Alfa Romeo Refuses to Change its Style Through Electrification

Future Alfas will not look electric just because they are electric

Alfa Romeo is one of the oldest Italian carmakers, with a handful of impressive cars in its lineup. However, the most remarkable thing about modern-day Alfas is that they have evolved in performance and design while retaining the brand’s core elements. The man behind Alfa’s styling, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, believes that “electrification changes the way the car moves, but the character, the style, the values will remain.”

Alfa’s newest design boss thinks that the different design for EVs makes them look distinct compared to the regular ICE-powered cars, and it has worked for companies like BMW because they are one of the early birds in the transition. BMW had been seeking electrification for a long time with the introduction of the i3 mini hatchback in 2013.

Alejandro also believes that by the time every carmaker adopts electrification, there will be no need to say, ‘hey, hello, I’m electric, look at me.’ He added further that “the only thing that changes is the source of power, but the rest of the values of the car don’t change. To me, it’s important that it’s Alfa Romeo, whether it’s electric or not.”

EVs with a ’wow’ factor

Whether electrified or not, Alfa Romeo wants its cars to have the ‘wow’ effect and the sporty character it has sustained even after decades. Alfa Romeo’s design boss stated that “we are very much inspired by the human body for this athletic spirit, so we are talking about muscles, build line, face, everything has to breathe humanity. An Alfa Romeo cannot be robotic. It has to be related to humans. The surfaces, they have to appeal to the senses, so that whenever you see an Alfa Romeo you want to touch it to confirm with your hands what your eyes are looking at.”

Alfa Romeo’s first EV will launch in 2024, followed by the all-electric second-generation Giulia sedan, which is expected to be more potent than the existing one. However, the Stellantis-owned brand seems to be confident about the significant challenges regarding the adoption of EVs. Therefore, the brand will continue to evoke feelings and the core principles that define an Alfa Romeo.

Source: TopGear