Alfa Romeo Is Working On A Special Car. What Is It?

110. That’s how many new and updated cars Stellantis plans to launch between now and the end of 2030. Alfa Romeo’s lineup is bound to go through some changes during that time, although there’s still no word on the next-generation Giulia and Stelvio. The current models are expected to stick around for a few more years while development teams re-engineer their successors to accommodate combustion engines.

But while the Giulia and Stelvio remain unchanged for a while, Alfa Romeo is developing a new compact crossover. Strangely, it’s not a replacement for the Tonale but rather another model set to sit alongside it. The Italian brand hasn’t said how it’ll differ from the Tonale, but it’s clear Stellantis is chasing volume with this product.

Thankfully, enthusiasts won’t be ignored. A specialty model as part of the “Bottega Fuoriserie” project is in the works. Announced last November, it’s a joint initiative by Alfa Romeo and Maserati to bring few-offs to market. What to expect? Something along the lines of the 33 Stradale and the MCXtrema. These custom-built models are touted as “high-emotion vehicles that push the boundaries.”

Alfa Romeo And Maserati Are Working Together

Alfa Romeo and Maserati will design, develop, and build these cars together in Italy for only a handful of deep-pocketed buyers. If the upcoming model is anything like the 33 Stradale and MCXtrema, it’ll cost seven figures. However, it’s too soon to say whether this will be another fully fledged supercar or something less extreme. An SUV or something to that effect would undermine what the Bottega Fuoriserie concept stands for: ultra-special cars for the very few.

Curiously, Alfa Romeo still lists the 33 Stradale as one of its current models even though the mid-engined beauty sold out roughly three years ago. Hopefully, the low-volume special car will serve as a successor in one way or another. We still remember teasers of the reborn 8C and GTV from the late 2010s, but those cars have long since been canceled.

If the rumor mill is accurate, the mysterious model could be something else entirely. Reports from Italy allege Alfa Romeo is working on a modern take on the Spider Duetto based on the MC20 Cielo. Whatever the case, it’s going to be rare and expensive, much like the 33 Stradale before it.

Motor1’s Take: While it’s exciting to see a new special Alfa Romeo in the works, the product roadmap is rather underwhelming. The fact there’s no mention of a new Giulia means the already 11-year-old car will soldier on. The same holds true for its SUV sibling, which turns 10 this year.

You’ll remember Alfa Romeo actually teased the next-generation Stelvio more than a year ago but has since delayed the model’s launch. It was originally destined to be sold exclusively as an EV before the Italians changed course and abandoned plans to go EV-only by 2027. Combustion engines will continue for years to come, but reworking the next-generation Giulia and Stelvio to support ICE powertrains can’t be done overnight.