Key Takeaways
- Alfa Romeo plans to showcase the Junior Veloce to US dealers for potential market interest.
- The Junior Veloce could compete with VW and Ford on price.
- Alda could seize the opportunity to introduce the EV to America while competitors struggle with high tariffs.
The Alfa Romeo Junior has had a rather tumultuous start to life. Launched as the Milano but produced far away from its namesake, all the way in Poland, Italian officials quickly took issue with the name. That part of the world considers its heritage and culture sacred, so the compact EV is now known as the Junior. Designed for European markets, it now has a small chance of being sold in the United States, reports Automotive News Europe (ANE). First, dealers need to see it in the metal.
Alfa Romeo
Originally founded in 1910 as Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (A.L.F.A.), Alfa Romeo is an Italian automaker of some renown, having been the brand where Enzo Ferrari plied his trade as a racer and racing manager. Alfa Romeo was formalized in 1920 and became a strong force in motorsport and sporty luxury vehicles, becoming the first F1 Constructors’ Champions in 1950. After changing hands on more than a few occasions over the last 50 years, Alfa Romeo is now under the ownership of Stellantis.
- Founded
- 24 June 1910 (as A.L.F.A.)
- Founder
- Ugo Stella, Nicola Romeo
- Headquarters
- Turin, Piedmont, Italy
- Owned By
- Stellantis
- Current CEO
- Jean-Philippe Imparato
“We will show the Junior Veloce to our US dealers, asking them if they see potential for a fun-to-drive small electric hatch in select markets, such as California, Florida, and other CARB states.”
– Daniele Tiago Guzzafame, Head of Products for Alfa Romeo
How Much Would It Cost?
There’s no word on pricing, but the Junior Veloce is likely to have a Euro starting price of around €48,000 ($52,000) with the hefty sales tax and shipping included. ANE analysts suggest that it would likely be priced around the $42,000 mark in the United States, but that is still quite high for a car of this size. On the other hand, other options don’t have quite the same weight as the Alfa Romeo badge promises.
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If Junior Veloce is priced in the $40,000-$50,000 range, its MSRP would put it in competition with cars like the Volkswagen ID.4 and Ford Mustang Mach-E, as its traditional rivals – the Volvo EX30, for example – are not available in the USA yet. It’s worth noting that, as things stand, the Junior would have a 2.5% duty placed on it, as it’s built in the European Union. Nonetheless, Alfa Romeo needs to do something to survive the brand-killing Stellantis sales slump.
Alfa Would Have An Advantage If It Acts Quickly Enough
In addition, the 2.5% tariff is much better than those that would be placed on the EX30. Manufactured exclusively in China, the little Volvo would be slapped with a 102% import duty were it to come to the United States under current legislation. However, the Swedish automaker has plans to build the EX30 in Belgium from 2025. Mini also has plans to build the electric Cooper in the UK from 2026. In the meantime, Guzzafame says this would give Alfa a “window of opportunity” to get a headstart in this niche market.
Related
Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce Is Way More Powerful Than We Thought
Initial estimates pegged the power outputs at 237 hp, but the brand now claims the EV produces 41 ponies more.
If the Junior Veloce does well, the EV could hold the key to boosting Alfa’s poor US sales. In Q2 2024, the Italian automaker shifted a mere 2,492 vehicles. Comparatively, Audi sold 48,687 cars during the same period, while BMW shifted 91,237 units between April and the end of June. To compete, Alfa would need to sell thousands of vehicles. Given its potentially lower pricing, the Junior Veloce could introduce new customers to the brand – although this is what Alfa had hoped the Tonale would do.
The Veloce is the high-performance variant and receives 278 horsepower – considerably more than the standard model which has just 154 horses. As for range, the predicted WLTP figures suggest the Veloce will be able to travel 205 miles between trips to the charger. Will Alfa fans and US customers want something like the Junior? That remains to be seen, but it could be the shot in the arm the automaker’s US operations need.
Source:
Automotive News Europe