Alfa Romeo Promises It Will Launch Five New Models Until 2026

At long last, it finally seems Alfa Romeo is getting the attention it deserves. CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has a busy schedule up ahead for the troubled Italian marque, with plans for a new model launch each year until 2026. The reveal was made in an interview with Automotive News Europe and then later confirmed by a spokesperson for parent company Stellantis, so this juicy piece of news is as official as it gets.

 Leading the way will be the Tonale, a compact crossover originally previewed by a concept in March 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show. It was supposed to enter production by the end of this year, but had to be pushed back by a few months as Imparato was not satisfied with the performance delivered by the plug-in hybrid system. Alfa Romeo's head honcho wants the electrified Tonale to be sportier than the Peugeot 3008 PHEV, so the engineers are working hard to make the boss happy.

The top brass at Alfa says a world premiere of the Tonale is now scheduled to take place in March 2022 and sales will commence at home in Italy the following June. The identity of the remaining four new models has not been disclosed, but one of them is rumored to be a subcompact crossover tentatively called Brennero, twinned with the Fiat 500X and Jeep Renegade replacements.

We are hoping Alfa has something other than SUVs on its mind, and ideally, one of the canceled GTV or 8C models is back on the drawing board. A more affordable coupe to fill in the void left after the 4C's demise would also be appreciated by enthusiasts. I for one would be delighted to see a new wagon, but it's just wishful thinking at this point.

Imparato went on to mention every single new model the company will launch from 2027 will be an EV. Lancia has a similar plan in regards to electrification, with plans to make only zero-emissions models from 2026. Earlier this week, the rebirth of the Delta was confirmed for the impending electric era.