Alfa Romeo has confirmed that its next new model - a compact crossover which will be available as a fully-electric car - will be called the Milano. That reverses months of speculation that the car would be called the Brennero.
Home town name
That name would have put the car in line with the larger Stelvio SUV, in being named for a famous Italian Alpine road with racing heritage, but Milano has even stronger traditional connotations. It is, of course, the Italian for Milan and the home town of Alfa Romeo. In fact, originally the company's full and correct name was Alfa Romeo Milano.
Indeed, the Alfa Romeo badge, since 1910, has actually included the coat of arms of Milan - the cross on the left of the badge is the historical symbol of the capital of Lombardy, and the Biscione serpent, the green man-eating snake on the right, is the coat of arms of the noble Visconti family and one of the city's most iconic emblems.
We don't know anything official about the Milano as yet, but we can make an educated guess that it will be based on the same Stellantis Group electric platform as the Jeep Avenger, Peugeot 2008, and Opel Mokka. If correct, that will mean a 156hp electric motor driving the front wheels, with a 54kWh (51kWh net) battery giving a range of around 400km on a full charge. It would also mean that the Milano will be available as a 1.2-litre petrol hybrid too, something that Alfa seems to have confirmed by saying that the new Milano will "also be available in a 100 per cent electric version."
"With the arrival of Milano in 2024, Alfa Romeo completes a line-up capable of meeting the desires of all our enthusiasts and much more. Milano is intended as a symbolic 'welcome back' to all our Alfisti fans. As owners of the Giulietta and Mito, they have been waiting to confirm their love for Alfa Romeo. It also serves as a 'welcome' to anyone looking for a unique sporting experience in this segment and the distinctive beauty of Italian design" said Alfa's CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato. "Milano is the first milestone in the brand's transition process to electric and, like the Tonale, has the important task of further strengthening Alfa Romeo's global presence."
Fully-electric brand
The Milano is a cornerstone of Imparato's plan to turn Alfa around, making it both profitable and full-electric. The first strand of that has already been achieved - Alfa actually ducked back into the black in the second half of 2021.
Since then, we've seen the launch of the Tonale SUV in both mild-hybrid and plug-in hybrid forms, as well as major updates for the Giulia saloon and Stelvio SUV. This year, as Imparato put it, saw Alfa "returning to the world of 'custom-built cars,' with the 33 Stradale", a dramatic two-seat mid-engined supercar powered by a choice of V6 turbo or fully-electric powertrains.
Next up, following the Milano which launches in 2024, will be Alfa's first EV-only model, which is likely to be a replacement for the Giulia, set to go on sale in 2025, with one-charge ranges of better than 700km. By 2027, Imparato wants Alfa to be an entirely electric brand.
Sales growing rapidly
The race to electric has gone hand-in-hand with improvements in quality. Alfa stunned everyone, it's fair to say, by finishing first among the premium brands in the J.D. Power Sales Satisfaction Index, rising nine positions in the rankings and obtaining 25 points more than in 2021, the sharpest improvement in the premium segment. One year later, Alfa Romeo took the top step on the podium in the overall rankings of premium brands and third place in the entire industry, according to the J.D. Power U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS). It rose by 24 places, the largest growth recorded in the IQS research into the industry.
So far in 2023, Alfa's sales have grown by 32 per cent globally and by 53 per cent across Europe. Will the new Milano trigger even greater growth for this most historic of Italian brands? We shall see later in 2024.