Alfa Romeo has been vocal about its electric future even though the fabled Italian brand has yet to launch a model without a combustion engine. A subcompact crossover positioned below the Tonale will be the model’s first EV when it’ll be launched in the first half of 2024. Enthusiasts will be happy to hear the “Quadrifoglio” name will live on in the inevitable zero-emission era to replace today’s V6-powered Giulia and Stelvio performance models.
Details about the size and shape of the first Quadrifoglio EV are murky at this point but Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato did share some juicy details in an interview with Australian magazine CarSales. Purely electric models carrying the four-leaf clover will offer anywhere between 900 to 1,000 horsepower (671 to 745 kilowatts), so roughly double than the twin-turbo 2.9-liter engine fitted to the range-topping Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV.
The head honcho at Alfa Romeo also mentioned future Quadrifoglio models will benefit from next-generation battery technology with improved efficiency. Doing so will allow the engineers to reduce the battery pack’s capacity to shave off weight. In addition, wireless charging is being touted by the 56-year-old French executive. He went on to mention battery tech will be improved at three-year intervals to remain on top of the EV game.
Jean-Philippe Imparato explained Alfa Romeo will attempt to lure in buyers by simply putting prospective customers behind the wheel of a Quadrifoglio EV to take it out for a test drive. The 113-year-old automaker wants to prioritize the driving experience instead of 0-60 mph and Nürburgring lap times that some automakers are obsessed with nowadays.
The interview also touched on another trend – massive screens. Alfa Romeo’s top brass mentioned displays “beyond 13 inches” are in the pipeline but without covering the whole dashboard with screens since that would be a major distraction. Without going into details, the CEO mentioned “special features” will be embedded into these next-gen infotainments.
Separately, Alfa Romeo design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos told Autocar wants to go back to the future by developing EVs with a retro-inspired look. The small crossover we mentioned earlier – twinned with the Jeep Avenger – will lead the way by reviving the spirit of the 1960s with design cues adapted from cars such as the Giulia SZ and TZ. The Coda Tronca (short tail) motif will be resurrected not just for the sake of having classic lines but also to create sleeker shapes with better aero for improved efficiency.
Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo is preparing one last dance for the good ol’ ICE. A standalone performance model positioned above the Quadrifoglio-spec Giulia and Stelvio will be released later in 2023. Potentially a fully fledged supercar, the mysterious model was teased at the beginning of the year with circular taillights à la 4C and 8C.
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