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2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale previewed ahead of February unveiling

After a false start, Alfa Romeo is finally ready to introduce the production version of the Tonale concept it presented in 2019. It released a short video on its social media channels to preview the model, which will be positioned below the Stelvio as an entry-level crossover. The murky, 12-second flick highlights the Tonale's digital instrument cluster, which features a layout called "cannocchiale" ("telescope" in Italian) by the brand. It seemingly consists of a screen flanked by a pair of round dials, and it's loosely inspired by the layout found in some of Alfa's classic models. Later examples of the 115-series GTV used a pair of large analog gauges separated by warning lights and smaller gauges. Discover driver-centric design in the cockpit of the new #AlfaRomeoTonale, featuring the multi-functional “Cannocchiale” cluster. “La Metamorfosi” begins February 8th. https://t.co/7tknJCcFTR pic.twitter.com/dh7o9BUwBq — Alfa Romeo USA (@AlfaRomeoUSA) January 26, 2022 What's more interesting than the cluster is the image of the Tonale that appears on the middle screen. Shown above, it's our first official look at the Stelvio's baby brother. Surprisingly, the crossover shares more styling cues with the 2019 concept than with the prototype spotted at a design clinic later that year. The shape of the grille hasn't changed much, and there are three U-shaped LEDs integrated into each headlight. The rest of the design remains shrouded in darkness. Our crystal ball tells us that the production model will look a lot like a toned-down version of the concept; we're not expecting the proportions to significantly change. Unverified rumors claim that the Tonale will be closely related to the Jeep Compass beneath the sheetmetal, and it will be offered with several engines and at least one plug-in hybrid drivetrain. It's this system that sources say delayed the launch: Alfa Romeo's boss reportedly sent engineers back to the drawing board in April 2021. Alfa Romeo will unveil the Tonale online on February 8, 2022, at 9 a.m. ET, which is 6 a.m. in California. And, while the odds of seeing it on our shores were previously unknown, Alfa Romeo's American division all but confirmed in a tweet that the model will be sold here. Related video:

Alfa Romeo goes hatchback-free after axing the Giulietta

Alfa Romeo exited the hatchback segment by ending production of the Giulietta, a Volkswagen Golf-sized model introduced in 2010. It's planning on filling the void in its range with a city-friendly crossover in the coming years. Honored with a heritage-laced nameplate, the Giulietta made its debut in Milan as Alfa Romeo celebrated its 100th birthday. Executives considered selling it in the United States but decided to keep it on the other side of the pond, though its basic platform underpinned the short-lived Dodge Dart. In its home country, the hatchback was positioned as a premium model that reflected the firm's upmarket ambitions. It slotted beneath the Giulia. Stylists made several visual tweaks to the Giulietta during its 10-year life cycle, and they managed to keep it looking relatively fresh. It's a different story inside, where the 2020 model feels about as old as it is. Alfa Romeo's earlier hatchbacks — including the 147 — spawned high-performance variants that still raise eyebrows several decades after their launch, but the Giulietta never received the full go-fast treatment. Over the course of its production run, engine options ranged from a 104-horsepower 1.4-liter turbo four to a 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbocharged to 240 horsepower. Front-wheel-drive was the only configuration offered. Over 400,000 units of the Giulietta were manufactured in Italy between 2010 and 2020. The final example was made shortly before Christmas, according to French website Caradisiac. We don't know what it looks like or where it's off to. Alfa could choose to put it in its collection, or it might send it to an unsuspecting dealer. The news comes a couple of weeks after news that the slow-selling Alfa 4C Spider was among the cars that won't be coming back in 2021. Alfa Romeo Tonale View 9 Photos What's next? Rumors claimed Alfa Romeo would develop a rear-wheel-drive successor to the third-generation Giulietta built on a shortened version of the Giulia's platform. Had it been launched, this model would have undoubtedly become the enthusiast's choice in its segment, especially because the BMW 1 Series went front-wheel-drive. We don't know if the reports were accurate, but what's certain is that a new Alfa Romeo hatchback is not around the corner. Instead, the Giulietta's spot in the range will soon be occupied by the production version of the Tonale concept (pictured above) introduced during the 2019 edition of the Geneva auto show.

Future Classic: Alfa Romeo Milano

While the glory that was Alfa Romeo may be in the past on this side of the Atlantic, there still remains evidence of Italianate greatness on used car lots and in new car showrooms: stunning sports cars of graceful lines (if unreliable electronics), colorful sport utility vehicles of modest power and functionality, and a smattering of older sedans — or, “family saloons” — that, in 2023, might be called classic. Take, for example, the Alfa Milano. Why is the Alfa Romeo Milano a future classic? Launched on May 17, 1985, the car was born as the Alfa 75 in Italy, named to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the companyÂ’s founding in Milan. Unlike many Alfas of jaw-dropping beauty, the angular, pseudo-boxy Milano wedge, as it was called in America, was primarily about the engine. Sold between June 1986 and August 1989, the Milano was initially offered in three trim levels: Silver, Gold, and Platinum. Each level was equipped with more and more goodies, with the Platinum stocked with leather, a sunroof, ABS brakes, and a limited-slip differential. All of these models had a 2.5-liter, SOHC version of the Busso V6, producing 154 horsepower. It was nicknamed after its creator, Giuseppe Busso.  ItÂ’s worth noting that smaller engines were offered in Europe, and during the carÂ’s lifecycle there, they were replaced by a novel "Twin Spark" four-cylinder unit, which featured two spark plugs per cylinder, allowing for more efficiency and power. Initially, Milano was designed to compete with a new-ish class of European sports sedans like the Mercedes-Benz 190 and the BMW 3 Series. Under the Milano's skin was a modest rear-wheel-drive chassis with bits borrowed from AlfaÂ’s motorsports heritage: torsion bars and shock absorbers up front and a De Dion tube with shocks and coil springs in the rear (the De Dion "Dead Axle" setup was chosen as it reduced the unsprung weight in comparison to a live rear axle). In its day, the Milano was boarderline-quirky in an Italian way, battling an often deserved reputation for questionable reliability but undeniably handsome (in rosso Alfa, of course) and a joy to drive on challenging roads with its gutsy six and rear-wheel-drive platform. What is the best example of the Alfa Romeo Milano?