If there's one point on which many aficionados agree, it's the lack of customizability of today'sAlfa Romeo. This is a recurring frustration for Alfa enthusiasts, accustomed to a time not so long ago when configuring an Alfa was almost a game of style.
Take the Giulia, an emblematic model still in the catalog today. In 2025, customization is reduced to its simplest expression: two finishes (Sprint and Veloce), seven exterior colors (white, red, blue, two shades of gray, black and green), two types of wheels, and... no choice of brake calipers. Inside, the choice is limited to two hues: black or red. Hard to stand out from the crowd.
The latest Junior model's configuration remains just as limited. Not counting the two-tone versions, there are six exterior colors (white, black, blue, gray, ivory and red), three wheels, no choice of brake calipers, and an all-black interior.
And yet, you only have to go back to the launch of the Giulia in 2016 to measure the gap. At the time, the Alfa Romeo configurator was packed with options. In terms of trim levels: Business, Super, Lusso, Sport, Veloce, and of course the legendary Quadrifoglio. On the paint side: 14 hues in the catalog, ranging from pastel to metallic and three-coat. Wheels? A dozen models, from 16" to 19". The interior was a veritable palette of ambiences, with no fewer than 18 combinations if you add up the finishes. Black, red, beige, brown leather, contrasting stitching, wood or aluminum... And for the brakes, several caliper colors were available: red, yellow, black, gray, and there was blue too!
In those days, every Alfa Romeo could truly reflect the personality of its driver. A luxury that has gradually disappeared.
This gradual reduction in customization options was accentuated by the merger of FCA and PSA into Stellantis. A pivotal time when Alfa Romeo was losing money, and drastic decisions were taken. Limiting the number of configurations has helped streamline production, reduce costs and improve perceived quality, as the brand explains. And the results were there: Alfa Romeo returned to profitability (after also raising its prices).
But this was at the expense of the very spirit of an Alfa for many: the possibility of having a car that's unique, to one's taste. Today, Alfists are calling for the return of a camel interior, colored brake calipers, a wider choice of wheels... In short, a little more freedom.
A topic we discussed with Alfa Romeo at the Junior Q4 test drive. The brand has confirmed that it has taken responsibility for limiting configurations, for the reasons given above. But it was also keen to reassure us: future Alfa Romeo models will offer even more customization possibilities. Perhaps not as many as in the past, but more than today, that's for sure.
A turnaround that should delight enthusiasts. Because an Alfa Romeo is not just a car to drive. It's also a car to dream about, to configure, to make your own.
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Stellantis (Imparato) has also totally misused the name "Veloce", when we see that because of him a 130hp Tonale diesel can carry this acronym...
All in all, Stellantis (PSA) has understood nothing about Alfa Romeo. What's more, there's no new synergy with Maserati, which has all but been abandoned, but instead we're "entitled" to a vulgar photocopy of Peugeopel...
In 2012, I bought a MiTo JTDm 95hp in ... Veloce trim. And yet, Stellantis didn't exist yet...
It was a special series on the restyled MiTo, after which "Veloce" was agreed as the link between the "current" versions and the Quadrifoglio, like the S at Audi, or 35 at AMG, or ST at Ford for example... In other words, your MiTo Veloce finish is the exception that proves the rule...
False debate.
There's no need to choose between 36 seat and dashboard colors, or 10 wheel models. Three wheel models, three trim levels, black or red (or yellow) brake calipers, I think that's more than enough.
For the Junior, there are 2 seat models, a sport pack and a techno pack, which is quite sufficient. Black is perfect for the dashboard.
For colors, less than 10 color choices is quite enough.
I've never understood this exaggerated need for customization, or for buyers to go tuning.
For example, the options available for the Junior's competitor, the Lexus LBX: Dark Grey Fabric, Cream or Taupe Synthetic Tahara, Black Perforated Synthetic Tahara, Black or Sienna Semi-Aniline Leather, Black Leather & Suede. The Tonale's seats also put off the blog writer, and indeed, compared to those of the Giulia and a premium brand, they're not up to scratch.
I agree that there's no need for so many color options since we need to save money. On the other hand, I don't agree with Peugeot's decision to do away with the license plate on the side. In my opinion, the new cars are no longer Alfa.
I keep mine as long as possible and the day I have to change cars I'll take another brand.
Not everyone wants to ride in a hearse...
Hello Mr. Potté, you're right. Stellantis doesn't seem to listen to the needs of real Alfetiste. Did she question them?
The Giula is a great car, but it arrived too late on the market.
I'm very worried about the new Giulia model...if it ever sees the light of day!
Maybe a Peugeot disguised as an Alfa!
Honestly, I don't know what my next purchase will be. I love Maserati! Indeed, why not create a synergy with Alfa and give the opportunity to access a top-of-the-range model for Alfa and entry-level for Maserati!
I think this decision (if it's properly implemented) is a step in the right direction. I also think that the group needs to understand that if it wants to keep each brand alive, they have a DNA and must - at least for the premium brands - have different versions of everything that can be seen in the cabin. I'm thinking, of course, of the Junior's door panels, the gearshift control, the screen, the steering wheel (we need to go back to the Alfa steering wheel inaugurated by the Giulia), the seats, the mirrors, etc.
I was quite critical of the Junior, but since I've been able to try out the Junior Veloce I've changed my mind: the design is good, and so is the interior, including the materials used (lots of alcantara). If anything, the smooth plastic of the upper part of the dashboard could be better, but that's all I can say.
And when it comes to driving, this is a real Alfa Romeo that will convince even the most skeptical: it's a real sports car, and I was blown away. I'm talking about the Veloce, not the other Junior models.
I didn't know that testing a car made it more beautiful ^^
Seeing it in real life sometimes gives you a better appreciation of the design than from photos. But personally, I don't find the Junior any more beautiful having seen it ^-^ and as for the cabin materials, the hard plastic door panels, the "piano black" center console and the Fiat steering wheel seem completely unacceptable to me.
Stanno uccidendo l'Alfa,come alfista mi allontano dal marchio con dolore,si sono buttati sull'elettrico, non penserò mai a un'Alfa elettrica,meglio guardare al Giappone , Toyota , Mazda, Nissan ecc.ecc.
Solange es bei Alfa nur Innenräume in Einheitsschwarz gibt, kein Beige oder Camel und nich4 wenigstens eine Holzvariante, kaufe ich keinen Alfa mehr. Ich habe fast 3 Jahrzehnte lang Alfas gehabt, wo das fester Bestandteil war. Einheitsstristesse verbinde ich nicht mit Alfa Romeo.