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Alfa Romeo says it isn’t trying to roll out high-performance variations of its most compact SUVs, together with the newly launched Junior gentle SUV and the Tonale small SUV, and can as an alternative reserve its Quadrifoglio sub-brand for extra unique, higher-end fashions.
The Quadrifoglio title – also referred to as Quadrifoglio Verde (QV), which implies inexperienced four-leaf clover in Italian – is usually utilized to high-performance variants of present fashions. Simply two QV vehicles presently exist in Alfa Romeo’s Australian lineup – the Giulia Quadrifoglio sedan and the associated Stelvio Quadrifoglio mid-size SUV – though there have been others prior to now, such because the Giulietta.
Each of those vehicles add high-output turbocharged V6 petrol engines, distinctive steering and suspension parts, extra superior aerodynamic components, and carbon-fibre inside extras to their commonplace counterparts.
Australia’s Junior is accessible in just one high-spec trim, though a higher-performance electrical model is offered abroad beneath the Veloce nameplate. That is normally reserved for flagship trims with hotter efficiency, however nonetheless far separated from QV vehicles.
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The Italian model is due to this fact in a position to put loads of distance between its mainstream fashions and their performance-branded variants, each by way of pricing and market positioning, not like a large number of different European manufacturers together with Mercedes-Benz, which adapts design cues from its Mercedes-AMG flagships to cheaper AMG-Line variants, and BMW, which applies the M Sport moniker to variants beneath its full-fat M-cars.
New fashions, just like the not too long ago launched Junior, could present a possibility to develop the QV vary, however Alfa Romeo head of product Mario Lamagna mentioned such autos don’t match the status of the Quadrifoglio Verde model.
“I can inform you that we considered that, however for the second, with the applied sciences that we now have, we didn’t imagine there was a powertrain that was the proper one to be referred to as the Quadrifoglio for Junior,” he informed media on the Junior’s native launch.
“On this phase, you need to be very cautious with what you do as a result of, once more, Quadrifoglio is a really sturdy high-performance label.
“The choice we took was to guard it and to maintain it for the upper segments, however relying on the suggestions and on the success of Junior, and what we can do with our engineers, we by no means know the place we might go on the finish.”
In Australia, the Junior is accessible with both mild-hybrid (Ibrida) or totally electrical (Elettrica) powertrains. Priced at $45,900 earlier than on-road prices, Ibrida autos include a turbocharged 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with 48V mild-hybrid help, producing 107kW of energy and 230Nm of torque.
Elettrica variants, meantime, bump the worth to $57,900 earlier than on-roads however add a single electrical motor fed by a 54kWh lithium-ion battery, delivering peak outputs of 115kW and 260Nm.
Although it’s not an apples-with-apples comparability, these powertrains are much like the bottom choices discovered within the Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV. Each utilise 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engines providing 206kW/400Nm, and are priced at $80,450 and $88,450 earlier than on-roads respectively.
The place these fashions differ is with their Quadrifoglio variants. Each vehicles get a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine with monstrous outputs of 375kW/600Nm, however costs to match – the Giulia Quadrifoglio prices $156,990 earlier than on-roads, whereas the Stelvio Quadrifoglio prices $162,700 earlier than on-roads.
As troublesome as it could be to shoehorn a V6 right into a Junior, that context provides weight to Mr Lamagna’s insistance that “QV is a extremely severe factor in Alfa”.
“There are various completely different traits that an Alfa must respect to be referred to as a QV. It’s virtually a sub-brand of Alfa, Quadrifoglio Verde. In our workplace we examine if an Alfa is usually a QV, we take it very critically,” he mentioned.
“I’ll by no means say no to QV in any mannequin, however it’s one thing that must be studied, as a result of QV means severe stuff. We’ve got to be very cautious in defending that label.”
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