Alfa Romeo goes hatchback-free after axing the Giulietta

Alfa Romeo exited the hatchback section 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 a centesimal birthday. Executives thought of promoting it in the USA however determined to maintain it on the opposite aspect of the pond, although its primary platform underpinned the short-lived Dodge Dart. In its house 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, and so they managed to maintain it trying comparatively recent. It is a totally different story inside, the place the 2020 mannequin feels about as previous as it’s.

Alfa Romeo’s earlier hatchbacks — together with the 147 — spawned high-performance variants that also increase eyebrows a number of many years after their launch, however the Giulietta by no means obtained the total 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 had been manufactured in Italy between 2010 and 2020. The ultimate instance was made shortly earlier than Christmas, in keeping with French web site Caradisiac. We do not know what it appears like or the place it is off to. Alfa may select to place it in its assortment, or it’d ship it to an unsuspecting seller.

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 grow to be the fanatic’s alternative in its section, particularly as a result of the BMW 1 Sequence went front-wheel-drive.

We do not know if the stories had been correct, however what’s sure is {that a} new Alfa Romeo hatchback isn’t 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 throughout the 2019 version of the Geneva auto present. We count on to be taught extra particulars concerning the crossover — which can possible grow to be Alfa’s best-seller — within the not-too-distant future.

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