Roberto Fedeli opened up to Auto Express, saying that a larger, heavier SUV could embody brand DNA with the help of "a 48-volt mild hybrid solution." The near-instant get-up of an e-turbo would counteract weight gain expected to be around 440 pounds. Fedeli revealed Alfa Romeo's testing a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder with an e-turbo on a simulator, and said they "can achieve around 350 to 400 bhp." Right now, the standard Stelvio produces 280 horsepower from its turbocharged 2.0-liter. A larger model that opened proceedings at 350 hp would create enough separation between the Stelvio and a rival like the 333-horsepower Audi Q7 with the 3.0-liter six-cylinder. Were there a Quadrifoglio version, we'd imagine it would want to outdo the 505-hp coming from the four-leaf Stelvio. After the SUV launches, the next-generation Euro-market Giulietta bows. After that, perhaps a new 4C? This summer, Autoline Network reported that the 4C would die in 2020 due to lagging sales. Yet, according to Auto Express, Alfa Romeo execs are still deciding "whether to completely reinvent the Alfa 4C for its next generation with a new chassis architecture and engine." We know that a heavily tweaked 4C appears next year as a 2019 model, the revisions aimed at getting the coupe closer to what it should have been from the beginning, and Fedeli wants a halo car to pitch alongside Alfa Romeo's Sauber F1 sponsorship. A brand new 4C would be a lot to ask, although it appears the door isn't totally closed. Related Video:

Alfa Romeo to unveil Tonale at the Geneva Motor Show

Alfa Romeo is bringing a new model to the Geneva Motor Show, and it's likely to be called the Tonale. This is as much as we know so far. The Tonale, the name of which is currently being propped onto the stage in Geneva, is expected to be a small SUV. But the vehicle's basis is being hotly debated right before it's scheduled to be revealed. The compact SUV was also spied on the show floor right now, and the photo leak ran on the "Masera" Facebook page. First seen with its daytime running lights glowing under the wraps, then completely uncovered, the Tonale seems to have a sharp, yet curvy design, with aggressive front detailing. Based on earlier information, we're also expecting the Tonale to be available as a plug-in hybrid. Earlier information called the compact SUV to be based on FCA's Small Wide platform, with Automotive News saying it's likely to be sharing technology with the Jeep Compass, which is expected to be built in Italy in the near future. Later on, a Greek site called AutoBlog.gr (no relation) theorized that the new SUV would be built on the Giorgio platform instead, which would make it more of a true Alfa Romeo and a scaled-down Stelvio instead. As Carscoops says, the Tonale name comes from a mountain pass not quite as tall as the Stelvio Pass. The size and dimensions of the spied Tonale could make it likely to ride on Small Wide, or the long-wheelbase version of the platform, as the Small Wide platform (in several variants) underpins both the Renegade, Compass, and both the Fiat 500X and 500L, just with different lengths. The overhangs, especially the front, are longer than on Jeeps, but for it to run on a cut-down Giorgio might be a stretch. Related Video:

Jeep and Alfa Romeo join the already exotic Italian police force

Police departments in Italy are blessed with some of the most iconic cop cars on the planet. Where else will you see a pale blue Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 emblazoned with "Polizia" on the road? FCA decided they couldn't let Lamborghini steal the show and have handed over the first Jeep Renegade and Alfa Romeo Giulietta to the Police Academy in Rome. FCA is also loaning two Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloces that will join the two Giulia Quadrifoglios medical cars that are already in service. The Renegade is an four-wheel drive Italian-spec model with a 2.0-liter, 120 horsepower inline four-cylinder engine that we don't get in the United States. The current Giulietta is a small-hatchback that isn't sold in America. On the other hand, the new Giulia and its 280 horsepower turbocharged inline-four and the Q4 all-wheel drive system goes on sale next month. In polizia guise, it's one of the most formidable and beautiful pursuit vehicles on the road. FCA is no stranger to police cars and supplies Dodge Charger Pursuits to fleets all across the US. We spent some time in one a while back and learned all the pros and cons of driving a black and white cruiser. Related Video: Featured Gallery FCA Italian Polizia Cars View 10 Photos News Source: FCA Alfa Romeo Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Police/Emergency Performance Sedan police car alfa romeo giulia jeep renegade