Alfa Tonale SUV delayed until next year

Alfa Romeo has become as noted for letting the grass grow under its feet as it has for competing with the Germans via Italian style.

It’s no surprise then that sources now say it’s not rushing the wonderful looking Alfa Romeo Tonale small SUV into market until next year – a year later than it previously planned.

In a premium compact SUV market dominated by cars like the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and the Mercedes-Benz GLA, the promise of the Tonale sparked new interest in the brand, but potential buyers will have to wait.

It’s a desperately needed car for a brand under pressure to earn investment from its new PSA Group owners. The five-model Alfa Romeo range was outsold in Europe last year by Lancia, which is only sold in Italy and sells just one model – a female-focused hatch.

FCA’s Europe, Middle East and Asia head, Pietro Gorlier, revealed the future of the Tonale at a presentation to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Fiat Panda.

Revealed in concept form at the 2019 Geneva motor show, the Tonale was to be the first new production car to emerge under Alfa Romeo’s latest industrial plan but will not be ready this year, Gorlier confirmed.

"The new Alfa Romeo Tonale will go into production here in Pomigliano in the second half of 2021,” Gorlier said.

“Here the renovation works have already started to accommodate production starting with the painting department, for investments of about one billion euros out of the five planned in Italy."

The plan for the plant near Naples also calls for the Panda production line to be renewed to cope with November’s planned restyling of Italy’s beloved baby car, which now includes a hybrid.

"Overall, between the Panda Hybrid and the Alfa Romeo C-SUV, the investment for Pomigliano amounts to over a billion euros. And in fact today we not only celebrate the excellence of Panda Hybrid technology but also the first important investments we have made and are continuing to make for the new Alfa Romeo model," said Gorlier.

The production version of the Tonale won’t be ready until the 2021 Geneva motor show next March – if the struggling show is even held next year, following its cancellation in 2020.

That will see Alfa Romeo absent from the entire C-segment (small-vehicle) market, given the Giulietta is slated to end production this year, leaving the Giulia as the entry-level Alfa.

Alfa revealed facelifted versions of both the mid-size Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV last November, but neither model will be released in Australia until current stocks are exhausted.

The future remains unclear for a smaller-still baby Alfa SUV previously scheduled for 2022, following the axing of plans for a large SUV and born-again GTV and 8C sports cars last year.

Instead of a new Alfa Romeo, sources say the Cassino plant will instead soon start upgrading to build Maserati’s new mid-size SUV.