JAKARTA - Car manufacturer Stellantis on Tuesday, February 8 launched its new Alfa Romeo Tonale compact sports vehicle (SUV). With this product, the Italian automaker aims to expand the premium market and add electric and interconnected vehicles to its range.
The new model will compete in a segment populated by some of Europe's most popular premium cars such as the BMW X1, Mercedes GLA and Volkswagen's Audi Q3.
The world's fourth-largest automaker plans to spend more than 30 billion euros by 2025 to electrify its vehicle lineup and upgrade its software content to catch up with competitors, including Tesla.
Tonale includes the Amazon Alexa voice assistant feature as a built-in feature. Owners will be able to select their car as the place of delivery, allowing the courier to safely unlock the door and leave the package in the vehicle.
"This marks a step towards our group being a technology company," said head of the brand, Jean-Philippe Imparato during a web presentation.
The new Tonale, to be built at Italy's Pomigliano plant near Naples, is Alfa Romeo's first electric vehicle and is initially offered in a mild hybrid model as well as a diesel engine model. A plug-in hybrid version, with an electric range of up to 80 kilometers, will arrive later this year.
Imparato did not provide details on when an all-electric version of the car would be released. Sales prices are expected to be announced before orders open next April.
Some analysts say the Alfa Romeo brand could be part of Stellantis' strategy in China, the world's largest auto market today. In that country they lag far behind most competitors.
Imparato has promised the release of a new model for Alfa Romeo every year until 2026, starting with the 2022 Tonale. This should include a smaller sized SUV, expected to be built in Poland. Read more
"Starting 2027, all new Alfa Romeo vehicles will be all-electric," he said.
Stellantis was formed last year through the merger of Fiat Chrysler and Peugeot maker PSA, and is home to 14 brands, including the best-selling Jeep, DS and Lancia in the premium segment and Maserati in the luxury segment.
The new Alfa Romeo Tonale is based on the previous Fiat Chrysler architecture, while the first Stellantis models built on the new shared platform are expected to start next year.
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