Almost ready: the first Alfa Romeo Tonale teaser confirms that it will have an electrified version

It was a year of transition for Alfa Romeo, a year in which important internal changes took place after the formation of Stellantis, such as a new management leadership that took over with the firm intention of recovering the glory of the Italian brand and its return to the balance sheets. positives. That responsibility fell into the hands of Jean-Philippe Imparato, who comes from achieving excellent results when he was in charge of Peugeot. As a balance and to demonstrate that they did not stand still at this time, the Biscione firm created a video that summarizes the most important milestones of this 2021 and that was published by Imparato on his Twitter profile.

Beyond reviewing the updating of the Giulia and the Stelvio, or the brand's participation in Formula 1, the most interesting thing appears at the end of the video: an SUV that speeds away and the iconic snake emblem now in the shape of a plug… it is one of the most anticipated products from Alfa Romeo in recent times, not only because of its importance, but also because of its development time, the Tonale.

Alfa has been working on this C-SUV for more than two years, as it demonstrated with the concept that bears the same name. That prototype presented at the Geneva Motor Show received very good reviews for its beautiful design and will serve as the basis for the production version, even the brand itself assured that only 10% of its aesthetics will be modified in the final variant. Months ago, several photos of what would be the production version came to light, in which only modifications to the headlights, the grille and the mirrors were observed, in order to facilitate its manufacture.

Although its presentation was expected by the end of 2021, it ended up being rescheduled for next year – possibly for February. In addition to a very successful design that combines sportiness and elegance, with an unmistakable family air linked to other Alfa models such as the SZ Zagato, another point in which the Tonale will mark a before and after will be in its mechanics: it will share the hybrid system -pluggable with the Jeep Renegade and Compass, consisting of a 1.3 turbo gasoline engine together with an electric motor with a power of about 240 hp and a lithium-ion battery that will provide a range of up to 50 kilometers in electric mode. This characteristic was confirmed precisely by the symbol that appears in the video and that ratifies the brand's electrification strategy.

Inside doors, for now only images of the concept are known, which anticipated a very modern interior, with great prominence of digital displays for instruments, multimedia system and even air conditioning. As on the outside, it is expected that most of the features will be maintained, eliminating the most superfluous or striking details typical of a prototype but that make mass production difficult and expensive.

With the discontinuation, now definitively of the Giulietta, the Tonale will try to take its place, responding to the current trend in favor of SUV's. It is rumored that it will have a range of versions made up of gasoline and diesel options, several of them with mild-hybrid technology, but without a doubt the most representative will be the plug-in hybrid.