Alfa Romeo Giulietta replacement could be Giulia-based
Alfa Romeo is looking to broaden its range with a new large SUV and replacements for both the Giulietta hatch and 4C sports car.
Khodrocar - Roberto Fedeli, Alfa Romeo’s chief technology officer, has told AutoExpress the company is looking to go further upmarket with a new crossover based on the Stelvio.
Featuring an extended wheelbase, a new body, and, likely, seven seats, the larger SUV will weigh around 200 kilograms more than the five-seat-only Stelvio.
Fedeli noted that "to complete the Alfa range of products we need another couple of pillars – something in the C-segment and then obviously a sporty product, a very sporty product”.
According to the English magazine, deliberations are on-going, but the Giulietta replacement could be based on a shortened version of the Giulia’s rear- and all-wheel drive platform.
If that pans out, the Giulietta’s successor could occupy a unique space in the market with the BMW 1 Series transitioning to a front- and all-wheel drive platform from the next generation.
Fedeli cautions, though, that the Giulietta plays in "a very local market and not a global one”, with Europe being the only major market where small premium hatchbacks generate significant sales. As such, "it’s very difficult to make a profit”.
The company is also working on an update for the 4C, which is due in 2019. Late last year, Fedeli confirmed the revised 4C would not be available with a manual transmission due to an anticipated low take-up rate.
More encouragingly, Fedeli stated "being in the market with that kind of car is not a choice, we have to do it”. Once the updated model is out the gate, the company will "have to decide if we want to install [a] different engine, or switch the architecture”.
Source: Car Advice
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