Alexandre
The Alfa Romeo Tonale, the C-SUV to boost sales volume for the Italian brand Alfa Romeo, expands its engine offering in the United States. Until now, the Tonale has been available in Europe with two engine options: a 160 hp 1.5L MHEV and a 280 hp 1.3L PHEV plug-in hybrid. On the other side of the Atlantic, however, the situation was quite different. In the U.S., the Tonale was offered only as a 1.3L PHEV with 285 hp..
But that's all in the past now that the Italian C-SUV can now be configured with the 268 hp 2.0L GME petrol engineThis popular block is also found in the brand's iconic Giulia and Stelvio models. This new option probably comes in response to a significant drop in Tonale production in 2024which fell by 55 %. Demand for this model has obviously prompted Alfa Romeo to diversify its engines to meet the expectations of American customers.
The option of the 2.0L GME, which propels the Tonale to 268 hp, comes with an attractive price tag. Starting at 36,000 $, this is 8,000 $ less than the 1.3L PHEV plug-in hybrid version, which will start at 44,000 $ in 2024. Admittedly, this version remains more expensive than its direct cousin, the Dodge Hornet, which offers a 265 hp 2.0L engine for a starting price of 31,500 $. However, given the choice between a car made in Italy, with production shared between Alfa Romeo and Dodge in the same Italian plant, we might as well opt for the Alfa Romeo Tonale, right?
This configuration could well boost Tonale sales in the United States.Italy, the brand's second-largest buyer, by appealing to those looking for a combustion engine option with good performance, but at a competitive price. This also raises a question for Europeans: why isn't this engine available on the European market? Surely it's just another CO2 emissions issue that only concerns the old continent.
All in all, although the Tonale 2.0L is still a little more expensive than the Dodge Hornet, it embodies an attractive proposition with its 268 hp petrol engine and distinctive Alfa Romeo design. Perhaps this will boost sales of the C-SUV in the United States.
Expanding the Tonale's engine range was essential, and Alfa Romeo finally understood this, especially with the Dodge Hornet, which offered the 2.0 GME engine.
But it would be surprising to see the Tonale with this engine in some European countries, given the CO2 emissions and consequent malus (especially in France, which make sales of the Giulia and Stelvio very difficult).
Das würde auch den Verkauf in Europa ankurbeln, darum auch hier anbieten, vor allem zu attraktiven Preisen.
I wanted to replace my A3 Tdi and my old bmw 320i with the tonale as it's the only recent car that I find stylish. When I saw the engines, I thought I'd save some money by keeping my two old ones, which aren't too miley after all. Ecology or the group's will...
A big thank you keep your pans senses souls
You did indeed ask the right question at the end! To tell the truth, you'd have to be a Martian to understand the logic behind Stellantis' product policy!
Everything is done in spite of common sense! The Tonale, of which I am a proud owner, suffers from too few engines. I'm not sure that the ecological argument was the reason for the absence of this engine, but rather, from my point of view, the search for productive simplification.
A new wind is blowing through the group, and curiously enough, since Tavares' departure, initiatives have been pouring in.
It's hard to overstate just how detrimental this man was to the group. Management of terror, fixed ideas about everything and, in the end, a group that plunged!
Ottima mossa!!
Let's hope the Tonale is offered in Europe with this engine. A slightly sportier version would find buyers. As proof, the cupra formentor sells well. For the moment, the engines on offer don't make you dream.....