The return of the Alfa Romeo 147? Sporty new hatch to get stunning design
Alfa Romeo’s upcoming compact EV will introduce the brand’s next generation of technology while taking inspiration from the iconic 147
The final stage of the journey towards profitability is a new compact hatchback that will bring back the spirit of the 147 and Giulietta, with a big dose of ultra-modern STLA-One tech and a striking look. Alfa has already revealed a blurry teaser image of the forthcoming model, but new information about its clever platform reveals just how ambitious it could be.
Alfa isn’t a company normally associated with ultra-modern cutting-edge tech, but STLA-One will be capable of supporting multiple significant technological breakthroughs, such as steer-by-wire, the next-generation STLA-Brain and clever virtual cockpits that can vary more widely between different brands within the Stellantis family.
The bits we can’t see will have their own innovations, such as cell-to-body construction that will mount the battery cells directly into the body, reducing complexity and the extra parts associated with normal electric cars. However, while STLA-One is capable of accepting hybrid powertrains in certain applications, we suspect this model’s relatively small footprint will keep it electric.
Curiously, Alfa specifically referenced the 147 in announcing the newcomer, which is a car that we think will drive this new hatch’s design language. Like the C-segment SUV, this model will come with a more organic, classically pretty shape. This is in stark contrast to the similarly sized Junior, which uses aggressive two-tone body colours and blocky shapes.
There could even be a GTA version on the horizon, since the hatch is linked to the next Peugeot E-208, which we know will be offered in a high-performance GTi specification.
The Junior is an Alfa Romeo that majors on design, but also makes sense in all-electric form. Check out the Auto Express Buy A Car service for an average saving of over £1,200 on Junior Elettrica models now.
