The History of Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio will take an unexpected turn, to say the least. As both models slowly approach the end of their production runs, their manufacturing process is set to move from its current assembly line in Cassino to a much more artisanal approach—one that echoes Ferrari’s philosophy in Maranello.
There was a time when the Cassino plant had to focus above all on producing cars quickly. During the Italian plant’s heyday, up to 400 cars could roll off the line in a single shift. The priority back then was maintaining the assembly line’s pace, even if it meant having to rework vehicles later that required minor adjustments. Those days now seem long gone. Stellantis is planning a major reorganization of the Piedimonte San Germano plant: the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio will be leaving the Building 2 to join the Building 0, using a radically different manufacturing method.
Fewer cars, much more manual labor
In this new space, there will be no more scrolling through the Alfa Romeo at the pace of a traditional production line. Production rates will be slowed down, more tasks will be performed manually, and workers will have more time to work on each car.
According to the Italian media outlet AlessioPorcu.it, According to the source of this information, the employees involved must also undergo training to adapt to these new methods. The approach thus resembles that of small-batch luxury production: lower volume and greater attention paid to each vehicle. This philosophy is reminiscent of the one practiced at Ferrari in Maranello. It lends a special character to the latest Giulia and Stelvio models of this generation. Production is set to continue through the end of 2027, pending their replacements.
Behind the comparison with Ferrari lies a much less glamorous reality
However, it would be misleading to view this transformation as merely an effort to make the Giulia and Stelvio even more exclusive. If Cassino can afford to abandon the high-volume production model, it is primarily because sales volumes have plummeted.
In 2017, the plant produced 135,263 cars. In 2025, it assembled only 19,364, a drop of 85.7 %. And the first half of 2026 did not reverse the trend: only 6,700 vehicles rolled off the assembly line in Cassino, including 4,125 Giulia and Stelvio models and 2,575 Maserati Grecale models.
As of July 22, 2026, the plant had operated for only 45 days out of 203 calendar days, producing approximately 7,000 cars. In addition, more than 500 employees were subject to solidarity contracts (a form of partial unemployment) that reduced their working hours. The almost artisanal manufacturing of the Giulia and Stelvio thus appears to be as much an industrial choice as it is an adaptation to production levels that have become very low.
Meanwhile, the Building 2 must be vacated to make room for more Maseratis. The specific models involved have yet to be confirmed. For the Giulia and Stelvio, however, the end of their production run promises to be unique: after years of assembly-line production, the last Alfa Romeos of this generation will soon be assembled almost like luxury cars.
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It’s depressing to think about how they let these two masterpieces fall by the wayside. Insignificant updates, the removal of customization and engine options, and marketing and after-sales services on par with Dacia—not even close to a premium brand.
No wonder sales began to plummet after 2018.
I completely agree.
I was wrong about the comparison with Dacia.
Stellantis is in a league of its own when it comes to after-sales services and brand management.
They're at the very bottom.
It just seems to me like yet another trite excuse to shut down production lines and phase out certain models—all while «leasing» the factory space to a potential Chinese partner.
How can the best sports sedan on the market and the best SUV in its class sell so poorly?
It makes you wonder: should we make excellent cars, or should we make ordinary, uninteresting cars to boost sales?
Or maybe drivers are just looking for something new and don't care about the quality of the cars.
I’m not sure it’s the quality of the cars—but I’m definitely looking for something that Alfa Romeo isn’t offering. Huge screens. Angular, futuristic design. Overt «luxury.».
Similarly, Alfa Romeo continues to be a tough sell to customers. There are reliability concerns—whether justified or not. Customer service is poor for a premium brand. And a product that still drives brilliantly but isn’t competitive in terms of features and equipment for some buyers. Had Alfa gone all out to fix these issues—particularly brand perception and the customer experience—it could have been a very different story.
The Stelvio is the sportiest model in its lineup. It has phenomenal handling. It’s comparable to the Macan (and, in my opinion, safer). A top-notch car. My next car will be another Stelvio.
A nice little screen and old-school riding—but instead of those cheap big screens…
Easy. I have a 12.20 Stelvio with 110,000 km on it, and the engine broke down (just like it did for so many others). .
It would be nice if Alfa Romeo also offered a wide variety of options, similar to Ferrari and Maserati. Like more colors to choose from—for both the exterior and the interior. For example, a dark brown Q with a tan interior.
They've come up with something new again at Stellantis: how can we ruin these wonderful brands as quickly as possible?
And they’re still acting like they’re doing great and know better than the rest of the car brands—well, this is doomed to fail too. In five years, Stellantis won’t exist anymore, and they’ll have ruined the whole thing—yet they’ll keep acting all arrogant, What a worthless mess that is.
Never buy a car there—it's a disaster there.
It looks like the inevitable end is coming for these «Magnificent Cars»
Splendor and misery, when you guide us!!! «
The real problem is that, in the post-Marchionne era, Stellantis was entrusted to people who think only of profit,Allowing themselves to be overwhelmed by criticism over serious issues with the Stelvio and Giulia has led to a car that was supposed to be a best-seller being rejected by consumers because it was riddled with problems. Instead of issuing recalls, the company preferred to make customers pay, that’s why sales have dropped; until they respect the Alfa Romeo name and give it its rightful value, it will be seen as a subpar product that costs a fortune. P.S. I own a Stelvio 2.2 diesel 190 hp and have had every problem except for engine failure—let’s hope that never happens.
The real problem is that Alfa Romeo has become so much like Marchionne.
I have an Alfa Romeo Mito...
It's fantastic... It's humiliating to know that we were at the top in Italy with FIAT, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia...
They had the audacity—not to mention the horrendous audacity—to ruin the beauty, prestige, and long history of “Made in Italy.”.
I'd like to see it pass into the hands of an entrepreneur who knows how to cherish and elevate the FIAT Group... without any French people or unscrupulous individuals... just an Alfa Romeo fan's thought...
In five years, Stellantis will still be around, and customers will continue to buy their cars.
Alfa Romeo’s problem isn’t a recent one; it stems from poor decisions made by FCA over the years, including the marketing mistake of launching the Giulia in only a sedan version when it should have been offered as a station wagon to broaden the selection for European customers, the Giulietta should have had a replacement, which didn’t happen, and the Tonale was launched too late. .
Stellantis has launched the Junior, which looks more like a PSA product and bears no resemblance to an Alfa.
«In five years, Stellantis will still be around, and customers will continue to buy their cars.»
I wouldn't bet on it too much. It looks more like a fire sale.
«Alfa Romeo's problems didn't just start today; they stem from poor decisions made by FCA over the years.»
At some point, we have to put an end to the decisions made by FCA. Today, the group no longer exists and has become Stellantis following the merger with PSA; we had Tavares at the helm of product management… and the problems persisted.
Today, I’d say that Stellantis is really just a merger of two lame ducks, and the children of this merger are bearing the brunt of it.
TAVARES mishandled Alfa’s relaunch; the Giulia/Stelvio Phase 2 should have been developed as a hybrid, which did not happen, even though production is scheduled to continue through 2027; its replacement was planned to be exclusively electric with no other versions—this was a major business mistake by the executives at the time, and now Filosa must make up for all those mistakes; he can’t afford to mess up on the future compact SUV.
I've owned a 210cv Stelvio Q4 since 2020. I never wanted to listen to the various complaints people were making, but I now realize that I should have at least given them a listen.
It could have been a great car overall if the Alfa Romeo team had gradually resolved its issues, especially by listening to the complaints of Alfa customers at the dealership.
No, there was no intention to do so, just as there was no intention to offer alternative gasoline-electric models.
I've driven a Stelvio before. 2L gas (so not a hybrid). In short, nothing to write home about. Average comfort (you can really hear the engine), outdated features (not even ventilated seats or a 360° camera), and with the all-black interior, it’s as gloomy as a Toyota. So yes, the engine packs a punch, and the chassis handles corners like a Peugeot. But ultimately, for everyday use, it gets over 9 liters per 100 kilometers and has a huge turning radius. Compared to many other 4.70-meter SUVs, what’s better overall?
I’ve driven the Stelvio before… and then comes nothing but Alfa bashing. I haven’t just driven it once—I’ve been driving the Stelvio since 2017; the interior was beige, by the way…Huge turning radius… no, aside from the super-responsive, precise steering, other models feel like small trucks in comparison… Comparing the suspension to a Peugeot just adds insult to injury. Of course, certain features, etc., could be even better, but what car is perfect anyway? I haven’t had any problems or unplanned trips to the shop in the past 9 years (First Edition, 280 PS)! My dealer is still in business, too… there aren’t only bad things to say from non-Alfa owners!