After the presentation of the New Alfa Junior 2024 Made in Poland, what remains of the true essence of Biscione?

(MITOAR) We have already known for some time that for Stellantis the future models of the Milanese brand would share the use of PSA Group platforms in the middle of the range. We had deluded ourselves that there could be a huge product mix despite the sharing of platforms. First of all, it was necessary to adopt a different engine compared to the new French cousins. We are talking about Alfa Romeo, not just any brand. A brand that thanks to FCA came back to itself with the Relaunch Program requested by Marchionne from 2015. Giulia, Stelvio and Tonale are the daughters of that management. And we saw and appreciated the final result. After the early death of CEO Sergio Marchionne in 2018, the owners of the FCA Group preferred to sell everything to the French PSA rather than continue the path established by the Italian-Canadian general manager. On 16 January 2021 Stellantis was born and basically PSA included all of FCA, setting strategies, production plans and moving the industrial center of gravity towards France, Spain and Poland. Everything was done in the complete silence of national politics and national alliances; the latter raised important and ideological controversies to a lesser extent during Marchionne’s administration.

ALFA B-SUV WITH FRENCH HEART AND MADE IN POLAND– So what do we have today? Presentation of b-suv with PSA technology produced in Poland. Of the Alfa there is only the branding on the bonnet and the shield which is completely distorted. Features already seen on the Peugeot 2008, Opel Mokka, DS3 Crossback and other vehicles from the group including the Fiat 600 and Jeep Avenger are obvious. In terms of the engine, there is no use of FCA engines, in its place the Miller 1.2 cycle of three cylinders 136 HP and the Volt 48 hybrid technology of the original PSA with a different geometry turbo and timing chain. Couldn’t we do better?

ALFA JUNIOR COMPETITORS – In this market segment, competitors so far are Audi Q2, Volvo EX30, Mini Aceman, Smart #1 and also its cousin Jeep Avenger. Prices start from 30 thousand euros.

ALFA ROMEO’S FINANCIAL STATE TODAY – Alfa Romeo in 2023 generated profits operating costs of around 500 million euros, and annual industrial production that stood at 70,500 cars with three cars in the range: Giulia, Stelvio and Tonale. The profit per car is equal to 7,100 euros.

BIG TENSION BETWEEN THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT AND STELLANTIS OVER THE NAME OF MILAN – FINAL TO BE CALLED JUNIOR – Minister of Trade and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso explained the call Milano This new model is prohibited under the Italian law which in 2003 definedItalian voice, a law providing that indications should not be given that mislead consumers, misleading indications clearly associated with geographical indications. Therefore a car with the Milano name must be produced in Italy, otherwise a false indication is given which is not allowed by Italian law. After a few days Stellantis changed the name from Milano to Junior. But if we carefully analyze the history of Biscione Junior, it is similar to something else and reminds us especially of the coupé created in the 1960s based on the Giulia story. A completely different story compared to this B-SUV set by the market rules. Do we worry until the end of the pain or do we respect the great past and ask for greater efforts to avoid negative figures in the market? We only allow ourselves to give constructive feedback. Nothing else!

TAVARES: OFFERING THE ALFA B-SUV IN ITALY WOULD INCREASE THE LIST PRICE FOR CONSUMERS BY MORE THAN 10 THOUSAND EUROS. – Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares publicly reiterates that the production of this model in Italy was not considered as the list price would increase by more than ten thousand euros more. A potential buyer of a car with such a brand does not stop at the list price but at the overall quality of the car and if it matches the DNA of the brand. Italian production is part of the added value of brands like Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini, although these three Italian luxury brands have the highest position in the market. This is not trivial and one cannot simply make exclusive arguments about economies of scale and cost reduction.

WHAT’S NEXT IN ITALY FOR THE ALFA ROMEO BRAND – The next generation of Stelvio will arrive in 2025, in 2026 it will be the turn of Giulia and production will be maintained in Cassino (FR). But the Giorgio Made in FCA platform will be replaced by the larger STLA platform which will also be the basis for future Dodge and Maserati models. Tavares also revealed that he had received an offer to sell Alfa Romeo, which he immediately turned down as the brand had become profitable again in recent years.

EVEN FOR ARNA THEY DID SO MUCH, BUT AT LEAST THE ENGINE WAS 100% MADE IN ALFA ROMEO – In the 1980s the ARNA acronym for Alfa Romeo Nissan Auto caused much discussion. This C-segment car was supposed to help the brand increase sales. The car is the result of a joint venture between Alfa (which we remember at that time was in the hands of IRI) and Nissan of Japan. Japanese bodywork (derived from Nissan Pulasr) and 100% Made with Alfa boxer engine (same as Alfasud). For this car, the Italian Government, under pressure from DC, built a new factory in Pratola Serra (AV) where the bodies originally printed from Japan were assembled. The result? 50 thousand cars were sold between 1983 and 1987. In the second half of the seventies, the President of IRI Massacesi wanted this car to compete more with the Volkswagen Golf but it is also true that Alfa did not have enough capital to be able to make a car. from the first car in that market segment. The pre-pressed sheets that worked in Japan had solved the problem of corrosion, which historically was a limitation of the Alfasud project but it is also true that the corrosion was caused by sabotage in the Campania factory and not a structural limitation. But that is another story. In 1986, the indebted Alfa Romeo was sold to the Fiat Group and not to Ford at the behest of the Craxi Government. After the Fiat Group acquired the brand, closed a joint venture with Nissan, Alfa withdrew from Formula 1 and the Pratola Serra plant in Campania was converted into a group car plant. Between 1983 and 1995, the Golf’s rival was the Alfa 33, a direct descendant of the Alfasud that sold 990,000 units.

At this point the question arises spontaneously: and Junior is what remains of the true essence of Alfa Romeo?

MA