Viale Elettrico

Recently launched in South Africa, the Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica is the legendary Italian brand’s first-ever EV. Given the task of convincing the judgy Alfisti was head designer Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos.

WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Supplied

It took a certain amount of bravery to accept the Alfa Romeo gig. The storied Italian brand hasn’t exactly had the best run over the past four decades, with underinvestment, identity tensions and reliability issues seeing it rarely get out of third gear. On the other hand, design has always been Alfa Romeo’s strength, and even in the worst years, even if the cars haven’t exactly done the business, they have always looked it.

Which means Spanish car designer Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos must have had a bit of a think before taking the wheel as Alfa Romeo’s head of design. Arriving via VW-owned Spanish brand Seat and Renault, where he was known for designs that blended Mediterranean emotion with German proportions, he would’ve felt just that smidgen of extra pressure: the Alfisti – Alfa’s die-hard fans – don’t merely expect, they demand crackingly beautiful sheet metal. And this tribe is particularly fussy about the brand’s legendary triangular grille – the Leggenda Scudetto (Little Shield). Get it wrong, and swarthy Sicilians will no doubt be knocking on your studio door.

That brings us to the Junior – the first car designed from the ground up by Alejandro and his team. Adding to the challenge was the fact that the Junior would be sharing a platform with other similar-sized EV/hybrid vehicles in the Stellantis group portfolio – the Opel Mokka Electric, Peugeot E-2008, Fiat 600e and Jeep Avenger. It meant limited parameters to produce something that was distinctly Alfa. Plus there was that crucial decision every designer of an EV faces: should it look like an EV (i.e. a bit sci-fi), or should it fit more naturally into the brand’s product lineup?

Alejandro clears up that last notion immediately. “I never thought that being electric or hybrid needs to be formalised or visible in the design of a car,” he says. “I’ve been designing cars for 30 years, and I was there at the start of electric-vehicle design. This was my philosophy, always: don’t do anything differently in the design just because it’s electric. All the customer wants is a beautiful car.”

That, however, is easier said than done when there are economic and technical realities to consider, and not just the art of design. “Aerodynamics, weight and the cost of materials are the three factors that most influence design and limit our work – but we adapt,” says Alejandro. “And we must also add the homologation and regulations imposed by Europe, which are increasingly strict and difficult. I’m used to these constraints. We’re designers, not artists.”

Cue gasps, raised eyebrows and pinched-finger gestures from the Alfisti. But I reckon they can return their hands to their espressos, and cut Alejandro some slack. The Junior is by no means a neutral design, and is easily the best-looking of its Stellantis siblings. It has a front-end with plenty of character – perhaps a little too fussy for some, but I love the reimagined Leggenda Scudetto with its large reproduction of the Alfa Romeo emblem (an echo of which also makes an appearance on the C-pillars). Overall, the body is simple and muscular, incorporating all the values of the Alfa Romeo brand. “It’s intended to democratise Alfa’s sporty Italian design and performance. One of the most important parts of the design was proportion. As with everything in nature, proportion is the first consideration for beauty. Then we applied a design that was a little loud, in order to be recognised on the street.”

In an Alfa, that street cred also demands engaging on-road dynamics and performance. With its purposeful stance, dark 20-inch alloys, and coda tronca (truncated tail), the Junior Elettrica 280 Veloce certainly talks the talk. It walks the walk too – perhaps not quite with John Travolta’s Saturday Night Fever swagger, but confidently enough, thanks to its front-mounted 207kW/345Nm electric motor and, crucially, a Torsen mechanical limited-slip differential. The latter helps with traction out of the corners and, along with a wonderfully precise steering feel, makes for a fun little SUV crossover to drive.

All in all, I’d say job done, Alejandro. I’m looking forward to his versions of the next-gen Stelvio SUV and Giulia sedan, both scheduled for 2027/2028. | alfaromeo.co.za

The range

Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica 280 Veloce:207kW/345Nm; R999 900. Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica: 118kW/260Nm; R799 900.

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