Electric Alfa Romeo keeps saloon shape despite SUV popularity

The electric Alfa Romeo Giulia, due on sale by 2026, will retain its classic saloon silhouette despite the overwhelming popularity of SUVs.

The Giulia EV is one of two new D-segment cars Alfa Romeo will launch in 2025 and 2026, the other being an electric Stelvio replacement. A large E-segment model will follow in 2027, in the mould of the Porsche Cayenne, meaning SUVs will account for four out of the five cars in Alfa’s core line-up. 

But, speaking at preview event for the new Milano crossover, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato has emphasised the electric replacement for the Giulia will remain a traditional saloon “despite the fact this segment is suffering”.

Asked by Autocar if he believes it is important Alfa sells non-SUV models, he said: “I strongly believe that when you speak about electrification, you speak about aero, and when you speak about aero, you speak about ‘Berlina’, or sedan.”

He added: “This type of silhouette will come back. I don’t want to become an SUV brand, even if the world is switching to SUVs.”

Imparato went on to hint again at plans to revive two of Alfa’s best-known historic models for the electric era: “You will have a Giulia in the Alfa Romeo range – and not only that, because the next steps we are working on are: what is the answer to the GTV, and what could be the answer to the Duetto? But as it is not locked and validated for the moment, I don’t want to elaborate on that.”

Both the electric Stelvio and Giulia replacements have been designed, Imparato said, and work is under way to prepare the firm’s Cassino plant to build them, with production of each scheduled to begin within the next three years. 

Even if it remains low-slung and familiar in its positioning, the electric Giulia could adopt a different profile that combines elements of estate and saloon cars – like the Genesis G70 and Mercedes CLA shooting brakes. 

Imparato previously told Autocar: “I don’t want to give up on the sedan [saloon] market. It’s in Alfa’s DNA to have a sporty sedan. But I also acknowledge that there were many suggestions that there should be a station wagon [estate] version of the Giulia. 

“Maybe there’s a tipping point between the sedan and the station wagon. With a new Giulia, maybe we can have the best of both worlds.”

Alfa has already revealed some technical details of the electric Giulia, which will use parent company Stellantis’s new modular STLA Medium platform. Power will start at around 345bhp, with the more powerful Veloce offering around 790bhp.

A hardcore Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifolio variant is also confirmed, offering “around 1000hp” (986bhp) – almost double the 503bhp offered by today’s twin-turbocharged petrol V6 car. 

This most powerful variant is likely to be a four-wheel-drive proposition, rather than rear-driven like the current car. It could get a set-up similar to fellow Stellantis brand Maserati’s upcoming Granturismo Folgore, which uses three electric motors – one on the front axle and two at the rear – with torque-vectoring functionality. 

As well as confirming his power ambitions for the Giulia replacement, Imparato suggested that the EV’s range will be up to 435 miles on the WLTP cycle, so owners see it as a “substitute” for their current cars, not a downgrade or a forced switch.

That figure matches the new Peugeot e-3008, which uses a variation of the same STLA platform. 

Imparato was keen to emphasise the importance of a rapid electrification programme for Alfa. “We switch because we must,” he said. “If not, Alfa Romeo would be dead.”

He added: “We will switch in a real concrete substitution mode. I don’t want you [customers/owners] to suffer from anything [because of] the switch. I want you to love it.”

Imparato also confirmed the Giulia will be equipped with an 800V electrical architecture, as with other upcoming EVs on the STLA platform, meaning a “substantial” battery top-up (likely 10-80%) could be completed “within 18 minutes”. “We don’t want you to spend hours charging your car,” he said.

Additional reporting by Will Rimell