Alfa Romeo Says It’ll Make Driver-Centric EVs By Varying Trim Power, Being Cautious With Tech
“Our core focus is not to beat Tesla, where you build all the software and technology and put a crappy chassis on it,” said Alfa North America’s top exec.
It sounds like Alfa Romeo's lineup will get even better for enthusiasts as it electrifies. Speaking to The Drive at the Tonale crossover's press launch in Milan, Alfa Romeo North America's Senior Vice President Larry Dominique explained what the simplified construction of electric vehicles will result in for the brand's future models. Essentially, it translates into more performance choices for its customers as time goes on with more power and trims that progressively differ from each other.
Speaking specifically about the Guilia, Dominique told The Drive that all of the lower trims have "the same size fuel tank, same powertrains, same 0-60 time for the 280-hp models." In the future, though, that doesn't have to be the case. Since EVs share so much hardware, it's very possible for Alfa to come to market with a "350-hp Sprint, a 450-hp Ti, 600-hp Veloce, and a 1,000-hp Quadrifoglio" without spending an exorbitant amount of money.
Many automakers are surely seeing things in a similar light, but Alfa wants to be different. It doesn't just want more choice in a vacuum—it wants these EVs to be enthusiast cars.
"For us, it’s about building a driver-centric experience wrapped in beauty that has strong performance and the right level of technology to satisfy your needs," Dominique said. He then fired a few shots at Tesla to make his point: “We [Alfa] don’t necessarily want to be a leader in adopting a bunch of new technology—we want to make sure we’re competitive. Our core focus is not to beat Tesla, where you build all the software and technology and put a crappy chassis on it. For us, it’s about building a driver-centric experience wrapped in beauty that has strong performance and the right level of technology to satisfy your needs.”
It must be mentioned that what the executive is describing in terms of offering more choices for enthusiasts does exist in the ICE world. Look no further than BMW, which offers several powertrain options on most of its cars, to see that what Alfa is describing isn't impossible without going full EV. A smaller brand looking to grow like Alfa doesn't have the resources to make a fully differentiated lineup of ICE or even hybrid cars like the aforementioned German brand, though. The Italian company, which is now under the wing of the massive Stellantis, can share a lot with other brands' EVs without customers knowing. "The fundamental hardware remains the same," Dominique said. It wouldn't be a new engine or transmission, but "maybe it’s a little different size battery or motor."
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