Alfa Romeo, the Giulia and Stelvio delays. What's happening to the Biscione?

"In a reasonable future, Alfa Romeo could sell 80,000-100,000 cars a year, and from 2027, only electric cars." These were the words of Jean-Philippe Imparato, then CEO of the Alfa Romeo brand, in March 2022. In reality, sales in 2024 stalled at 62,000 cars, down 20% from 2023. Fully electric vehicles have been shelved, and key models like the Giulia and especially the Stelvio are significantly behind schedule. Although 2025 is expected to be slightly better, with a 38% increase from 12,179 to 16,838 cars, sales volumes remain below expectations and are not sending positive signals to the production plants, with production of the Dodge Hornet (the Tonale's twin) suspended from 2026 in Pomigliano d'Arco due to tariffs.

When will the new Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia arrive? As recently confirmed by company executives, the previously announced product plan has undergone a major update that will lead to a multi-energy range comprising internal combustion, hybrid, and fully electric models. This rescheduling confirms rumors of the new Stelvio's possible arrival no earlier than mid-2027. Production of the Giulia, which has also been the subject of rumors of a possible cancellation, has been confirmed. Recent rumors suggest a restyling of the current versions (introduced almost 10 years ago) and a hypothetical new model arriving next year. What is certain is the need for a sustainable and realistic industrial plan, capable of offering a dealership a range that isn't almost exclusively based on the Tonale and Junior's volumes, models that are certainly well-positioned but decidedly far from the spirit of Alfa Romeo. Because even allowing for all the extenuating circumstances (from world conflicts to price increases to the global geopolitical situation to the low sales of electric models), Alfa Romeo needs a clear change of direction.

As we await the quarterly results at the end of the month, where future plans will likely be revealed, the question arises: what are Alfa Romeo's goals and who are its direct competitors? Given that the challenge with the German premium brands is lost, the only viable "race" is one of profitability and targeting the customers who still believe in Alfa Romeo. With the Giulia and Stelvio, this was possible thanks to a driving pleasure that ranks among the competition, despite delays and shortcomings, while the Tonale and Junior, in reality (contrary to what the marketing department claims), distance themselves from Alfa Romeo's concept of sportiness.