Brennero it isn’t as Alfa Romeo revives Milano name for junior SUV

Despite releasing a teaser image earlier this week seemingly confirming the much speculated Brennero name for its new small SUV positioned below the Tonale, Alfa Romeo has sprung an unexpected surprise by announcing that the newcomer will in fact revive the Milano name when it debuts next year.

From sedan to SUV

A moniker not used since 1992 on an Americanised version of the 75 which, until the arrival of the Giulia in 2016, had been Alfa Romeo’s last rear-wheel-drive sedan, the announcement also confirms April as the month of reveal, though without an exact date.

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First alluded to in 2021, the Milano will take-up station not only below the Tonale and Stelvio, but replace both long since discontinued MiTo and Giulietta as Alfa Romeo’s smallest model and SUV.

“Milano is intended as a symbolic ‘welcome back’ to all our Alfisti fans. It is the first milestone in the brand’s transition process to electric and, like the Tonale, has the important task of further strengthening Alfa Romeo’s global presence,” Alfa Romeo boss, Jean-Philippe Imparato, said in the accompanying statement.

EV and mild-hybrid

Known to ride on the electrified e-CMP platform underpinning the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600e, the Milano will have access to both combustion and electric powertrains, before going fully electric in 2027 as per Alfa Romeo becoming an EV-only brand in said year.

According to carscoops.com, the combustion engine in question will be electrified in the form of a mild-hybrid similar to that used in the Avenger and the 600e’s equivalent, the Fiat 600.

This means outputs of 74kW/205Nm from the 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged PureTech petrol engine, paired to a 48-volt belt/starter generator.

On the EV side, the Milano, which will become Alfa Romeo’s first ever 100% electric vehicle, will carryover the 54-kWh battery pack that makes 115kW/260Nm in the Jeep and Fiat.

More details in 2024

Based on the carscoops.com report, initial sales will start in September and comprise solely of the EV variant, with the mild-hybrid set to arrive before the end of 2024.

“With the arrival of Milano in 2024, Alfa Romeo completes a line-up capable of meeting the desires of all our enthusiasts and much more,” Imparato concluded.

For now, exact details regarding the Milano are still unknown, however, expect a clearer picture to emerge with the onset of 2024.

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