Alexandre
Alfa Romeo continues to navigate troubled waters in 2024, and third-quarter results confirm the trend. After a fairly stable first half-year in some countries, and a more difficult one in others, the Italian manufacturer is struggling to turn things around. Despite the optimism generated by the launch of the Junior compact SUV in September, sales figures for the first nine months are far from reassuring.
Italy: the native market in decline
Italy, birthplace of Alfa Romeo, sees sales fall by 13.18 % in the first three quarters compared with the same period in 2023. With 22,078 units sold compared with 25,430 the previous year, this decline is a cause for concern, especially as the brand is traditionally well established in the region. September in particular showed a slight upturn, with 1,912 units sold, but this was not enough to offset a particularly poor August (just 785 units).
United States: a negative turn
For the first time this year, the US market is also in the red, with a drop of 10.17 %. In the first nine months, Alfa Romeo sold just 6,818 vehicles, compared with 7,590 in 2023. While the Giulia and Stelvio models continue to appeal, the downturn became more pronounced in September, with just 621 units sold. It's not certain that the introduction of the Junior will play a crucial role in revitalizing the market. Instead, we'll have to wait for the new Stelvio (hybrid?), to be presented in 2025.
France and Germany: a slowdown, but still on the rise
France and Germany, two important markets for Alfa Romeo, are still recording increases over the first nine months of 2024, but the pace has slowed. In France, the brand grew by 7.16 % (3,055 units), while in Germany, growth was 5.57 % (4,850 units). However, August and September showed signs of weakness, suggesting market saturation for current models.
Spain: the market is suffering
In Spainthe situation is more worrying, with a decline of 3.51 % over the first nine months of the year. While sales were relatively stable until May, the summer months saw a sharp drop, with just 67 units sold in August and September. 85 in September, compared with 188 in June. Junior could potentially revive this market, but current figures point to a difficult road ahead.
A crucial final quarter
These figures put Alfa Romeo in a difficult position. However, the manufacturer can be reassured on a number of points The Alfa Romeo Junior open house attracted a large number of visitors, and test drives seem to have met with strong interest. If this momentum translates into prompt orders and deliveries, it could reverse the negative trend of the third quarter.
What's more, an updated version of the Tonale SUV will be presented this month. According to available information, this is not a major aesthetic redesign, but rather a technical improvement to the battery management system (BMS), potentially offering improved autonomy and new functionalities.
In the short term, hope lies with Junior
Alfa Romeo must now capitalize on the launch of the Junior and hope that updates to the Tonale will breathe new life into the brand. With high targets for 2024, exceed 80,000 units worldwide, the brand is running out of time to reverse the trend. The final quarter will be decisive in determining whether Alfa Romeo can salvage this difficult year.
For my part, I made the trip to see this Junior to confirm or refute my impressions based on the articles I had read in the specialized digital press. More out of curiosity than the need to replace my current Italian, I admit.
The model presented was the electric version in black.
I won't go into detail, but here's my short conclusion after returning home:
I might sign up for the hybrid version...but I'm convinced that in a short time I'll bitterly regret this purchase!
So I'll refrain from taking the plunge...at least for now! 🫣🙄
The brand went from Giulia and Stelvio (2 real Alfa Romeo) to Tonale and Junior (a disguised Jeep and Peugeot). What did they expect?
You invest peanuts, you get monkeys.
I just invented it.
You're absolutely right.
Okay for the junior, but the Tonale was designed before Stellantis and at least it's made in Italy.
Junior could well work, especially if there were more powertrains: a PureTech hybrid and two electric powertrains is a bit tight. This is all the more unfortunate because, after the very positive tests of the 280 hp Veloce, the tests of the 156 hp version are also quite positive, price aside.
PureTech isn't for the faint-hearted, but the target audience of new customers probably knows nothing about this engine.
The Tonale is on a downward slope, and Giulia and Stelvio sales are weak outside the USA.
The range still needs to be expanded to achieve greater volume. When will we see a Giulietta? A station wagon?
I like the Junior, it's got a real Alfa ass. My family just ordered one.
Who knows how sales of the thermal versions of the new Ypsilon and 600 are faring?
We demand engines, real diesel and petrol engines ⛽️ and this tavares refuses to listen.
The models are great, all that's left are MOTORS!!!
For an SUV, the Tonale comes off rather well aesthetically - you can tell it's an Alfa. On the other hand, the battery needs to deliver much more power to compensate for the engine's low rev count, which is the minimum expected when offering a small hybrid. For the USA, the brand has to offer remarkable engines, otherwise it's going to be very difficult to break into the market. Finally, it's a mistake to have abandoned the compact sedan segment in Europe after 2020. The kind of thing that would never happen at VAG.
No vehicles adapted to the brand to maintain a true sports range.
No devolution of the Giulia and the Stelvio (which should be limited to the 2.9 V6 until 2035 if they are really upgraded).
No 6C or Type Montréal 2+2 coupé.
No larger SUV.
No wonder.
Ditto for Maserati and Lancia.
I don't see what the surprise is that nobody wants an Alfa any more, and all the tifosi who are going to come here claiming that Alfa Romeo must be saved would be better off buying one, ......., We've already seen that on the Saab forums!
Most of the tonale convoi roulé are rental vehicles that have been sold off and will be back on the market in six or eight months' time, still sold off,
This means that, in reality, the figures reported do not reflect reality, since a large proportion of the vehicles were not sold to private individuals but registered in the name of a leasing company. To give the impression that there were still a few sales, the situation is much more serious than your figures suggest!
But to buy what? What 3/4 of people want and are able to buy is a MiTo or a Giulietta. Is that in the range?
Almost 50K for an e-2008 painted red, but do you think people are that stupid?
I often get the impression from Italpassion that they're only interested in bad news. The subjective test of the Tonale PHEV speaks volumes. You're like journalists, you live on bad news. What's your added value? Nostalgia, of course, but the future can only be built on the present. Or as ambassadors, it would be more interesting and more constructive for the future. You're taking a bit of a trade-union approach, setting yourselves up as executors of wills.
I'm not nostalgic, there's just nothing positive to say. Sales figures for each brand can't be manipulated, new products are a big panda and junior, not enough to make 300 contents a year.
If only they'd sell real Alfa cars with good engines, instead of Alfa Peugeots with low-capacity engines that aren't deemed reliable either. Too expensive for a do-it-yourself Peugeot Jeep.
Conclusion: the SUV strategy is a failure, it hasn't brought in new customers, it's driven away the last real Alfisti. Possible remedies: return to sedans with estate versions such as the 159, hatchbacks, city cars, sports coupes and, above all, a single SUV! Another solution is for Alfa to stop being a generalist and confine itself to producing exceptional models in limited series, so as to stop the image damage. But I don't think they've got the money or the will, and I'd even say worse, I don't think they've got the know-how!
SUVs are also needed in different categories, as is now inevitable for all manufacturers. This may seem a pity, but it's in line with current buyer demand. There's no way of knowing how Junior will fare, since sales are only just beginning.
It's a fact that there just aren't enough historic aficionados any more, as evidenced by the modest sales of the Giulia, a sedan that every year is considered by the German and British press to be the best in its class.
The Giulia is a great car, with uncommon driving pleasure and magnificent design, but it's selling too little, and that's a shame.
The SUV and all-electric fashions have killed Alfa, which had exceptional sports engines and beautiful sports sedans and coupes. 500 hp electric cannot replace the symphony of Alfa Romeo's combustion engines. Jotglars