What better place than the retromobile show to pay homage to its past… while preparing for its future. It was during the vintage car show that we were able to chat with Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of Alfa Romeo, about his vision for the future of the Italian brand.
A brand that seems to be moving on after years of lean times to sink to a record low in 2021 of just 26,000 sales worldwide. A figure already exceeded only at European level and during the first 11 months of last year.
In France, Alfa Romeo was pleased in early January to return to the top 10 premium brands in 2022 with just over 3,000 sales, or double the previous year’s total. results driven by his new SUV, the Tonale, which this year will have a 280 horsepower plug-in hybrid engine, in addition to the 130 and 160 horsepower mild hybrid and 130 horsepower diesel versions that are already in the catalogue. Enough to show some confidence for the next few years, marked by the end of thermal power and the great shift towards electric power.
BFM Business: How do you plan to take advantage of Alfa Romeo’s history to further develop sales?
Jean-Philippe Imparato – Alfa Romeo without its DNA, it doesn’t work. All the designers who come to us do an internship at the Arese museum, where you see all the beauties launched since 1910. When we do the Alfa Romeo product plan, that is to say the 10-year strategic plan, with one launch per year from 2022/2023, we have a systematic link to history, especially in terms of design.
Alfa Romeo joined the premium division last year with DS and soon Lancia, what are the differences with these internal competitors within the Stellantis group?
They are not competitors, they are friends. But the positions are very clear: DS, French luxury, Lancia Italian elegance and I Alfa, is Italy, red and sporty. It is very clear in everyone’s mind, we work together to verify that all the developments carried out around this premium division obviously serve billing, but also respect for the DNA of each brand. Every two or three months we meet in the style rooms to verify that the design orientations of each one do not put us in a position to do the same.
How do you approach the end of combustion and the transition to electricity?
Without electrical transition, a brand today is dead. At Alfa we decided to tell ourselves that we are going frankly: in 2027 we will sell 100% electric vehicles, between 350 and 800 horsepower. A Quadrifoglio (the sports brand celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, editor’s note), will have 1000 horsepower. It recharges in 18 minutes. And when he sells you an electric car, it will be an electric substitute for the thermal offer: you will do with electric what you do today with your gasoline car, that is very clear to me.
Obviously, at some point the thermal vehicles will stop, and we will continue to be lovers of our splendid V6 engine. We have a few surprises for fans of the brand, prepare your checkbooks, with a good time for collectors, we will talk about it in June-July, a priori on the occasion of Le Mans Classic.
Source: BFM TV
