At the Geneva Motor Show in March this year, Alfa Romeo demonstrated us the Tonale Concept, an SUV with uncertain production prospects. It is now confirmed that the model will hit the mass market in 2021.
The Italian car marque has fallen on hard times lately, suffering an abrupt sales drop in the first half of 2019 and having to cope with the consequences of a failed merger between its parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and Renault. Despite this, FCA now says it will be spending a €1 billion in investments into the company’s Pomigliano d'Arco factory near Napoli, where it plans to produce the Fiat Panda hatchback and the new Alfa Romeo Tonale. The Panda HEV will arrive in the first half of 2020.
The Tonale will follow a year after that. It will be based on the Jeep Renegade platform, which FCA and GM co-designed in early 2000s. It will most likely also end up with a hybrid powertrain. All Jeep hybrids come driven by rear-axle mounted electric engines that are not linked in any direct way to the 1.3-liter turbocharged V4. The Jeep Renegade offers 50 km (30 miles) of nature-friendly driving and packs 240 hp (179 kW), but as a premium car brand, Alfa Romeo will likely improve upon these figures.