Alfa Romeo hints at retro styling for new electric cars – report

Italian car-maker Alfa Romeo's upcoming electric SUV will be inspired by retro styling from the 1960s, according to a report from UK publication Autocar.

Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, the design chief at Alfa Romeo, said in a recent interview with the magazine:

“Our next-generation cars will bring back the Coda Tronca into a current design language – as a means to boost aerodynamic efficiency and range, of course, but also to give the cars a distinctive, classically Alfa Romeo design character,” said Mesonero-Romanos, according to a report by Autocar.

While the 2024 SUV – which shares its platform with the Jeep Avenger, is coming close to being revealed – Alfa Romeo's design boss remains tight-lipped about the new Italian name chosen for this vehicle. Mesonero-Romanos only hinted that it would reflect the brand's Italian heritage.

Incorporating the 'Coda Tronca' design into the next-generation Alfa Romeo cars has the potential to enhance aerodynamic efficiency and thus driving range for electric vehicles, but also includes iconic elements of the company's design heritage. R

However, Mesonero-Romanos warned Alfa Romeo must not rely too much on historic design, telling Autocar UK:

“We have to be careful how much inspiration we take from the past – as designers, a little like chefs, to mix classic ingredients into a ‘new sauce’ that today’s generation will respond to. But the Coda Tronca will be a useful ingredient for us, and you will see it on several future models.”

The 2024 compact SUV will mark the brand's entry into the electric vehicle market, though the design language will be carried forward to other models including replacements for the Giulia sedan and Stelvio large SUV in 2025, followed by an all-new crossover in 2026.

2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato one-off show at top of article. Click here to read more about that car.