Alfa Romeo revises power output of electric Junior

Back in April when launching the Junior crossover, Italian brand Alfa Romeo announced hybrids and a pair of full-electric models — a base model outputting 116kW and the Elettrica Veloce model with 178kW. At the time it had not fully completed development of the Veloce.

The Italian brand said the development is complete and the flagship battery-electric vehicle (BEV) model now outputs 207kW and 345Nm.

The company also said when crafting the Junior BEV it tapped into the expertise of the engineering team responsible for creating the brand’s modern sporting hits such as the 4C, 8C, Giulia GTA and 33 Stradale.

Aims include maximum performance and road handling, and the most direct and precise steering in the segment, according to Alfa Romeo. It also features a Torsen differential and sports suspension lowered by 25mm, sportier front and rear anti-roll bars and a braking system with front discs measuring more than 380mm, with four-piston monobloc calipers shrouded by 20-inch alloy wheels.

The car is being developed at Alfa Romeo’s Balocco proving grounds in Italy. The company has since 1962 used the track to develop its performance models in privacy, and the entire route of more than 20km has never been made available to external drivers who are not members of the Alfa Romeo development team.

For the first time the international press will be allowed access to the entire configuration where the “Alfa Corse” team has tested and fine-tuned racing cars that competed in international motor racing, including Formula 1 and DTM.

Bungles

This is the second bungle in the journey of the sexy little crossover. Initially, the company settled on the Alfa Romeo “Milano” name for its new “Bambino”, but a day after its global debut, the Stellantis brand changed its name to “Junior”. This after Italy’s government criticised the choice of an Italian name for a vehicle made in Poland.

Italy’s industry minister Adolfo Urso said the name violated an Italian law that targets “Italian-sounding products that falsely claim to be Italian”.

“Though we think the ‘Milano’ name met all legal requirements, we took the decision to change it to ‘Junior’ to ease relations with the Italian government.” 

“Milano was meant to be a tribute to the Italian city where Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910. The Junior name also references the Italian brand’s history as it evokes one of its successful models from the 1960s,” Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato said after the row.