Alfa Romeo’s striking concept heads for production — but as another SUV
Alfa Romeo’s striking Cuorerosso concept will not enter production, but its design will live on in an SUV instead. The Italian carmaker’s chief, Santo Ficili, confirmed that a new model at the upper end of the C-segment will reach the market in early 2028, with styling that makes the Cuorerosso’s influence immediately recognisable. Alfa Romeo is also preparing a possible successor to the Giulietta and considering the future of its larger models.
An SUV instead of a sports coupé
The 4.7-metre-long Cuorerosso, unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, showcased Alfa Romeo’s new design direction. The low-slung four-seat coupé, rear-hinged doors and 2.9-litre V6 hybrid powertrain raised hopes that the Italian marque was preparing a new Giulia or a luxury sports car.
The reality is considerably more pragmatic. In an interview with British publication Auto Express, Alfa Romeo CEO Santo Ficili confirmed that the Cuorerosso’s design language will first appear on a new SUV, which the company plans to unveil in early 2028.
The new model will compete with larger C-segment SUVs and can be seen as a successor to the current Tonale.
The main features carried over from the Cuorerosso to future models will be its flowing body surfaces, new front-end design and Alfa Romeo’s characteristic sporty proportions. The concept itself will remain a design showcase.
A range of powertrains will remain available
Alfa Romeo does not intend to build its entire line-up around electric cars alone. The company is developing multi-energy platforms that can accommodate hybrid and fully electric models.
As a concept car, the Cuorerosso uses a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine, hybrid technology and Q4 all-wheel drive. That does not, however, mean the same powertrain will feature in the 2028 SUV.
The manufacturer has not disclosed the new model’s engines, power output or battery specifications. Alfa Romeo does, however, want to continue offering Quadrifoglio performance versions.
This strategy gives the marque more room to manoeuvre in the European market. Alongside demand for electric cars, buyers of hybrid models remain an important group, particularly among more expensive and more powerful vehicles.
A Giulietta successor could also mark a return
The new SUV is not Alfa Romeo’s only plan for the future. According to Ficili, the company is also preparing a sportier compact hatchback that would compete with the Volkswagen Golf and BMW 1 Series.
In essence, this would mean continuing the Giulietta’s legacy. The model went out of production in 2020, and Alfa Romeo has yet to offer a direct successor.
The manufacturer is also considering renewing its D-segment line-up, which could mean a new Stelvio. The company has not yet confirmed a specific timetable or technical details.
Alfa Romeo must find its place alongside BMW and Audi
In the European market, the new SUV will compete primarily with the BMW X1, Audi Q3 and Mercedes-Benz GLA. In this company, striking bodywork details and a famous badge are no longer enough.
Alfa Romeo must offer a competitive range of powertrains, a high-quality interior and driving characteristics that distinguish it from other Stellantis models.
The Cuorerosso shows that Italian designers are not short of ideas. Preserving the character of a sports coupé in an SUV with a taller body and more practical proportions is considerably harder.
Alfa Romeo’s next important model will therefore not be a romantic V6 sports coupé, but an SUV that must make the Cuorerosso’s promises credible to real buyers.
