Alexandre
When Stellantis is created in 2021, Alfa Romeo set out clear ambitions for the transition to electric vehicles: a 100 % electric range by 2027. The brand's former management team, led by Jean-Philippe Imparato, even announced electric Quadrifoglio sports models with more than 1,000 hp.capable of sprinting from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 2 seconds. A bold vision, but what about today?
Last year, Alfa Romeo confirmed a return to hybrid engines in the years to comeparallel to electric. However, the electric Quadrifoglio models, initially conceived as the emblem of the brand's new-generation sportiness, may well be abandoned.
An internal Alfa Romeo source has revealed new information about the electric range. When the new electric Stelvio and Giulia 100 % are unveiled, they won't be Quadrifoglio versions, but Veloce versions. These models will still be sporty and powerful, but without the extreme performance of the Quadrifoglio.
This change of direction could be explained by several factors. For one thing, the commercial flop of the Maserati Folgore modelswhich have suffered from disappointing sales, not least because of their high price and the niche they occupy, may have given Alfa Romeo pause for thought. In addition, market interest in electric cars over 1,000 hp seems low, if not non-existent. Price and consumer expectations play a major role here. A model with such features might not find its audience, especially as high-performance electric vehicles are not legion on the market.
Take the BMW i4 M50, for example, which boasts 544 hp and a 0 to 100 km/h time of 3.9 seconds, and is selling well. This model starts at €79,000, with an 84 kWh battery. Compared to a hypothetical 1000 hp electric Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio, one wonders: what would be the point of such a model for Alfa Romeo, and above all, at what price?
So, is this the end of the Quadrifoglio models for Alfa Romeo? Not quite. Although the brand seems to have abandoned the idea of electric Quadrifoglio models with more than 1000 hp, it hasn't said its last word. According to our source, there will indeed be Quadrifoglio models in the future, but in a different form. Details remain unclear. Perhaps with the return of a V6 hybrid?
This 1000hp Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio thing was all hype and clearly nonsense.
Overpowered, heavy electric models are not in the brand's DNA. Weight is the enemy, as demonstrated by BMW's latest models, such as the 2.7-tonne XM or the latest 2.5-tonne M5. Who wants an Alfa Romeo of similar weight?
In fact, they'd do better to look at the mass of their EVs - limiting it helps maintain good roadholding - as well as their high-voltage recharging capabilities, that and of course comfort: it's absolutely essential to preserve a natural seating posture. As for the Quadrifoglio models, a shared hybrid solution with Maserati seems to me to be the right one.