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An official launch date for both the Junior and revised Tonale wasn't announced.
The Alfa Romeo Junior will become available locally before year-end. Image: Charl Bosch
Showcased at an Alfa Romeo enthusiasts event in March, Stellantis South Africa used its Media Connect event in Johannesburg on Wednesday (9 July) to not only formally unveil the all-new Alfa Romeo Junior, but also a pending restructured product range.
Range overhaul
Part of its premium brand of nameplates comprising Jeep and from September, Chinese start-up Leapmotor, the Junior will commence Alfa Romeo’s line-up currently fronted by Tonale.
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While the Giulia and Stelvio and will retain their respective Veloce and Quadrifoglio variants until the arrival of the next generations in 2026 and 2027, the Junior’s introduction will come with an overlapping of the Tonale as a result of the latter undergoing a powertrain revision.
Goodbye mild-hybrid Tonale
According to Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Leapmotor divisional boss, Janus Janse van Rensburg, the update will involve the current mild-hybrid Tonale being replaced by the all-wheel-drive Q4 variant once stock runs out.
The result is that the much lamented electrified 1.5-litre turbo-petrol engine will make way for the Brazilian-made 1.3-litre turbocharged Firefly unit combined with an 15.5-kWh battery pack powering a single 70 kW electric motor.
A configuration that will result in the Tonale becoming a plug-in hybrid, the combination develops 206 kW, allowing for a claimed all-electric range of up to 80 km, and 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds versus the mild-hybrid’s 8.8 seconds.
Shown in facelift guise last year, the Tonale Q4 also sees the departure of the seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox in favour of a hybrid specific six-speed torque converter automatic.
Still listed in mild-hybrid form priced at R811 899 for the entry-level Ti and at R895 129 for the top-spec Veloce, exact details regarding the Q4’s availability wasn’t revealed, though an official announcement is anticipated before year-end.
Junior arriving soon
In revealing the Junior, whose name had to be changed from Milano less than 24 hours after its global unveiling due to backlash from the Italian government, Stellantis also confirmed that the local line-up will comprise the same mild-hybrid and electric powerunits as in Europe.
For the former, this involves the familiar 1.2-litre three-cylinder PureTech turbocharged petrol engine being combined with a 48-volt electrical system, plus a 21 kW electric motor housed within the six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
For South Africa, though, combined power outputs will be increased from 100 kW to 115 kW, but without the Q4 system as drive will go to the front wheels only.
Shown in Veloce spec at the event, the all-electric Junior will be a first for Alfa Romeo in South Africa.
As on the Old Continent, the electric Junior remains front-wheel-drive, but in Veloce spec, with outputs of 207kW/345Nm from the 54-kWh battery pack.
Accordingly, the Junior Veloce will get from 0-100 km/h in six seconds and require a 30 minute wait from 20-80% using a DC fast charger up to 100 kW. The claimed range is 346 km.
Riding on the same electrified e-CMP platform as the Opel Mokka Electric, Fiat 600e, Abarth 600e and Jeep Avenger, the Junior measures 4 170 mm long, 1 500 mm tall and 1 780 mm wide with its wheelbase stretching 2 550 mm.
While local specification is still to be determined, the Junior was spotted with Alfa Romeo’s new 10.25-inch infotainment system incorporating Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and satellite navigation, the 10.25-inch digital instrument cluster and, being the Veloce, Sabelt sport seats trimmed in Alcantara.
Stay tuned
Besides specification, no details regarding pricing of the Junior is known, however, expect a possible announcement, as with the Tonale, to be made before year-end.
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