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In early April, Alfa Romeo unveiled its new Milano compact SUV, a fashionable newcomer to Europe’s largest car segment that revives a call from the company’s history while infusing the continent’s roads with a dose of Italian flair.
April 15, 2024 UPDATE: Well, it didn’t last long. The day after the Milano’s launch, Italy’s industry minister criticized the automaker for naming the SUV after an Italian city (the brand’s hometown) while assembling it in Poland, being the first time. An Alfa had been built entirely outside of Italy. Adolfo Urso not only found this to be uncomfortable, but also denounced it as illegal.
“A car called Milano cannot be produced in Poland,” Reuters quoted the minister as saying. “This is prohibited by Italian law,” referring to the 2003 law that “focuses on Italian-sounding products that falsely claim to be Italian. “
As a result, Alfa Romeo announced on April 15 that it had replaced the model’s name with Junior, which is also a nod to Alfa’s heritage. Both denominations were decided by popular vote of the public, the company says. Our original article continues unreplaced below. . —Ed.
Designed in Turin, the Milano is a compact four-door sedan that will be introduced with hybrid and all-electric powertrain options, following the Stelvio and Tonale in Alfa’s tree of relatives. It is the first battery-powered Alfa Romeo with an electric vehicle. variants adorned with the ‘Elettrica’ flag and with 156 horsepower or, in the ‘Veloce’ specification, 240 horsepower.
The base edition will have a range of around 255 miles (410 km) with a fully charged 54 kWh battery. Some parts are shared with the Fiat 600 and the Jeep Avenger (two other models we don’t have here), which makes sense, since the brands are also under the Stellantis umbrella.
The overall runtime is 4,170 mm (164. 1 inches), so it’s about the same length as a Mini Countryman or Volvo EX30.
The taste carries a lot of Alpha DNA, with an ambitious nose surrounded by LED matrix headlights. The rear door handles are tucked into the pillar, right at the head of the shadow of a new edition of the Alfa Romeo logo. The logo promises entertainment driving dynamics, thanks to the use of the same equipment that evolved the Giulia GTA in the logo control center in Balocco, in the province of Vercelli.
Inside, you’ll find expressive Italian nods and the giant virtual screens expected back then. The quadrifoglio (four-leaf clover) shaped air vents add a charming touch.
Will it come to North America? Mexico has been discussed in particular as an example of a conceivable long-term market for the Milano, so this is a start, although there are many models that never make it north of the Rio Grande for a multitude of reasons. , a representative of Alfa Romeo’s North American operations has shown that there are no plans to introduce the Milano in the U. S. , suggesting that there is little chance that Canada will see it either. —Ed. )
As for pricing, a particularly wordy spokesperson for the logo boasted that Alfa is inclusive and exclusive now that it’s going from “two million to thirty thousand. “Logically, speculating that the guy talking about price, suggests that the Milano may start at around $30,000 (CA$44,000) when it goes on sale in this market.
Before concluding this article, it is worth mentioning that Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares has spent a significant amount of time pontificating about the future of the company and his preference for remaining in Italy. In fact, he stressed at home the idea that Italy feels at home and mocked the acquisition of the Volvo and MG brands by Chinese interests, adding that “this will not happen with Alfa Romeo”.
The new Milano is expected to be available in Europe this summer.
Castrol-Wakefield Award for Automotive Writing 2021, Finalist
Finalist – 2023 AJAC Travel & Adventure Journalism Awards through Genesis Canada
Winner: 2023 AJAC Road Safety Journalism Award through Volvo Canada
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