Alexandre
For several years now, Alfa Romeo is struggling to maintain its place in the automotive landscape in the face of fierce competition and a range with too few models. While the Giulia and Stelvio made their mark when they were launched in 2016 and 2017 respectively, sales have stagnated and even regressed since 2019. The arrival of the Tonale SUV in 2022 has breathed new life into the brand, but this is no longer enough to meet expectations.
Worrying figures in 2024
The first eight months of 2024 clearly show a worrying trend for Alfa Romeo, particularly in his native Italy. With a decline of 13.24 % compared with the same period in 2023, the brand's total sales in Italy fell from 23,243 units to 20,166. This decline in such a symbolic market is alarming. Is the brand indirectly bearing the brunt of the disputes between Stellantis and the Italian government?
Other European markets, though more stableHowever, this fall was not offset. In France, Alfa Romeo recorded an increase of 11.32 % (2,723 units), while in Germany the market grew by 7.61 % (4,526 units). In the United States, figures (which we have up to June) also remain slightly up, with an increase of 1.43 % and 4,768 vehicles sold (the Giulia and Stelvio are still selling well there). Spain, meanwhile, stagnated with growth of just 0.14 %. All in all, however, these results fail to disguise an overall drop in sales of 6.57 % if only the top 5 countries are taken into account.
Junior's urgency
Faced with these figures, Alfa Romeo urgently needed a new model capable of boosting sales. This is how the Junior, a compact SUV 100 % Stellantis, made its debut in all dealerships in September 2024. Its launch was accompanied by a advertising campaign to reach new customers younger and more urban.
The Junior comes at a strategic time for Alfa Romeo. Not only does it have to compensate for the Tonale's declining performance, but it also has to offer the brand a launch pad for eagerly awaited future models These include the new-generation Stelvio, scheduled for 2025, and the Giulia in 2026.
It will be interesting to keep a close eye on registration figures for the last quarter of 2024. If Junior succeeds in his gamble, he could well salvage a complicated year for the brand and secure its future in an increasingly competitive market. As a reminder, Alfa Romeo CEO's 2024 target is to do better than 2019That's over 80,000 units. With only a few months left to achieve this goal, we're going to need a lot of prospects and leads!
As the owner of a 280 hp Tonale rechargeable hybrid, after a Giulia Estrema, Stelvio and Giulia, the problem is that showrooms are non-existent and communication is non-existent. When will you see a TV ad for a Tonale, Stelvio or Giulia?
The Junior has just been released, never seen an ad before!
Ciao come ti trovi con la Tonale Plug-in? Grazie
It's true that few dealerships open their doors and advertise for Fiat and jeep.
These figures are shameful, miserable. When we produced in Italy, the figures were much higher, the cars were better made, cheaper and more beautiful! And the workers were better paid than they are now! Che disastro!
Erm the stelvio. Giulia and tonale are all made in Italy.
Let's not forget that the Giulietta sold 60,000 units a year throughout its entire commercial life. And they're wondering which model to bring out to boost sales...
Tonale sales are already stagnating. The Giulia and Stelvio are great, but the malus has become too high (why didn't they make hybrid models?).
The Alfa Romeo Junior is good, but the choice of powertrains is too limited: two electric models (including the 280hp Veloce, which will not be available until early 2025) and a PureTech hybrid. If we can't go electric for practical reasons (notably the lack of charging stations in buildings), for the time being we'll give it up (the hybrid model with the PureTech is totally out of the question).
If I wanted to buy a car tomorrow, I'd have to look at other brands.
The Tonale was split between concept and production. They wanted to move away from sportiness and make a typical utility/family vehicle, which was a big mistake because the rest of the market is in this segment... They were robbed of the limelight by the Formentor.
Junior will need lots of leads, prospects and marketing...
A nice Stellantis with a very aggressive introductory offer: 250€ per month/20000km/2 years for a 136hp hybrida!!!😁
As for the rest, not much from Alfa, but the target is clearly non-Alfis!
As for the advert, which is very well produced, it's a good laugh!
Good luck to this new model and to the brand. Despite everything, we wish it greater success than the Tonale! 🙄
It's not easy being part of STELLANTIS these days! 😬
Editor's note: remember SAAB at GM back in the day!
The problem is that the new models must not be based on Peugeot, the Stelvio and the giula are independent of stellantis.
Apart from recounting ridiculous figures and seeing brands like Alfa and Maseratti go down in flames, what concrete solutions does Stellantis propose? What's the strategy?
I suggest doing an article on Montezemolo's fury and his outburst in Italy: Montezemolo, che bordate a Stellantis: "In Italia non c'è più nulla, operai umiliati. C'è da indignarsi, ma sento un silenzio assordante".
"L'Italia non ha più una produzione di automobili. Fiat non c'è più, Maserati non c'è quasi più e così Lancia e Magneti Marelli e Comau. Il marchio Lancia si produce ancora ma all'estero, forse in Spagna, sicuramente non più nel nostro Paese. Persino la Fiat Seicento, simbolo della nostra industria nel dopoguerra è prodotta in Polonia, mentre - bombarda intervenendo alla mostra dedicata a Vincenzo Lancia - i nostri stabilimenti sono vuoti e gli operai vengono umiliati dalla cassa integrazione. Ci sarebbe da indignarsi, ma sento solo un silenzio assordante".Per questo spalanca le porte a investitori esteri, rompendo il tabù dell'ex Fiat come unico costruttore nel nostro Paese: "Dobbiamo attrarre investitori: dall'Europa, dall'America e anche dalla Cina. Non possiamo lasciar morire tutte quelle aziende di componentistica auto che hanno fatto avanzare il Paese". You can't imagine what's happening in Italy, it's shameful!
Hello I have a small suggestion I think you make a lot of large models at exorbitant prices because we are still in crisis they have no money to buy models at 30 40 miles you forgot the small cars it works very well should continue
I would assume that current Peugeot owners who need to upgrade will now move over to the new Peugeot branded as an Alfa Romeo in line with Stellantis "premium" guise for creating premium Peugeot's - I wonder how Stellantis will go about using the Alfa Romeo brand (name) now that DS has stated that they will be withdrawing from the SUV market, the Alfa Romeo name to become linked to SUV only market selling them as, and I quote "new sports compact car, which redefines the concept of modern sportiness" - what a joke!!!! In respect to sales figures, the country I reside in, South Africa, Stellantis dealers do not have Alfa Romeo's on their dealership floors, but are branded as Alfa Romeo, plus, if Stellantis sells 1 Alfa Romeo a month they are very lucky - what a shame!!!!
On M6 Turbo this Sunday, Tavares was in the spotlight as the main theme of the show. A veritable communications plan to restore Stellantis' reputation and try to reverse the image of the European-style GM Cost Killer! Yeah, not convinced, even if the man is undeniably intelligent.
Otherwise, let's give this rationally-designed Junior a chance, contrary to what the advert currently showing on our screens would have us believe. As far as I'm concerned, if the hybrid version wasn't equipped with :
- of the ex-Puretech, which is a priori reliable 🤔,
- front facade, which gives it a false air of
Renault Capture,
- too dark an interior (the only possible setting!)
- of hard plastics on the dashboard!
- and other pettiness...
I might have been tempted! 🙄
It's a pity, because from certain angles, it's not bad at all, especially in the black version and without the Matrix LED lights.
🤞
The Tonale remains the last chance to drive FCA powertrains, as the Giulia and Stelvio are too badly damaged. It's a shame to see so few of them! It's rather pretty, and seems reliable.
As for the Junior, with the puretech it's off to a bad start... Maybe it has a chance in electric.
I'm waiting for the Fiat 600 hybrid 136 hp at 31,150 euros in comparison to see.
They need a new CEO, one who can actually change the stagnate decisions. First every Dodge, Plymouth dealer should be selling Alfa Romeo as a high end, along with the standard American cars. That would increase sales 100%, for Alfa Romeo. Most people won't drive to see a car that is 200 miles away much less buy one then have to drive that distance for service. That alone will give you advertising for Alfa to majority of population, right now they don't even know it exists.