Fast, front-wheel drive and full of character, the Veloce version of the Alfa Romeo Junior is really rather good. In fact, although it’s an EV and takes the form of a small crossover, I believe that it may actually be the most ‘Alfa’ Alfa Romeo built in years.
Let me explain to you. First, the company that bore that name. As you may recall, this car was first announced as the Milano in April 2024, but as Alfa planned to build it in Poland, the Italian government temporarily intervened and banned its use in the Lombard capital. After searching the archives for inspiration, a few days later the car was renamed Junior. Classic alpha.
Then there are the looks. Clearly, it’s not the most conventionally attractive thing, but some of our favourite ever Alfas have been visually… let’s go with ‘challenging’. Just take the V6-engined SZ and RZ of the late 1980s and early 90s for example. Having those cars built rather than styled by Zagato was an interesting Alfa choice, but oh how we love those blocky lines now. The Junior won’t age like the SZ, but there are a few neat touches. Higher spec versions including the Veloce get a cut-out of the Alfa Romeo badge in the grille, while the stepped rear takes inspiration from the Giulia TZ. Veloce versions get those excellent, spindly looking 20in Venti alloy wheels too. Alfa really is good at wheels.
And then there’s his driving. I attended the UK premiere and drove the popular, slightly disappointing car around the roads of Lincolnshire. The time came to test the 276 HP Veloce version, but Alfa only had a few left-hand drive cars and they could only run on a rented kart track. Are you sensing a theme here? And yet, the difference between the popular car and the Veloce is notable. Not only does the car get additional power, it also gets a wider track, a new rear torsion bar, Sabelt bucket seats on the right, larger front brakes, a stiffer suspension, and the Torsen limited-slip differential. Many paintings have been dedicated to this.
READ MOREFrom the archives: Alfa 147 GTA vs Ford Focus RS vs VW Golf R32
It might be a small crossover, but the Veloce actually feels like a true front-wheel-drive hot hatch. There’s a bit of steering twist, but it turns remarkably well in a corner and in dynamic mode (which relaxes the ESP) the rear end will start to turn if you don’t accelerate. The differential means that you will be able to reactivate the force much faster than expected. Whisper it, but it might have a bit of the vibe of an adult 147 GTA. You can also hear a false noise, which of course does not stand up to a Busso V6.
And it needs to be a crossover, because that’s what sells. Back in the 1990s Alfa Romeo shifted a decent number of cars (frequently close to or above 200,000 per year). Recently, it’s got nowhere near those numbers, but hopefully building a small crossover on a shared Stellantis platform will see those sales creep up again. We all want the Alfa madness to survive, don’t we? And if it’s surviving while still making slightly bonkers versions of its standard cars then we’re all for that strategy.
Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter. Keep an eye out for your regular roundup of news and deals in your inbox.
Get all the latest news, reviews and exclusives, direct to your inbox.
BBC Studios is an advertising company owned by the BBC (and the BBC alone). No cash from the license fees was used to create this website. The profits we make are passed on to BBC programme creators to help fund wonderful new BBC programmes. BBC is a registered trademark of British Broadcasting Corporation. Lopasss © 1996.