Alfa Romeo Junior

‘Passione’ and great design

The Alfa Romeo Junior was launched in Milan on April 10 as Alfa Romeo Milano, but just six days later the manufacturer renamed it Junior. Adolfo Urso, the minister of economic development of the Italian government, backed out of the law from 2003, according to which a product with an "Italian-sounding name" cannot be produced outside Italy. The new name: Junior.

This is not the first car with this name at Alfa Romeo, as it refers to the GT 1300 Junior model from 1966. It is a compact crossover, replacing the Mito and Giulietta types. At the same time, it should become a clear symbol of the determination of the management of the Stellantis to preserve the bright future of the Alfa Romeo brand.

As part of the rationalization of production, Alfa Romeo Junior is based on the eCMP2 platform from the workshops of the French part of the concern. From the outside, an observant viewer will be indicated by the front number plate located in the middle (not on the side) and inside the levers under the steering wheel, as well as some buttons on the steering wheel or center console, known from cars of other Stellantis brands.

 Junior is closest to the Jeep Avenger and the Fiat 600. Stylists from Milan have managed to differentiate this further adaptation of the uniform base significantly, so that at first glance the Alfa Romeo Junior really stands out with a sleek, yet extremely dynamic profile with a somewhat reduced "crest" in the center of the mask. Another original and highly practical element is the box for charging cables under the front hood, which Jeep and Fiat no longer have.

In the last Tannistest in Denmark we had at our disposal the basic Elettrica Speciale electric cars with front-wheel drive (115 kW/156 PS and 260 N.m) as well as the top-of-the-line Veloce 280 Elettrica (207 kW/280 PS and 345 N.m). These are the first ever electric cars of the Alfa Romeo brand, and it is clear that the Italian designers managed to get the most out of this platform! Thus, Junior can have the largest rims of all the siblings.

While both Jeep and Fiat 600 end at 18 inches, the "little" Alfa Romeo can wear tires up to 225/40 R20! However, the basis of the Junior is a mild hybrid petrol three-cylinder Ibrida (as in the Fiat 600, the Avenger has it without electrification), which has 100 kW/136 PS and 230 N.m. It is the Junior Ibrida that should finally become the "affordable Alfa", which the Tonale type has not yet achieved. It is an elegant, well-equipped and overall pleasant car with a spacious body, finished with a Coda Tronca "cut" rear. It's a nimble car for urban and suburban traffic with light handling and excellent visibility, best of all Alfa Romeo's famously precise steering that turns every maneuver into a pleasure, regardless of speed.

The Elettrica Speciale is slightly faster at lower speeds, and quite understandably also quieter, but the Junior Veloce is becoming a real rarity. It has a specially tuned chassis lowered by 25mm, including steeper-geared steering (14.6 vs. 15.8), special front brakes with fixed calipers and a lower overall height than the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600. It has the same battery as the Junior Elettrica Speciale, but on the open road it becomes a real beast.

Alfa Romeo Junior is produced in Poland (Tychy) and on most European markets they opened orders already in September.