Alfa Romeo exited the hatchback phase by ending manufacturing of the Giulietta, a Volkswagen Golf-sized mannequin launched in 2010. It is planning on filling the void in its vary with a city-friendly crossover within the coming years.
Honored with a heritage-laced nameplate, the Giulietta made its debut in Milan as Alfa Romeo celebrated its one centesimal birthday. Executives thought of promoting it in the USA however determined to maintain it on the opposite facet of the pond, although its fundamental platform underpinned the short-lived Dodge Dart. In its residence nation, the hatchback was positioned as a premium mannequin that mirrored the agency’s upmarket ambitions. It slotted beneath the Giulia.
Stylists made a number of visible tweaks to the Giulietta throughout its 10-year life cycle, they usually managed to maintain it trying comparatively contemporary. It is a totally different story inside, the place the 2020 mannequin feels about as outdated as it’s.
Alfa Romeo’s earlier hatchbacks — together with the 147 — spawned high-performance variants that also elevate eyebrows a number of a long time after their launch, however the Giulietta by no means obtained the complete go-fast therapy. Over the course of its manufacturing run, engine choices ranged from a 104-horsepower 1.4-liter turbo 4 to a 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbocharged to 240 horsepower. Entrance-wheel-drive was the one configuration provided.
Over 400,000 models of the Giulietta have been manufactured in Italy between 2010 and 2020. The ultimate instance was made shortly earlier than Christmas, based on French web site Caradisiac. We do not know what it appears to be like like or the place it is off to. Alfa might select to place it in its assortment, or it’d ship it to an unsuspecting supplier.
The information comes a few weeks after information that the slow-selling Alfa 4C Spider was among the many vehicles that will not be coming again in 2021.
What’s subsequent?
Rumors claimed Alfa Romeo would develop a rear-wheel-drive successor to the third-generation Giulietta constructed on a shortened model of the Giulia’s platform. Had it been launched, this mannequin would have undoubtedly develop into the fanatic’s alternative in its phase, particularly as a result of the BMW 1 Sequence went front-wheel-drive.
We do not know if the experiences have been correct, however what’s sure is {that a} new Alfa Romeo hatchback shouldn’t be across the nook. As a substitute, the Giulietta’s spot within the vary will quickly be occupied by the manufacturing model of the Tonale idea (pictured above) launched through the 2019 version of the Geneva auto present. We anticipate to study extra particulars concerning the crossover — which is able to seemingly develop into Alfa’s best-seller — within the not-too-distant future.
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