450kW Alfa Romeo GTV coupe leaked

An image of what could be the all-new 2021 Alfa Romeo GTV coupe has surfaced at least a year before the BMW 4 Series rival is set to be officially unveiled.

The single pic, snapped at a recent FCA meeting and posted by Italian enthusiast site

Loosely matching the look of the Alfa Romeo GTV partially seen in the official shadowy teaser image released last year, the new rendering suggests the highly anticipated new Italian coupe will possess the kind of exotic styling normally reserved for FCA's Maserati brand.

Set to be based on the same Giorgio platform that underpins the current Giulia sedan, the reborn Alfa GTV will come with a plug-in powertrain that, in the flagship GTV Quadrifoglio version, combines a twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 and an electric motor to produce about 450kW.

Featuring all-wheel drive, this should see the hybrid GTV hit 100km/h in around 3.5 seconds.

Ensuring it has the potential to beat BMW's M4, Alfa engineers are aiming to preserve the sedan's 50:50 weight distribution for the coupe and developing an advanced torque vectoring system that helps maximise traction and boost agility.

Inside, the GTV will have enough room for four adults within an interior that should feature design and material quality advances to justify a far higher price than the Giulia.

Although the born-again Alfa Romeo GTV was one of the highlights of FCA's most recently published five-year business plan (2018-2022), it wasn't listed in the company's latest roadmap for its Italian factories.

Sadly, therefore, it's unlikely to be revealed before the 2021 Geneva motor show, before deliveries begin in 2022.

As well as the sporty GTV coupe, the famous Italian car-maker is  readying a long-wheelbase version of the Giulia and Stelvio SUV, plus the new small SUV previewed by the Tonale concept at this year's Geneva show.

Later on a larger SUV and the flagship 8C supercar will join Alfa's global model range.