WeeklySA_AdminSEDUCTIVE: Alfa Romeo’s first electric vehicle set to ignite fortunes for flagging Italian brand
By Ali Mphaki
Mention the name Alfa Romeo, and almost immediately, the mind conjures up images of seductive Italian design and timeless esthetics.
Underpinning the brand’s desirability are iconic models that have made a mark both on the road and in racing circuits, products such as the 1960s legendary Stradale, the agile Guila Sprint GTA, panty-dropper GTV6, the sexy Spider convertible easily coming to mind.
The list will not be complete without the mention of the affable Alfa Guiletta and the stylish fast-back Alfetta, models that were well-received by the market in the 70s and 80s.
Fast forward to the 90s and early 2000s, it’s no secret that the brand suffered some serious knocks, chiefly due to quality issues and dwindling sales.
The brand would somehow disappear from the radar, and despite a spirited comeback with new products like Guila, Stelvio, and Tonale, was able to sell only one unit in February 2024.
Whilst that may be so, the Alfa brand has never been a top-seller, moreso since it competes in the niche premium segment, where loyalty is high but sales are traditionally low.
But since you can not keep a good brand down, Alfa is once more flexing its muscles and recently unleashed it’s compact crossover with either electric or mild hybrid called Junior.
At launch, we only get the electric variant which comes in two trims, the Junior Electrica and the Junior Electrica Veloce.
The Junior Electrica comes standard with 18-inch wheels, fabric seats, a 10.25-inch instrument cluster, a 4-speaker sound system, rain sensing wipers, rear parking sensors,;various advanced driver assistance system features and a 7kW onboard charger.
The Veloce upgrades to 20-inch alloys and further features include fabric-and-vinyl upholstery, electrically adjustable front seats ( including a massage function for the driver), , a 6-speaker sound system, keyless entry, adaptive cruise control and a model specific design for the “V-shield’ grille.
The Junior Electrica features a single motor on the front axle, with peal outputs of 115kW and 260Nm.
Alfa tells us the motor draws its urge from a 54kWh ( gross capacity) battery pack, which allows a claimed range of 407km.
This derivative can sprint from zero to 100kph in a claimed 9.0 seconds and tops out at 152kph.
As for the Junior Electrica Veloce, this derivative sticks with a single motor configuration but generates far meatier maximum figures of 207kW andb335Nm, which allows for a 0-100 kph sprint in a claimed 5.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 200kph.
The result is that the WLTP range falls to 334km.
True that Alfa Romeo is a brand that stands out, the interior doesn’t disappoint either, featuring a driver- centric console and a sporty steering wheel.
Those who have already sampled the Junior tells us the ride is firm, even though the rear legroom is cramped.
Measuring 4 173mm from nose to tail and a wheelbase of 2 550mm, in terms of hierarchy within the Alfa family, it slots below the Tonale and Stelvio, with Alfa saying the Junior is meant for a younger and diverse customer.
As part of the Stellantis family, it should be comforting to know the Junior uses the same platforn as its relatives like the Peugeot e2000, the Opel Mokka, and Jeep Avenger.
With competition in the car industry at cut-throat level, it remains to be seen how the new Junior will shape up especially against cheaper but highly-specced Chinese brands ruling the roost.
Price may however be the newcomer ‘s Archilles heel, seeing that for the base Junior Electrica you will have to part with R799 900, and for the Junior Electrica Veloce R999 900.
The price include a 5-year/100 000km vehicle warranty, an 8-year/150 000 km battery-pack warranty and a 5-year/100 000 km service plan.
But one thing is certain, withthe Alfa Junior, the brand continues its element of exclusivity and once more makes a bold statement of sophistication and style.
Indeed, you can’t put a good brand down.
