This marks the end of an era for two brands that, while not volume sellers, carried a certain character and charm.  

For existing customers, however, there is some respite. Capella Auto has committed to maintaining aftersales support, including servicing, repairs, and warranty claims, until mid-2025. But once the last unit leaves the showroom, Alfa Romeo and Jeep will officially bid farewell to Singapore’s roads (at least for now).  

Over the last three years, Alfa Romeo and Jeep have struggled to gain traction, with each brand selling fewer than 25 units annually. Compare that to BMW, which registered 5,042 units in 2024 alone, and the contrast is stark.   

Capella Auto’s decision didn’t happen overnight. In December 2024, the company moved its Alfa Romeo and Jeep showrooms from 1 Chang Charn Road in Bukit Merah to 30 Leng Kee Road, integrating them with their maintenance workshop.

A downsizing move, perhaps, or the first step in an eventual exit strategy.

Alfa Romeo and Jeep, both part of the Stellantis group, which also owns Citroën, Peugeot, and Opel, have struggled with positioning in Singapore’s highly competitive market. 

Alfa Romeo and Jeep have never been mainstream choices in Singapore. Enthusiasts may wax lyrical about the soulful driving dynamics of an Alfa or the rugged adventure-ready persona of a Jeep, but in a city where practicality, badge prestige, and resale value dominate buying decisions, neither brand ever really cemented its place.

The reality is brand perception matters. Alfa Romeo, despite its rich Italian heritage, lacks name recognition in Singapore, while Jeep, ironically, a name synonymous with SUVs, struggles with model awareness.

The departure of Alfa Romeo and Jeep is just another chapter in the ever-evolving world of car distributorships in Singapore.

In 2023, Vertex Automobile stopped representing Spanish marque Seat, leaving Volkswagen Group Singapore to handle aftersales. New Seat models are no longer available here. 

For buyers of niche brands, this is a familiar story; one where supply, demand, and long-term viability don’t always align.   

With Capella Auto exiting by mid-year, the future of Alfa Romeo and Jeep in Singapore remains uncertain. Will another dealership take over? Or will Stellantis, like it has done in some markets, shift to a direct sales model?  

For now, it’s business as usual, at least until the last car is sold. If you’ve ever dreamed of owning an Alfa Romeo’s seductive curves or a Jeep’s go-anywhere spirit, now might be your final chance.  

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on YouTube and on TikTok!

Forget about Quadrifoglio, outrageous leather, and performance for a second, and try to think of something sensible from the Alfa Romeo brand…

… nothing comes to mind? I don’t blame you.

Alfa Romeo has been a rebel for decades, marching to the beat of its own drum and producing cars that exemplify the soul of a true car enthusiast. 

Whenever one thinks of the brand, two visuals spring to mind – either you’re whizzing along some beautiful road with a drop-dead gorgeous car, or stuck in a workshop with your drop-dead gorgeous car.

Either way, passion is what drives customers to the brand. So imagine what happens when you take away that, and introduce something… sensible.

Behold, the Alfa Romeo Tonale, a major stepping stone on Alfa Romeo’s path to full electrification in 2027.

This is the kind of car you buy with your mind and not your heart. But, can the Tonale win the Alfa loyalists over?

It’s surprisingly agile

From the moment you take off, the Alfa Romeo Tonale makes it clear that this isn’t your typical crossover. Unlike its rivals, which seem content to melt into the background of daily life, the Tonale wants to stand out.

The first thing you’ll notice, though perhaps not immediately love, is how light and ultra-direct the steering feels. Turn the DNA dial up to Dynamic mode, and you’ll instantly feel the difference. 

The steering gains weight, giving you more confidence whether you’re navigating tight turns or just trying to park. Once you get the hang of it, it actually becomes part of the charm.

It doesn’t quite match the brilliance of its bigger siblings, the Giulia and Stelvio, but for a front-wheel-drive SUV, the Tonale is about as good as it gets in this class.

Plus, with Dynamic mode engaged, the powertrain feels more eager, holding onto gears longer and barely dipping into EV mode, which adds to the sense of a sportier drive.

But unlike some other cars, you can’t individually adjust the car’s drive characteristics. Is that a bad thing? Maybe for some, but in a way, it forces you to get used to the Tonale’s quirks and extract the smoothness from its powertrain and steering over time.

While the steering is decent, the Tonale isn’t going to set speed records any time soon. The hybrid system can feel a little hesitant at lower speeds, and by the time the car kicks into life, that gap in traffic has all but disappeared.

How about the ride quality?

Ride quality is acceptable for something on the sportier side. The Veloce trim dons 19-inch alloys and adaptive suspension, making the ride a bit more forgiving. 

One thing that takes some getting used to is the braking system. Alfa’s integrated braking uses an electronic controller to manage brake pressure, helping regenerate power for the hybrid system.

In layman’s terms, you can recharge the battery, but you might also suffer from uneven brake feel.

Does the hybrid system help efficiency?

Sort of. While Alfa Romeo claims the Tonale can do 15.9km/litre on paper, in practice you’ll get much lower figures unless you are dedicated enough to trundle along at eco-friendly speeds.

High revs drain fuel, and I only averaged about 7.6km/litre in mixed traffic conditions.

Some Alfa magic on the outside…

When the Alfa Romeo Tonale first debuted as a concept back in 2019, it was an instant hit. And, thankfully, the production version hasn’t strayed too far from that initial design.

It’s got all the right curves and unmistakable Alfa Romeo styling cues, like the slim triple-barrel LED headlights, iconic five-hole wheels, and the Scudetto grille.

Safe to say, you’ll turn heads in a sea of crossovers with this.

… but not on the inside

Yes, there’s a small Tricolore flag near the gear selector, the tachometer reads ‘Giri’ instead of ‘Revs,’ and the instrument panel is now called a cannocchiale. All nice touches, but the cabin still feels… lacklustre.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad interior. But, it does lack in character, dissolving that quintessential Alfa magic for something more utilitarian.

Still, Alfa Romeo is trying to make it work. The gear selector is surprisingly chunky, and the digital dials cleverly replicate Alfa’s classic twin-porthole design.

The infotainment screen, whilst on the smaller end of the scale, is straightforward to navigate. If you don’t want to bother, simply plug in your phone and let Apple CarPlay or Android Auto take over. 

There’s even Alexa integration, so you can boss your home appliances around from the comfort of your commute.

The Tonale also keeps things practical with a mix of USB and USB-C ports, plus a wireless charging pad. Even the climate controls have their own physical buttons, a welcome feature that is becoming rarer as touchscreens take over.

At least space is decent

Despite the swooping 8C-inspired window line, the rear isn’t as claustrophobic as you might expect.

The boot offers a competitive 500 litres of space, expanding to 1,550 litres with the seats down. The wide square aperture makes cargo loading a breeze too.

A new kind of Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo Tonale represents a shift for the brand, embracing rationality without trying to sacrifice style and driving enjoyment. The interior is logical and spacious, the electronics work as they should, and it feels relatively well-built. Things you normally don’t say about an Alfa.

In a sea of crossover competitors that often feel soulless, the Tonale stands out as something different. But, does the car really have soul? 

Well, that’s up to you to decide.

Technical Specifications

Alfa Romeo Tonale

Engine: 1,469cc 4-cylinder in-line 16-valve, Turbocharged
Drivetrain: Front-wheel Drive
Power: 118 kW (158 bhp)
Torque: 240 Nm
Gearbox: 7-speed (A) DCT
0-100km/h: 8.8 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 212 km/h
Fuel Economy: 15.9 km/litre (claimed)

Price: S$249,888 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Alfa Romeo Singapore

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

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What’s the best antidote to two weeks of Home Improvement Program-induced dust, noise and disruption? Why, the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce of course!

Before anyone clicks away thinking that this writer has finally gone stark raving barmy, hear me out. We’d already endured eight working days of hacking, drilling, cementing, tiling, plumbing et al at home by the time the Stelvio Veloce was ready for collection.

At the last minute, we were informed about some bathroom fittings that we had to buy ourselves. This is where this Italian performance sports utility vehicle (SUV) came into its own, making round-island runs effortlessly to pick up the remaining stuff.

And being highly entertaining to drive while doing it, dissipating the fortnight-long doldrums in the process. More on that later.

Just like the Giulia Veloce reviewed earlier this year, Stelvio Veloce sits in a league of its own. At its price point, no other SUV comes close performance-wise. Not to mention emotion-wise.

Esterno

The one major difference between this facelift and the previous version can be found in the headlights. Bi-xenon projectors have finally been eschewed in favour of more modern full LED matrix ‘trilobe’ items with sequential turn signals illuminating each lobe until all three are lit.

Everyone knows that telephone-dial rims are de riguer for Alfa Romeo, and 20-inch items wrapped in 255/45R20 Michelin Pilot Sport 4 SUV tyres make their appearance here.

So do red four-piston Brembo callipers in the front and single-piston sliding callipers in the rear. Contrasting nicely with the test vehicle’s Alfa White paintwork and red racing stripe, there’s no mistaking this SUV for anything else other than an Alfa Romeo.

The rear end blends SUV practicality with coupe-like rakishness in the windscreen. Distinct perimeter-lit LED taillights add to the flair and dramatics, and twin tailpipes in the lower valence tell everyone that Stelvio Veloce means performance. As does the Q4 badge. More on that later.

Interno

Stand nearly centred with the rear end and sweep your right leg underneath the bumper from left to right. The tailgate opens electrically to reveal a cavernous 1,600-litres of cargo capacity with the 40:20:40 split-folding seatbacks completely down.

With them up, boot space is still a decent 525-litres, more than enough for soccer-mom duties when the occasion calls for it.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – very few brands can pull off a red leather interior without coming across as vulgar, and Alfa Romeo is high up on that shortlist.

There’s sufficient legroom, headroom and shoulder space in the rear for two full-size adults, although three can sit abreast in a pinch. Two pairs of ISOFIX anchor points are available for child seats.

A couple of aircon vents keep rear occupants cool, and two USB power outlets are fitted to keep their mobile devices charged up and ready to go.

I wish Stelvio Veloce came with a panoramic sunroof. Due to the black headlining, the sunroof would have gone a long way toward lifting interior airiness. However, it can be optionally specified if so desired.

Sporty front seats tell a tale of performance even before one gets in. Electrical adjustments are available, including three memory settings for the driver’s seat. They’re supremely ergonomic, and while firm, never get uncomfortable.

Once adjusted to one’s preference, the perfectly-sized leather-wrapped steering wheel, adjustable for reach and rake, falls naturally to hand. That the column-mounted shift paddles are substantial speaks further to Stelvio Veloce’s performance bias.

The other major change that this facelift brings is the 12.3-inch full-TFT screen, which Alfa Romeo calls ‘Cannocchiale‘ or ‘telescope’, probably because the instrument cluster surrounds resemble a public-viewing telescope situated at the top of very tall skyscrapers.

I’d argue that the instrument cluster surround is designed to resemble feminine curves of the upper torso region, but we’ll let the cheekiness slide since this is an Alfa Romeo after all.

Where the analogue cluster of old will be sadly missed, this digital screen goes a step beyond in offering three customisable gauges named Relax, Evolve and Heritage respectively.

Heritage harks back to the Alfa Romeos of yore, and Relax is minimalist and will appeal to some. I found myself using Evolve more frequently for it is my favourite theme.

If tech is your thing, then the Alfa Romeo will disappoint. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available in the 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which can also display performance gauges.

This is perfect for folks like me who prefer technology to be in the background and unintrusive. However, I wish the screen could have been of a higher resolution.

No matter though, for Waze directional instructions are mirrored on the instrument screen.

Dual-zone climate controls are adjusted by physical knobs and buttons (HOORAY!!!) and two cupholders and a USB charging port and a 12-volt outlet feature below said controls.

Drive modes are selected by the ‘DNA’ knob to the right of the gear lever, and ‘dynamic’, ‘natural’ and ‘all weather’ modes either slacken off throttle response and sharpen up stability control in descending order, or vice-versa in ascending order.

Here again, I wish Stelvio Veloce came with adaptive dampers, for the ‘DNA’ knob would control the dampers too, along with a dedicated button in the centre of the knob. Alas, this is an optional extra.

There are also no auto-hold brakes available, which is a curious omission by parent company Stellantis since its functionality is directly controlled by the ABS module, which would simply need to be programmed to hold line pressure when one’s foot comes off the brakes at a standstill.

The USB ports for connectivity are ensconced in the centre cubby, along with the wireless charge pad.

Hoonigan McTwatopotamus

There’s no getting away from the fact that Stelvio Veloce is firmly damped, and the lack of adaptive dampers means a rather busy ride, especially for a family-friendly SUV, at street speeds.

Get it up on the highway though, and the firm damping starts to make complete sense, smoothing out at higher speeds and keeping this nearly 1.8-ton vehicle planted on a firm footing.

Truth be told, Stelvio Veloce encourages one to drive like a hoonigan twatopotamus from Twats “R” Us in a spirited manner.

That’s not to say it can’t cruise, for it can indeed. However, it constantly eggs you on with a “c’mon, c’mon, c’mon… MOVE IT!!!” vibe and you soon find yourself looming down upon vehicles up ahead. Watch as they hurriedly get out of the way.

Which then brings us on to how it negotiates the twisty stuff. Where Giulia Veloce is undoubtedly a svelte ballerina, Stelvio Veloce can be described as cruisin’ for a bruisin’.

Don’t get me wrong. It can still groove in the same way that John Travolta can groove up a Saturday Night Fever. Twists and turns make this performance-biased SUV really shine.

Due to its rear-biased all-wheel drive setup, power is only sent to the front wheels when needed. This means a decidedly more sporty handling SUV from the word ‘go.’

Set the ‘DNA’ selector to ‘dynamic.’ Then, knock the eight-speed automatic gearbox into manual mode and use the delectable column-mounted paddle shifters to select the appropriate gear for the corner.

Brake in a straight line, come off the brakes and with neutral to slight-positive pressure on the accelerator while negotiating bends and corners, and Stelvio Veloce will dance right through them.

The limited-slip differential (LSD) in the rear (hence the Q4 badge) helps the rear end rotate and assist the nose to point in the intended direction of travel. So does the quick steering rack at around two turns lock-to-lock, and you have yourself one darty SUV.

Use these to your advantage, and Stelvio Veloce will enthral you to no end. Be warned though. If you ham-fistedly throw it into a corner, it will understeer. Slower in, faster out. That’s the mantra to recite.

On a straightaway, bury the accelerator into the floor and the turbocharged two-litre 280hp engine will howl as it swings toward its 5,500rpm crescendo, only for the next cog to be selected and for it to howl all over again. Electrifying!

Should You Buy One?

It does decently on fuel economy as well. Where Alfa Romeo quotes 9.1-litres/100km or 11.0km/litre combined efficiency, I was able to clock a weighted and normalised average efficiency of 7.72-litres/100km or 13.0km/litre, meaning 700-800+km of range is possible from its 64-litre petrol tank.

Interestingly, the street efficiency is exactly the same as the Giulia Veloce’s. Naturally, fuel economy is dependent on driving style, traffic conditions and use case, but the key, as usual, is to drive smoothly, not slowly.

So, what about niggles?

It doesn’t have auto-hold brakes, which would have been a Godsend at traffic lights. A sunroof would have been nice to lift the interior’s airiness. Adaptive dampers would have made the ride more compliant in street situations.

The infotainment screen is a little small but navigation directions are at least mirrored in the instrument cluster. The reverse camera’s image could have been higher in resolution.

It wouldn’t be an Alfa Romeo without niggles, would it? Just like that gorgeous gal who can really get on your nerves sometimes, but blows your brain at all others.

In the latter respect, it has pretty good space and pace. It looks unique and stands out in a sea of humdrum SUVs, and drives and corners beautifully. It enthrals to no end and definitely awakens one’s soul. And most of all, it is a true Alfa Romeo.

Tired of living like a drone because family life means trading in fun for mere practicality? Not with the Stelvio Veloce, it doesn’t. Head down to the Alfa Romeo showroom, take a test drive and rekindle the inner flame of your once-dormant but now-active cuore sportivo or sporting heart. Why?

Because the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce is a performance SUV with oodles of 𝑪𝒖𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒐.

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

Technical Specifications

Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce

Engine Capacity: 1,995cc inline four-cylinder turbocharged
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Drive: rear-biased, all wheels
Transmission: eight-speed automatic with rear limited-slip differential
0-100km/h: 5.7 seconds (claimed)
Top Speed: 230km/h (claimed)
Kerb Weight: 1,755kg
Fuel Capacity: 64-litres
Range: up to 703km (claimed)
Fuel Economy: 9.1-litres/100km or 11.0km/litre (claimed)
Price: S$299,888 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Alfa Romeo Singapore

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Update 16 April 2024: You just gotta love the Italians. After having been launched as the Alfa Romeo Milano, an Italian government official declared that the use of the name ‘Milano’ is banned by law. So folks, here we have the Alfa Romeo Junior. Compact controversy indeed!

Sean and I were having a chat about Alfa Romeo the other day. I mentioned that if it was not for the fact that sedans and hatchbacks don’t sell as well today, Alfa Romeo would build a hot-hatch successor to the Giulietta if they had their own way.

Barely a day later, this news drops. Sporty at heart, compact in size and Italian style at first sight, the Alfa Romeo Milano Alfa Romeo Junior was presented to international press in Milan at the historic headquarters of the Automobile Club Milano where Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910.

Boy, does the Milano Junior court controversy. I’ve read stories in other publications worldwide to this effect. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, so we invite you to draw your own conclusions. As for me, I LOVE it!

The name ‘Junior’ comes from Alfa Romeo’s past. On September 26, 1966, the GT 1300 Junior was unveiled in Balocco to appeal to a younger and newer audience of buyers.

Despite the lack of the name “Giulia,” it was the leader of a new Alfa Romeo generation. Indeed, similar versions of the Spider range would also be identified with the Junior.

With sales of over 92,000 units, the GT 1300 Junior soon became the overall best seller in the line-up, and a true status symbol of its time.

Bold Exterior

The Milano’s Junior’s design is quintessentially Alfa Romeo; aimed at those looking for a car not only to be a ‘means of transport,’ but rather for symbiosis, a bond that can bring out ‘authentic emotions.’

The new Milano Junior, with its compact dimensions (length of 4.17 meters, width of 1.78 metres and height of 1.5 metres), encompasses the uniqueness of the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile‘s original and modern Made in Italy design.

Typical of the brand expressed in the balance of proportions and purity of lines.

Alfa Romeo’s stylists have modelled this ‘skin’ with artisanal care to breathe life into a sinuous and exciting design that catches the eye at first sight.

This creates a genuine emotional connection between the driver and the car, even going as far as resulting in a strong desire to caress it. Trust me folks, this describes me to a tee.

The proportions are set out with stylistic features relating to tradition, such as the limited overhangs, the muscular wheel arches, and the iconic ‘truncated tail,’ a reference to the legendary Giulia TZ.

One unique new feature is the new shield in the Leggenda and Progresso variants. Perhaps the most famous and recognizable signature in the automotive world. This is banked by ‘3+3’ and adaptive Full LED Matrix headlights.

Elegant Cabin

The same inspiration of sportiness can be found inside the car, with the generous use of premium materials. Most of all, the instrument panel brings back the historical ‘telescope’ design, persuading you to wrap your hands around the steering wheel, start the engine, and make the best of a unique driving experience.

The middle of the cluster features a fully digital 10.25-inch TFT screen, to access the car’s data and the settings for the driving technologies.

Oriented towards the driver, a 10.25-inch touchscreen system comes with intuitive widgets that can be customised via drag and drop. Every user can create their own unique homepage, where each of the car’s features is a widget in itself.

To further embellish the interior, the air conditioning vents are shaped in a quadrifoglio or four-leaf clover, the symbol par excellence of Alfa Romeo sportiness.

Finally, Sabelt sports seats feature an enveloping backrest that combines ergonomics and structural lightness.

Despite its compact size, the Milano Junior boasts the largest boot in its battery-electric vehicle (BEV) class with a load capacity of up to 400 litres.

The Milano Junior also comes with features such as the “Alfa Romeo cable organiser” storage compartment located under the bonnet, a handy place to store the charging cable. For easy access, proximity access enables owners to unlock and lock your car quickly and easily without human intervention.

Driving Passion

The team that coordinated the development of the Milano’s Junior’s driving dynamics is the same one that developed the Giulia GTA at the Balocco testing centre in Vercelli province, with the clear aim of the new Milano Junior achieving best-in-class driving characteristics.

The car touts the most direct steering in the segment with a 14.6:1 steering rack, specially calibrated to be extremely precise. In the VELOCE variant, the sports suspension has been lowered by 25mm, and the front and rear anti-roll bars are extra sporty to guarantee high levels of corner grip.

Front brakes are over 380mm with four-piston monobloc callipers, and a Torsen limited-slip differential is included as standard. The high-performance 20-inch tyres are also specific to electric vehicles.

The Milano Junior will also include the Alfa D.N.A. system – Dynamic, Natural, and Advanced Efficiency. On the Q4 hybrid version, a rumoured fourth mode known as Q4 will be available for low-grip conditions.

All this forms the basis of a compact car with pure, recognisable Alfa Romeo sportiness.

The Alfa Romeo Milano Alfa Romeo Junior is equipped with “Alfa Connect Services,” a tool that offers onboard connectivity and a range of services such as “My Navigation,” enabling drivers to search for destinations and points of interest, as well as real-time alerts on traffic, weather and speedcams. Thanks to over-the-air (OTA) technology, the car’s maps and software are always kept up to date.

Via the My Alfa Connect smartphone app, customers can also interact with the car using “My Remote,” with various services such as remote control of the car’s functions and notifications if these are not respected. E-Control also offers the option to remotely manage start-up and stopping, to schedule charging, or if necessary, to heat or cool the interior before getting into the vehicle.

Another innovation is the integration of the Hey Alfa virtual assistant and ChatGPT (A.I.) which use voice recognition to give you a useful, discreet ‘copilot’ on your travels, for information, and advice and to meet all the driver’s needs.

In the EV ELETTRICA variant, Alfa Romeo has opted for a “Hybrid Synchronous Motor”. Available in two power versions, 156hp or 240hp, output should be sufficient for an engaging and sporty drive. The 54-kWh battery is quoted to offer “a very good ratio of rated to usable energy”.

Specifically, in the 156hp version, you get up to 410 km of range (WLTP), or 590 km (Urban). At 100-kW DC fast charging stations, it takes less than 30 minutes to charge the batteries from 10 to 80%.

Next up, the hybrid IBRIDA variant adopts a 136hp 48V variable-geometry turbo (VGT) architecture alongside a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder engine. The battery and a 21-kW electric motor are built into the 6-speed dual-clutch gearbox, to ensure efficiency. Power will be sent to either front-wheel or Q4 all-wheel drive. The engine can even shut off, giving you electric drive up to 150 km/h.

The top-of-the-range launch version, dubbed SPECIALE will be available with both IBRIDA and ELETTRICA (156hp) powertrains.

Spring for the SPECIALE, and you get the “Progresso” badge, matte sports finishes in Brera red, and 18-inch ‘Petali’ alloy wheels. The interior comes with exclusive features such as a ‘Spiga’ vinyl and fabric interior, a leather steering wheel, and an electric driver’s seat with massage functionality.

Controversial? Sure.

Still an Alfa Romeo? Let us drive it first.

Photo Credits: Alfa Romeo

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I’m going to make a statement here that may offend some, but so be it.

Only a soulless non-player character (NPC) could get into an Alfa Romeo – any Alfa Romeo – and not have a smile on their face, because the smile actually emanates from the heart.

Such is the effect of Alfa Romeo’s charismatic Italian cuore sportivo or sporting heart.

And so it is with the Giulia Veloce. From the moment one lays eyes on it to the drive itself, you’ll know that you’re in the presence of something truly special.

There’s no other premium sedan in its price range that will put a similar smile in your heart and on your face. Nothing. Especially in the test car’s bright Alfa White. Boy, does it turn heads.

Esterno

From the shield that hangs from the bumper’s top to lower lip to the two ‘wings’ in a nod toward the days of Alfa Romeo Avio, this is a distinctly Alfa Romeo face.

Adding to the front-end dramatics is a refreshed look courtesy of the new ‘trilobe’ matrix LED headlights which replace the xenon units of the pre-facelift version, and is definitely a welcome change. Those ‘trilobes’ also house sequential turn signals, and are a pretty sight to behold at night.

Ensconced into the top of the shield is what is arguably the most ornate and expressive logo in the automotive world, with the Visconti family’s coat of arms in the centre and “Alfa Romeo” script curving its way from nine o’clock to three.

Fun fact – back in the 60s, 70s and 80s, ne’er-do-wells used to nick metal Alfa Romeo badges off bonnets and bootlids, and have them turned into belt buckles, such is the draw of that logo.

Telephone-dial style rims are de rigueur for Alfa Romeo, and the Giulia Veloce smartly wears its 19-inch items with AR-mark staggered Pirelli P Zero tyres, with 225/40 R19 in front and 255/35 R19 at the back.

With 280hp on tap, it needs the wider rubber in the rear. Yep, you read that right. Which other rear-wheel drive premium sedan in its class and price range has 280hp or more? Nada.

Further hinting at its performance and peeking out from behind those telephone-dial rims are red four-piston Brembo callipers in the front and single-piston sliding callipers in the rear.

The Giulia Veloce is sleek and rounded from the front and side profiles.

Move to the back, and one finds a perky rump, bracketed by tinted LED taillight housings and underscored by a black diffuser that houses dual tailpipes.

Make no mistake, this Alfa means business. See the ‘Q2’ badge on the boot lid? More on that later.

Interno

Swing the boot lid open to reveal 480 litres of boot space.

Need more? The rear seatbacks fold down in a 40-20-40 split to accommodate longer items. See, practicality doesn’t have to take a backseat (ha ha!) where a sporty sedan is concerned.

Alfa Romeo is one of a very small number of car brands which can pull off a red leather interior without coming across as vulgar, and this red leather plays perfectly with the Alfa White paintwork on the outside, and black and silver trims and black headlining on the inside.

If only two people are riding back here, an armrest folds out from the middle seat for more comfort.

Rear legroom is just about adequate for my longer-of-limbs and shorter-of-torso 1.82-metre tall frame with the driver’s seat adjusted all the way back and up, so more average-sized folks shouldn’t have an issue back here.

Two aircon vents keep rear occupants nice and cool, while a solitary USB Type-A port helps with mobile-device charging duties. It would have been nice to have two USB ports, but hey, Italians dance to the tune of their own music.

The front seats are decidedly sporty and bolstered appropriately.

This is useful when it comes to stringing a set of bends in the road together, for they are electrically adjustable with two memory positions for the driver, and offer myriad adjustments, even for the bolsters, to better conform to and hug pretty much any body shape.

This then allows the perfectly-sized steering wheel, adjustable for reach and rake, to fall naturally to hand.

The engine start/stop button is on the steering wheel itself, which is a nice touch.

The formerly-analogue instrument cluster is now replaced by a 12.3-inch full-TFT screen, which Alfa Romeo calls ‘Cannocchiale‘ or ‘telescope’, probably because the instrument cluster surrounds resemble a public-viewing telescope situated at the top of very tall skyscrapers like the Empire State building.

Having grown fond of the analogue dials of the pre-facelift Giulia, I’d been unsure of the shift to a TFT screen. After having spent two days with the car, I’m happy to report that it has been implemented very well.

Three types of instrument faces, namely Evolved, Relax and Heritage, are available via a button on the wiper stalk. Heritage harks back to the Alfa Romeos of yore, but I found Evolved to be my favourite. Relaxed is minimalist and will appeal to some.

If you’re looking for tech up the wazoo, look elsewhere. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are available in the 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, which can also display performance gauges. In my estimation, this works perfectly for those who prefer technology to be in the background and unintrusive.

In a nice touch, Alfa Romeo has implemented directional instructions from Waze on the infotainment system to be shown on the instrument screen.

Physical climate controls (hooray!!!) proudly sit below the infotainment screen and offer dual-zone aircon, and a small cubby and two cupholders sit below that.

The Italian Tricolore features behind the gear lever to remind you that you’re in something Italian and special. Beside that sits the electronic parking brake rocker switch.

Here’s where I found a small fly in the ointment – there’s no auto-hold brake functionality in the Giulia Veloce, which would have come in handy during a purely street-driven route. I’d to resort to activating the parking brake manually instead.

Three driving modes are available courtesy of the ‘dna’ dial. Dynamic or ‘d’ puts the engine and gearbox into their sportiest mode. Natural or ‘n’ is best for daily driving duties and offers a more relaxed response, while Advanced Efficiency or ‘a’ mutes everything even more for slippery situations.

Most of my drive was done in ‘n’, with a few choice situations calling for ‘d.’

A rotary dial sits perfectly ahead of the centre armrest and can be used to control the infotainment screen. I found myself using this dial more often than the touchscreen during my drive because it works so well.

The wireless charger for mobile phones is also situated just below and ahead of the centre armrest, which is a convenient spot to simply drop one’s phone into.

Guidare

The first thing one notices on the move is that the fixed-rate suspension is decidedly sporty in its setup, especially over the bumpiest of roads. However, it never gets uncomfortable and starts to make more sense as speed increases.

The second item of note is that the steering is extremely direct, to the tune of around two turns lock-to-lock. This is a point-and-squirt sedan for all intents and purposes, and one quickly acclimatizes to how quickly the Giulia Veloce’s nose can be steered in the intended direction of travel.

Aiding this is what the ‘Q2’ badge on the boot lid hints at – a mechanical limited-slip differential or LSD in the rear.

Most cars come with open differentials for cost savings. The downside is that while on-throttle in a turn, the inner wheel can slip and spin uselessly, turning engine torque into tyre smoke. An LSD limits this slip, hence its name, and directs more torque to the outer wheel.

The result is the rear end of the car rotating to help with turn-in. You don’t have to be going fast to feel it either, for the LSD makes its presence pleasantly known in slower tighter corners and u-turns.

Stick the gearbox into manual mode, and bang through the gears via the gorgeous steering column-mounted shift paddles and listen to the two-litre turbo engine wail the Alfa Romeo symphony at full throttle.

Then, as you approach a bend, go hard on the brakes, drop it down a couple of cogs and gradually tip in the throttle as you steer through the bend for the LSD to rotate the rear end.

The Giulia Veloce will dance through the corner with its Pirelli P Zeros angrily gripping the tarmac, and you’ll come out the other side grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

If that doesn’t ignite a roaring inferno of life force in your heart, I don’t know what will.

Speaking of brakes, the Giulia Veloce has a brake-by-wire system where the pedal is connected to a sensor instead of directly to the brakes. In the Stelvio Veloce I reviewed in 2021, I remember that it was a bit tricky to brake smoothly with this system.

However, here in the Giulia, I’d completely forgotten that this is a brake-by-wire setup and didn’t realize until the writing of this article. It feels natural here, and kudos to the engineers who made it so!

Not only will it do the sporty driving bit with aplomb, but stick it into ‘n’ mode and it will also be a good daily driver. Alfa Romeo claims 7.7 litres/100km or 13.0km/litre WLTP consumption, and I was able to better this at a weighted and normalised average of 6.94 litres/100km or 14.4km/litre.

Drive smooth folks, not slow. As usual, your mileage may vary based on use-case and driving style.

Someone commented last week that the Giulia Veloce is not a true Alfa Romeo. I’d argue otherwise.

Look, we cannot expect Alfa Romeo to build rough and raucous, yet engaging cars like the GTV6, 75 or even the Giulia from the 60s or 70s any more because hardly anyone would buy them, and Alfa Romeo would go bankrupt.

Cars these days are expected to be more refined and with more safety features. With that in consideration and compared to the rest of the players on its field, the Giulia Veloce stands head and shoulders above the rest with oodles of Alfa Romeo-ness.

It is unique-looking. It turns heads. It turns into corners in a way that would make professional performance drivers delighted. And most of all, it is still an Alfa Romeo.

So, who is it for? Let’s momentarily put aside automotive enthusiasts who know that one isn’t a true enthusiast until one has owned an Alfa.

Are you tired of living like an NPC? Would you like to re-ignite the Fire of your Soul and feel from your heart once again?

Head down to the Alfa Romeo showroom, take a test drive and watch as the Flame of Life erupts from within your once-dormant but now-active cuore sportivo or sporting heart.

Why? Because the Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce is 𝑪𝒖𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒐.

Photo Credits: Sean Loo (@auto.driven)

Technical Specifications

Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce

Engine: 1,995cc inline four-cylinder turbo
Power: 280hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 2,250rpm
Drive: rear wheels with mechanical limited-slip differential
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
0-100km/h: 5.2 seconds (claimed)
Kerb Weight: 1,520kg
Fuel Capacity: 58-litres
Energy Economy: 7.7-litres/100km or 13.0km/litre (claimed)
Price: S$279,888 with COE (accurate at the time of this article)
Contact: Alfa Romeo Singapore

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Capella Auto, the official dealer for Alfa Romeo in Singapore, recently offered a sneak preview of the updated Giulia Quadrifoglio.

This is the brand’s swiftest and most potent saloon yet, and it might also be one of the last high-performance, non-hybridised vehicles the world will ever see.

This gorgeous unit has already been spoken for. Its owner endured a nine-month wait for its arrival.

According to Capella Auto, the Giulia Quadrifoglio, along with the Stelvio Quadrifoglio, is expected to grace their showroom floors from July 2024.

The most significant update to the Giulia Quadrifoglio lies under its muscular bonnet. The turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 now churns out an impressive 513bhp and delivers 600Nm of torque.

Power is directed to the rear wheels through an 8-speed automatic gearbox, propelling the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s century sprint in a mere 3.9 seconds. A mechanical limited-slip differential comes standard.

The Quadrifoglio model features new headlights underlined by a trio of daytime running lamps. Instead of the previous dual exhaust setup, the Quadrifoglio boasts quad pipes below the rear bumper.

To further accentuate its position as Alfa’s sportiest sedan, the car flaunts larger air intakes for improved cooling, functional bonnet and fender vents, and an active carbon fibre front spoiler that automatically deploys at speed for enhanced aerodynamic stability.

Carbon fibre is also liberally used for the side skirts and boot lip spoiler.

This particular unit comes equipped with 19-inch wheels and optional red brake callipers, complemented by cross-drilled rotors for superior stopping power.

The signature ‘telephone dial’ wheels are wrapped in Pirelli P Zero Corsa tyres, specially tailored for this model as denoted by the ‘AR’ markings.

Carbon fibre accents again adorn the dashboard, door panels, and centre console, while the ‘Start’ button stands out in red.

The updated Giulia Quadrifoglio also features a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. Unlike ‘normal’ Alfa models, this one offers a ‘Race’ layout in addition to the ‘Evolved,’ ‘Relax,’ and ‘Heritage’ configurations.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is priced at $339,888 before COE and is set to hit the market in July 2024.

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Calling all Formula 1 fans! Do you want some tickets to catch the action up close? Well, Capella Auto is giving away an exclusive Alfa Romeo Formula 1 Team experience at the upcoming Singapore GP taking place from 15 – 17 September 2023.

The catch? It would require an Alfa Romeo vehicle purchase in the month of July 2023.

With limited tickets available, the sooner you confirm that deposit and secure your car, the better chance you will have of selecting your preferred Singapore Night Race experience. These aren’t ordinary tickets either, as you would have special access to the Alfa Romeo team’s areas of the paddock.

Itching to get an Alfa Romeo but wanted a reason to compel you? Now’s your chance. 

Visit Capella Auto to find out more about the newly Facelifted Stelvio Veloce SUV, Giulia Veloce Sedan, and the upcoming Tonale Veloce MHEV SUV.

Book a test-drive or get a quote from them here!

Alfa Romeo Singapore is also contactable through their website, Facebook or Instagram.

Read more automotive news at AutoApp, or check out our latest videos on Ignition Labs TV! 

Mark the date – 1st April 2023. This is when Komoco Holdings Pte Ltd will open its brand new Alfa Romeo showroom and service centre at 1 Chang Charn Road, alongside its existing Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge showroom since Komoco Holdings is also the current importer for the three Stellantis-owned brands.

To mark the occasion, Teo Hock Seng, Executive Chairman of Komoco Holdings, said: “Alfa Romeo holds a special place in the hearts of car enthusiasts. It is a brand brimming with passion and a daring attitude that delivers unforgettable driving experiences. Alfa Romeos are cars that will perform and excite straight out of the box.”

“At Komoco, we pride ourselves in distributing brands that appeal to a wide range of clients. Alfa Romeo is all about the joy of driving, and Komoco is delighted to help these special cars find new homes in Singapore.”

A packed calendar of events and activities awaits existing Alfa Romeo owners as Komoco Holdings is looking specifically to engage the “Alfa Romeo tribe.”

“We are pleased to appoint our partner Komoco Holdings as the new importer for Alfa Romeo in Singapore. I look forward to great success for Alfa Romeo here, given its storied history of Italian sportiness since 1910 and driving appeal. I’m confident Alfa Romeo vehicles will suit the passion of Singaporean car lovers seeking a visceral driving experience,” said Christophe Musy, Head of ASEAN and General Distributors.”

We at AutoApp are looking forward to the month of April 2023 for sure. Watch this space.

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Let’s remember that the Alfa Romeo Giulia was trotted out for market sales in 2016, with the Stelvio following it in 2017. It’s now 2022. In the interim, both models received some light changes here and there but for the most part, they remained looking the same.

That’s now changed. My biggest bugbear with both models is that they came with HID headlights. Well, now they’re adaptive LED Matrix items and how they’re arranged is the most noticeable change.

The headlights are set in a three-abreast fashion on either side in an homage to the SZ Zagato and the Proteo concepts of yore, as well as the present-day Tonale. I’ve read comments online claiming this new “3+3” headlight arrangement looks very BMWesque, but looks are subjective, so decide for yourself – personally, I like the new look.

Being adaptive, the headlights are able to automatically adjust the dipped beam to match speed and driving conditions, while also featuring “Glare-Free High Beam Segmented Technology” which throws up the high beams in poor lighting conditions but adjusts them to avoid glaring both oncoming traffic and traffic ahead in the same direction of travel. Dynamic turn signals also feature with this new refresh.

Alfa Romeo says that the ‘Trilobo’ grille up front is brand-new. Looks pretty similar to the previous items if you ask me, but wokay…. watever…

Round the back, the taillights themselves look similar to the previous Giulia and Stelvio. They’ve always been LED items, but with a slight change – now, the Giulia’s taillight lenses are transparent, while the Stelvio’s items come in dark-smoke and accentuated by a glossy black finish on the inside.

Alfa Romeo says that two trim levels will be available for both the Giulia and Stelvio, the entry-level Super and the next-up Ti, which can then be enhanced with optional packs named Sprint and Veloce for each of the trim levels respectively.

The 200hp 2-litre inline-4 turbo petrol engine is said to be dropped, and only the 280hp version of the same petrol engine will be available. Power will be sent to the rear wheels and all four wheels (being primarily rear driven) for the Giulia and Stelvio respectively through an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox.

How all of this translates into Singapore’s market in terms of trim levels and positioning remains to be seen.

Alfa Romeo is also making available a special series called Competizione, which is based on the Veloce trim level and features an exclusive matt grey paint colour called Moon Light pictured throughout this article, as well as red calipers. The Competizione will also get adaptive dampers while the Stelvio-version gets 21-inch rims and tyres.

This is rounded out by Competizione badges on the outside, privacy glass, a Harman Kardon audio system, red stitching on the leather dashboard and seats and Competizione badge on the front headrests.

The biggest change on the inside is the new digital dashboard. This is a bit of a bittersweet change for me.

I loved the analogue gauges that adorned the interiors of the previous Giulia and Stelvio, but we’ve got to move with the times and this is how it goes I guess.

The digital gauge is 12.1-inches in size, and starts up with an animation of the front and rear of the Giulia or Stelvio. Three layouts are then available, namely Relax, Evolve and Heritage.

Relax keeps things clean on the instrument cluster and is minimalist to offer the least amount of distraction.

Evolve represents a digitized version of future Alfa Romeo design and makes things more modern.

Heritage harks back to Alfa Romeo’s 60s and 70s gauge design, and offers a retro look and feel.

Check out this animation, in the order described above.

Alfa Romeo has also seen fit, with the move to a more digital and modern-looking interior, to enable non-fungible token (NFT) technology with this facelifted Giulia and Stelvio. They say this is to maintain “an encrypted and non-modifiable digital register where the main information on each car gets recorded” that then “can be used to guarantee proper vehicle preservation and, thus, support its residual value.”

Ermmmm….. *speechless*

Tonale apparently has the same blockchain-based NFT enabled also, for what it’s worth.

At least Alfa Romeo has seen fit to retain manual buttons and knobs to control the aircon. HOORAY!

While all of this is (mostly) good news, what trim levels, pricing, warranty and the local Alfa Romeo experience will be like with Singapore’s newly-appointed distributor Komoco Group remains to be seen. We certainly do hope for more good times ahead.

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Alfa Romeo is a company any petrolhead wants to love, but in recent years has not been performing its best. The rear-wheel drive Giulia saloon and Stelvio SUV, launched in 2015 and 2016 respectively, were meant to start a renaissance of sorts for the brand, but despite a warm reception from enthusiasts and the media, this limited two-car lineup was nowhere close to realising Alfa’s potential. With that in mind, CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato promised last year that the company would be launching one new model every year till 2026, and this, the Alfa Romeo Tonale, is the first of this product offensive.

Tonale is a smaller brother to the Stelvio, aimed to serve the compact SUV segment. First shown as a concept in 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show, Tonale has finally taken shape in production form and we can’t wait to see it in real life when it’s expected to hit our little red dot’s shores around the fourth quarter of this year. Tonale’s dimensions are pretty compact too; at 4.53m long, 1.84m wide and 1.6m tall, Alfa Romeo says it “encompasses the uniqueness of Italian design and the original, contemporary style typical of Alfa Romeo”.

The line-up

Think ‘Ti’ and most graphics-card enthusiasts would think “Nvidia!”, and with good reason. It’s been awhile since we’ve seen the Turismo Internazionale or ‘Ti’ moniker applied to an Alfa Romeo, and as introduced to Stelvio back in 2019, it is also found here on Tonale alongside the ‘Super’ trim level. There’s also a Veloce trim, which, if its usage on the Giulia and Stelvio are any indication, would likely be a higher-performance variant. We wonder if there will be a hot Quadrifoglio yet to come.

Electrifying Alfa

Tonale moves Alfa Romeo’s game into the future with the company’s first range of hybrid powertrains. Kicking off the range is a 1.5-litre turbo petrol engine in Super trim featuring 130hp and 240Nm of torque, connected to a 15kW 55Nm 48-volt hybrid system. Mated to a 7-speed dual clutch transmission, drive is sent to the front wheels. This hybrid system allows Tonale to be started up and driven at low speeds in electric-only mode. Next up is the also-hybrid 160hp version of the same powertrain in Ti trim which adds a variable geometry turbo to the petrol engine and more oomph than the regular Tonale. Crowning the range is what will presumably be called Ti Veloce, a 275hp Q4 plug-in hybrid which features a smaller 1.3-litre MultiAir turbo petrol engine driving the front wheels, and an electric motor to drive the rear. This Tonale Q4 is said to offer up to 80km of electric-only range in town and up to 60km in the combined city/highway cycle. A full battery charge is said to take 2.5 hours when using a 7.4kW fast charger to juice up Tonale Q4’s 15.5kWh battery pack.

Sporty without

Tonale appears to borrow design elements from cars of yesteryear, namely the pre-facelift 156, 159 and Brera. Where the grille on post-facelift 156s and beyond became longer and part of the bumper, Tonale features a “new floating ‘Scudetto’ shield” that’s “no longer a part of the bumper but a distinctive element.” The 159 and Brera’s three-pod headlight design appears on Tonale but with a much more modern twist, which Alfa Romeo call “‘3+3’ headlights inspired by the SZ Zagato and the Proteo concept car”. These full-LED adaptive matrix headlights, developed together with Marelli, are loaded with modern technology such as “Adaptive Driving Beam, which constantly adjusts the dipped headlights according to speed and specific driving conditions so as to not dazzle opposing traffic”, as well as a module that activates when turning corners so you can see better round the bend.

Another unique design element is what Alfa Romeo call “the ‘GT Line’, which runs from the rear to the headlights, giving definition to the car’s body and its profile. In the lower part of the sides, special modelling of the surfaces conveys sensuality and athleticism in the car’s body.” Along with 17- to 20-inch “telephone dial” rims wrapped in sporty Pirelli P Zero rubber, they combine to endow Tonale with what is a distinctly sharp and sporty Alfa Romeo side profile.

Sporty within

An Alfa Romeo interior should evoke strong feelings of passion and flair, and Tonale does not disappoint. “Everything is driver-centric, even though the interior is also designed for the comfort of passengers.” We’re also thankful that Tonale features physical climate controls. “All the controls are at the driver’s fingertips and easily accessible, both the physical ones and the digital controls, accessed from the central display. As such, customers can enjoy an engaging driving experience free of distractions, where passion and safety coexist.” If Stelvio’s driving position is anything to go by, we’re pretty confident that Tonale’s ergonomics will also be spot-on. To move things more upmarket, Alfa Romeo has seen fit to include an insert on the dashboard “with a backlight effect, so when the panel is off a graphic appears and when on the graphic vanishes and a new background is shown, using the multicoloured backlight.”

If it isn’t already obvious at this point, we’re eagerly looking forward to the fourth quarter of this year to sample the Alfa Romeo Tonale in Singapore. Are you?

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