1967 Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Alfa Romeo putting a slicker 'coda tronca' on its compact CUV

Our EV revolution Bingo card did not include spaces for the return of wagons (aero crossovers by a more suitable name) and the doubling down on retro design cues, but that's what we're getting and we like it. Alfa Romeo is clocking in on the retro side, design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos telling Autocar, "Our next-generation cars will bring back the Coda Tronca into a current design language — as a means to boost aerodynamic efficiency and range, of course, but also to give the cars a distinctive, classically Alfa Romeo design character." You might not know that "coda tronca" means "short tail" in Italian, but you know what it looks like. Effectively a Kammback or Kammtail, it's when a vehicle roof descends toward the rear of the vehicle, ending in a vertical flank that looks like someone cut the car short with a large knife. It's been on everything from the Shelby Daytona Coupe and Ferrari 250 GTO to the Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, and Audi A2 and A7. The short tail was also famously on the 1963 Alfa Romeo Turbolare Zagato, shortened to the TZ. This is the design Mesonaro-Romanos refers to, as well as the Sprint Zagato, or SZ, that preceded it. He said, "You will see it on several future models," the first reportedly the compact crossover due on the market next year. This will be Alfa Romeo's version of the recently introduced Jeep Avenger battery-electric crossover for Europe, once believed to be called the Brennero. The design boss crossed that name out, telling Autocar, "The model name is now decided. it will be Italian and it will be beautiful. But more than that, I cannot say for now." We might have better luck predicting specs. Checking the Avenger's details, we'd expect the Stellantis eCMP 2 platform crammed with battery modules under the seats that add up to 54 kWh. The Avenger's e-motor turns the front wheels with 154 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, an all-wheel-drive version is on the way. Range on the WLTP cycle is rated at an estimated 249 miles. As with the Jeep, the Alfa Romeo is expected to get a gas-powered version, maybe with the same 1.2-liter motor going into the Jeep. We're not sure how else the Alfa might distinguish itself from the Jeep, but the Kamm tail could make range for both powertrains a notable differentiator.  Related Video

Alfa Romeo Giulia, Stelvio to get special editions, one more refresh

Alfa Romeo has made its plans perfectly clear. It’s going EV, and that means that the Giulia and Stelvio as they exist today with powerful gasoline engines will eventually cease to exist. However, weÂ’re still a few years away from that electric future, so Alfa has a little time to play its current models out with style. We asked senior VP of Alfa Romeo Larry Dominique what we should expect from Giulia and Stelvio in between now and the switch to electric, and he was happy to give us a glimpse at whatÂ’s ahead. “So what weÂ’ve done is develop these buzz models,” Dominique tells us. “The first one is the Estrema, which weÂ’ve already announced and weÂ’re launching it with 2023 production in May. This fall, weÂ’re going to start talking about other things like a Lusso Edition and Competizione Edition and things like that.” WeÂ’ve already heard about the Estrema, but the Lusso Edition and Competizione Edition are both new. The Lusso, if Alfa remains consistent, will likely be a luxury-centered version of the Giulia and Stelvio. ItÂ’s the Competizione that has our attention. Similar to the Estrema, this model sounds like it would be directed toward enthusiasts and feature some performance upgrades. “So weÂ’re going to look at these different components, different parts, QV parts on a Veloce and things like that,” Dominique said. “Unique color combinations and unique colors.” Adding QV (Quadrifoglio) parts to non-Quadrifoglio models is a similarly enticing proposition. We can hope that it comes to pass, because this would result in some rather aggressive-looking Giulias and Stelvios that donÂ’t come with a Quadrifoglio price. Looking into the somewhat more distant future, Dominique says that the current generation Giulia and Stelvio will get one final refresh for the 2024 model year.  “In 2024 model year, weÂ’re going to have a final minor change for Stelvio and Giulia,” Dominique continued. “So youÂ’re going to see some changes visually inside and outside, associated with that. And weÂ’ll continue with the buzz model strategy, even though we have the 2024 change coming at the same time.” If youÂ’re a Giulia or Stelvio fan (as we tend to be), this final refresh car is bound to be a desirable one. Instead of dwindling away without any attention, Alfa is singing its gas-powered Giulia and Stelvio out with a little love before theyÂ’re officially put out to pasture in favor of electric models.

Alfa Romeo Stelvio caught testing under the cloak of darkness

With Americans still going crazy over compact SUVs and crossovers, the upcoming Alfa Romeo Stelvio is the Italian automaker's latest attempt at regaining its status as a household name in the US. Photographers managed to capture a prototype testing at night with very little camouflage to hide the SUV's overall design. These photos are the clearest ones we've seen of the upcoming SUV. The prototype's front end is extremely similar to the Giulia's with two oval-shaped outlets on the side of the fascia with a v-shaped grille in the center. The headlights, which are surrounded by black tape, also mimic the units found on the Giulia. The ruffles in the camouflage on the hood suggest that the Stelvio gets a pair of vents. The profile of the crossover is much more round than previous prototypes depicted with the overall shape mimicking the Jaguar F-Pace, but much smaller in size. The taillights, surprise, surprise, also resemble the same ones found on the Giulia. There's no way to know what type of engine is powering the Stelvio prototype, but the two tailpipes and skinny tires point toward something much more subdued than the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 that puts out 505 horsepower in the Giulia Quadrifoglio. We expect the production version of the crossover to get the same gasoline and diesel options as the Giulia, depending on where the vehicle is sold. The Stelvio – and this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone – looks like a larger, taller Giulia. While the prototype looks ghastly with its camouflage, we expect, and hope, that the SUV will look a lot better at its debut, which could take place at next month's Los Angeles Motor Show. Related Video: Featured Gallery Alfa Romeo Stelvio Spy Photos Image Credit: KGP Photography Design/Style Spy Photos Alfa Romeo Crossover SUV alfa romeo stelvio