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A local launch date for South Africa remains to be set, however, an official preview has been penciled in for 30 March.
Junior name make its comeback on Alfa Romeo’s smallest and newest SUV. Image: Alfa Romeo
Stellantis South Africa has all but confirmed the Alfa Romeo Junior for local market release via a single image shared on its social media account.
You are called what?
Set to be previewed on Sunday (30 March), the image on Alfa Romeo’s Instagram page doesn’t name the Junior outright, though the darkened silhouette and arrangement of the LED headlights identifies it as Milan’s smallest model unveiled last year as the step-down from the Tonale.
Initially called Milano in reviving a name last used 33 years ago on the North American-market 75 sedan, backlash by the Italian government for contravening a law preventing non-Italian made products from having Italian sounding names followed, requiring a name change to Junior, not used since 1976.
“A car called Milano cannot be produced in Poland. This is forbidden by Italian law. This law stipulates that you cannot give indications that mislead consumers,” Italy’s Industry Minister, Adolfo Urso, was quoted by Reuters as saying hours after the Milano’s reveal.
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“So, a car called Milano must be produced in Italy. Otherwise, it gives a misleading indication which is not allowed under Italian law.”
Former Stellantis CEO, Carlos Tavares, subsequently hit back at Urso’s comments, telling Automotive News Europe that had the Junior been produced in Italy and not the Tychy plant in Poland, it would have led to a €10 000 (R195 656) surge in its final price from €30 000 (R586 968) to €40 000 (R782 624)
What to expect
Built on the e-CMP platform and not one of the newer STLAs, the Junior, in effect serves as Alfa Romeo’s version of the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e/600, with dimensions of 4 170 mm in overall length, a height of 1 500 mm, width of 1 780mm and wheelbase of 2 550 mm.
Although billed as Alfa Romeo’s first electric vehicle as part of its now abandoned electric-only policy before 2030, the European-market Junior comes in four models, two being EVs; the base 115 kW and the top-spec Veloce that makes 207 kW.
On the combustion side, the mild-hybrid uses the same setup as the Avenger and 600, namely the familiar 1.2 PureTech turbocharged three-cylinder petrol engine combined with a 48-volt mild-hybrid system as well as a 21 kW electric motor integrated into the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
The total system output is 100 kW with drive going to the front wheels only.
Introduced at the beginning of the year, the Junior Q4 adds a second 21 kW electric motor to the layout, this time on the rear axle, thus, giving it all-wheel drive. The total output is 107 kW.
Watch this space
As it stands, an exact date of reveal hasn’t been made, however, with the mentioned preview this weekend, expect Alfa Romeo to make more details available over the coming months.
For reference, pricing for the Tonale kicks-off at R811 900, suggesting the Junior could have a sticker of around R700 000.
However, this is purely speculative and could prove otherwise once it eventually goes on sale.
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