What if the future Alfa Romeo Tonale changed its name?

Today, the Alfa Romeo is based on four clearly identified models. There's the Giulia, a sedan launched in 2016, the Stelvio SUV that appeared in 2017, the Tonale that made its debut in 2022, and finally the most recent, the Junior, on the market since 2024. A quartet that, on paper, had to evolve quickly to keep pace with the brand's electric shift.

The original plan called for a major renewal in 2025, with the introduction of an all-new electric Stelvio 100 %, followed by a new generation Giulia, also electric. But the market has changed. Demand for electric models is progressing more slowly than expected, both in Europe and the United States. Faced with this reality, Alfa Romeo has had to revise its roadmap. The latest rumors point to a postponement of the future Stelvio to 2027, or even 2028. As for the Giulia, things are more vague, but a launch in 2027 now seems more likely than an arrival as early as next year.

However, the Biscione brand has no intention of leaving a gap in its product calendar. On Italpassion, we have already revealed thatAlfa Romeo was planning a surprise for 2026. New information confirms that this mystery model could well be the future Tonaleoriginally scheduled for 2027, has now been brought forward by a year.

However, this strategic choice raises an obvious question. How can we ensure the commercial success of a "new Tonale" at the end of 2026, when the current model will be launched in 2022? to be restyled in the coming weeks? This narrow gap between the facelift of the existing model and the arrival of a new generation could blur the message and complicate communication.

One solution, simple on paper, would be to change its name. After all, according to our information, the future Tonale would not simply be an improved copy-paste of the current model. It would be slightly larger, yet more compact than today's Stelvio. The next Stelvio, which has also been postponed, will gain a few more centimetres in size. As a result, this new SUV would occupy a new place in the range, between Tonale and Stelvio.

That's where a name comes into play that strikes a nostalgic chord with enthusiasts: Brera. According to some sources, the rear silhouette of this future SUV is reminiscent of that of the old Brera, the coupé that made its mark in the mid-2000s with its design by Giugiaro. Resurrecting this name for an SUV, especially at a time when Alfa Romeo is looking to expand its range, could be a clever marketing move.

We could then imagine an offer made up of the entry-level Junior, the Tonale retained in its current form, this new model renamed Brera, before finding the Giulia and Stelvio at the top of the range. A way of giving the impression of enlarging the Alfa Romeo family, while prolonging the Tonale's commercial life.

This scenario remains a hypothesis, but it is based on concrete elements and on strategic choices already observed in the automotive industry. All the more so as the return of another historic name, Alfetta, has also been mooted. However, this could be reserved for an entirely new model expected by the end of the decade, around 2029.

In the end, bringing the future Tonale forward by a year and giving it a different name would enable Alfa Romeo to avoid too rapid a replacement for its compact SUV, capitalize on an original design and revive a mythical name. This would keep customers and enthusiasts interested, while adapting to a rapidly evolving market.