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The New Alfa Romeo Junior Unveiled: A Compact Athlete

Sporty at heart, compact in size, and Italian in style at first glance. The wait is over. Alfa Romeo has unveiled the new JUNIOR to the international press in Milan, at the historic headquarters of the Automobile Club Milano, in an unconventional manner and with a dual purpose: on one hand, to showcase the new stylistic language of Alfa Romeo; on the other hand, to reaffirm its deep and proud partnership with the city where Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910, as an example of the perfect balance between innovation and tradition, fundamental characteristics that connect the brand with its hometown.

The JUNIOR in the launch version ‘SPECIALE’ is an excellent choice for all Alfa fans and beyond, who have been waiting for the brand’s return to the compact car segment. To play a leading role, Alfa Romeo offers the sportiest and most exciting car to drive in its class, the only one that can impress former fans of the Giulietta and MiTo and attract a new generation of Alfa enthusiasts.

The JUNIOR is inclusive and offers everyone the opportunity to access a recognizable and attractive car. Its mission is to win over a new generation through a new design language. It remains unwavering in its inherent inclination towards a sporty spirit, a trait that has guided Alfa Romeo since 1910, with the idea of providing an appealing driving experience in everyday life.

In a segment filled with sporty versions derived from base models, the JUNIOR presents itself as a ‘cool’ and unique object, combining stunning style with the most advanced technology in terms of comfort, connectivity, and driving dynamics. Comfort is uncompromising, which is perhaps best demonstrated by the largest trunk among premium competitors (400 l). The JUNIOR is available in hybrid and electric versions, with no difference in aesthetics and equipment, as the only thing that matters is that it is 100% Alfa Romeo.

In the ‘IBRIDA’ configuration, the JUNIOR will be the first in the segment to offer a Q4 variant with all-wheel drive and automated electric drive to the rear wheels. In the ‘ELETTRICA’ version, it is available in two power variants, with 115 kW (156 HP) and a range of up to 410 km, and as the sportier VELOCE with 206 kW (280 HP), which best embodies the sporty DNA of the Alfa Romeo brand. The design features distinctive elements that create an immediate emotional connection. After all, Alfa Romeo has always been intended for those seeking a car that is not just a ‘means of transport’, but represents a kind of symbiosis between driver and car, a connection that can evoke ‘authentic emotions’.

Predestined to profoundly change the concept of sporty spirit in the largest segment in Europe, the new JUNIOR is based on a precisely defined desire to create a compact car, just over 4 meters long, with a completely new, contemporary sporty spirit that transcends mere performance and leads Alfa Romeo in a unique direction and ideal sporty positioning. Of course, this is a bold and ambitious goal, achievable only by a brand with over a century of sporting history, forged on racetracks as well as everyday roads. In short, the JUNIOR is a kind of ‘manual’ for the Italian brand, which has always been dedicated to providing pleasure through the senses, as for them, the car has been and remains an exciting product to be experienced with passion and involvement.

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Alfa Romeo Junior

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External Design

Alfa Romeo Centro Stile redefines design standards in the segment

Alfa Romeo is based on the perfect balance between functional beauty and unparalleled heritage, making it the embodiment of Italian style in the automotive world. The new JUNIOR is definitely no exception, as its compact dimensions – a length of 4.17 meters, a width of 1.78 m, and a height of 1.5 m – exude a unique and original approach from Alfa Romeo Centro Stile and modern Made in Italy design, typical of the brand and expressed in the balance of proportions, purity of lines, and attention to surface quality. Alfa Romeo stylists crafted this ‘skin’ with masterful care on the mechanical parts, completely distancing themselves from the concepts of cold rationality that are in vogue in this class, to breathe life into a playful and exciting design that is appealing at first glance. This creates a true emotional connection between the driver and the car, resulting in a strong desire to nurture it. The proportions are highlighted by stylistic features that refer to tradition, such as short overhangs, muscular fenders, and the iconic ‘cut-off tail’, a reference to the legendary Giulietta TZ. Behind the ‘simplicity’ of Italian style, especially in Alfa Romeo, lies one of the most complex creative processes in the industry – car design. The Alfa Romeo JUNIOR boasts a strong identity, composed of a limited number of features that include the legendary triangle, in the Leggenda and Progresso variants, perhaps the most famous and recognizable signature in the automotive world. Its strong personality is enhanced by the bold appearance of the front end, with ‘3+3’ daytime running and adaptive LED Matrix headlights. Finally, the style of Alfa Romeo is characterized by surface quality, which creates rich and harmonious reflections through clear volumetric contrasts.

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Alfa Romeo Junior

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Interior Design

‘Driver-oriented’ for an authentic and appealing driving experience

The same inspiration of pure sporty spirit can be found in the car’s interior, where attention to every detail is expressed in an original Italian way through the use of the finest materials and the placement of all controls within the driver’s reach, which is perhaps best demonstrated by the compact steering wheel that adapts to all driving styles. Above all, the instrument panel and its traditional ‘telescope’ design create that direct visual connection and motivate you to grasp the steering wheel, start the engine, and experience a unique driving experience. In the center, a standout feature is the fully digital 10.25-inch TFT display for accessing information about the car and driving as well as technology settings. In the center of the dashboard and oriented towards the driver is a 10.25-inch touchscreen, designed to work with widgets, graphical components designed for intuitive interaction with all features, which can be customized with quick and easy drag-and-drop gestures. Each user can create their own homepage, where each feature of the car is an app in itself. To further enhance the interior, the side air vents are shaped in the classic quadrifoglio style (four-leaf clover), a traditional symbol of Alfa Romeo’s sporty spirit. Finally, to attract attention and welcome the driver, Sabelt sports seats feature bolsters that wrap around the body, combining high mechanical resistance, perfect ergonomics, and structural lightness.

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Alfa Romeo Junior

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Comfort and Safety

JUNIOR comes out on top in its class. The most spacious trunk in the segment

Includes Level 2 autonomous driving

Choosing the JUNIOR model implies rejecting compromises among solutions that would detract from either the driver or their passengers. According to Alfa Romeo, comfort means making every journey simple, exceptionally pleasant, organized, and safe. And so, when you enter the passenger space, you immediately notice the meticulous attention to detail, high-quality upholstery, and the feeling of being enveloped in your comfort zone, with an emphasis on sporty nature and distinctly Italian quality. Despite its compact exterior dimensions, the JUNIOR boasts the largest trunk in its class (BEV) with a volume of up to 400 liters, available with hands-free technology. The JUNIOR also comes with exclusive features such as the practical ‘Alfa Romeo cable organizer’ compartment under the front hood, as a convenient place to store charging cables. To further enhance comfort, the JUNIOR offers a range of driver support features that assist with longitudinal and lateral vehicle control, enabling Level 2 autonomous driving. Together with 360° parking sensors and a 180° rear camera for monitoring the surrounding area, the car enables an innovative and practical semi-automatic parking system.

Finally, the JUNIOR also includes proximity access technology, for quick and easy unlocking and locking of your car by approaching or moving away from it, without the need for the user to take any additional action.

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Alfa Romeo Junior

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Driving Dynamics

JUNIOR provides the best driving dynamics in its class

Designed to have the lowest mass in the segment and optimal weight distribution, the JUNIOR enters the world of electric cars like a true Alfa Romeo. The team that coordinated the development of driving dynamics is the same one that developed the Giulia GTA at the Balocco testing center in the province of Vercelli, with a clear goal for the new JUNIOR to achieve the best road holding in its class, enabled by specific technical solutions: it has the most direct steering in the segment (steering ratio 14.6:1), specially calibrated to be exceptionally precise and to enhance its exceptional road holding quality. In the VELOCE version, it comes standard with a sports suspension lowered by 25 mm, front and rear stabilizers are specially tuned for sports to ensure quick turning with a high level of grip, the braking system features front discs larger than 380 mm with four-piston monoblock calipers, while the Torsen differential offers the best possible traction in all conditions. High-performance 20″ tires have also been specifically developed for electric vehicles and offer high levels of grip. All this forms the basis of a unique compact car with the pure, recognizable sporty spirit of Alfa Romeo.

The JUNIOR also offers the Alfa D.N.A. system. The ‘Dynamic’ mode, partially enabled by a specially tuned steering and throttle calibration, offers the best performance and driving pleasure. In a careful balance between performance and comfort, the ‘Natural’ model is designed for everyday use, while ‘Advanced Efficiency’ optimizes the drive settings for maximum energy efficiency and reduced consumption without affecting driving pleasure. Finally, only on the Q4 hybrid version, there is also a fourth mode known as Q4, designed for low-grip conditions.

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Alfa Romeo Junior

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Connectivity

EV ROUTING: Connected navigation

Alfa Romeo interprets the use of software and connectivity to enhance the driver experience, which is and remains the focus. Therefore, the JUNIOR comes with the most advanced connectivity technology to ensure maximum comfort. EV Routing is an innovative connected system built into the navigation device that automatically and stress-free manages the user’s charging needs. All the user needs to do is set their destination, and then the navigation device automatically calculates all stops for charging along the requested route, with access to over 600,000 charging locations, the most extensive network in Europe, enabled by Free2Move charge. Real-time traffic monitoring, battery charge level, and driving style allow reliance on EV Routing for a driving experience without discomfort about charging.

Alfa Connect Services, a suite of connected services

The Alfa Romeo JUNIOR is equipped with ‘Alfa Connect Services’, a tool that offers advanced connectivity in the vehicle and a range of services for maximum safety and comfort. Thanks to OTA (over-the-air) technology, the car’s maps and software are always up to date. Various features that make the driving experience the best ever include ‘My Navigation’, which consists of apps for remote destination searching and points of interest (PoI), as well as real-time alerts about traffic, weather conditions, and speed cameras. Through the My Alfa Connect smartphone app, users can also communicate with the car using ‘My Remote’, with various services such as: remote control of car functions (opening/closing doors or warning lights) via smartphone or smartwatch; vehicle location; control of certain parameters (speed and area) and notifications if they are not adhered to. E-Control also offers the option for remote management of starting and stopping electric charging, scheduling charging, or, if necessary, heating or cooling the interior before entering the vehicle.

Another major innovation is the integration of the virtual assistant Hey Alfa and ChatGPT (A.I.) that use voice recognition to provide you with a helpful and discreet ‘co-pilot’ on your journeys, for information, advice, and to fulfill all the driver’s needs.

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JUNIOR ELETTRICA

A new concept of sporty spirit

In the electric version of the JUNIOR, Alfa Romeo has chosen a next-generation power source, combining an electric motor (‘Hybrid Synchronous Motor’) and a state-of-the-art battery. With its high power, torque, and specific calibration of the electric powertrain, the new compact sports car offers uncompromising driving pleasure with some of the best dynamics in the segment. Available in two power versions, 115 kW (156 HP) or 206 kW (280 HP), the new car ensures excellent performance and engaging sporty driving – after all, just like every Alfa Romeo. The 54 kWh battery offers high energy density and a very good ratio of nominal to usable energy. More specifically, in the version with 115 kW (156 HP), the lithium-ion battery provides a range of 410 km according to the WLTP cycle in combined driving or 590 km in urban driving. Charging the new JUNIOR model is very simple: at 100 kW DC fast charging stations, it takes less than 30 minutes to charge the batteries from 20 to 80%.

JUNIOR IBRIDA

The feeling of electric mobility without the need for charging

The new JUNIOR offers two traction solutions for the Hybrid version: a front-wheel drive version or a Q4 version with all-wheel drive, the first in the premium segment, which will be available later in 2025.

The JUNIOR IBRIDA uses a 1.2-liter internal combustion engine with a power output of 100 kW (136 HP) with a variable geometry turbocharger (VGT), supported by a 48V hybrid system. This 3-cylinder engine operates on the Miller cycle and uses a timing chain for maximum reliability. The electric component consists of a 48-volt lithium-ion battery and a 21 kW electric motor integrated into an innovative 6-speed dual-clutch transmission, which works together with the inverter and transmission control unit to ensure maximum efficiency.

The JUNIOR IBRIDA offers an exceptionally smooth driving experience for city movement in electric mode for more than 50% of the time; the JUNIOR guarantees electric driving not only during parking maneuvers or at low speeds in urban areas but also outside the city up to speeds of 150 km/h under reduced load.

JUNIOR SPECIALE

The top launch version

The JUNIOR SPECIALE, the top launch version, is available with IBRIDA (100 kW/136 HP) and ELETTRICA (115 kW/156 HP) powertrains. The JUNIOR SPECIALE, limited exclusively to the launch period, synthesizes sporty spirit, technology, and comfort into a unique configuration that includes a targeted selection of the best items from the offer.

Features that stand out on the exterior include the ‘Progresso’ front grille, matte black sporty trims with red inserts, and 18-inch ‘Petali’ aluminum wheels. The interior is adorned with sporty and exclusive features such as eco-leather and ‘Spiga’ fabric trims, a leather steering wheel, and an electrically adjustable driver’s seat with a massage function. Attention to detail is also reflected in the elegant ambient lighting in 8 selectable colors, which encompasses the side air vents, central ridge, and edges of the iconic ‘Cannocciale’ instrument panel. The exceptionally rich equipment is complemented by a range of safety additions: the JUNIOR SPECIALE offers Level 2 autonomous driving, connected navigation, a 180° rear camera, an electrically operated trunk lid without the use of hands, and a keyless unlocking and engine starting system.

The JUNIOR ELETTRICA SPECIALE is also equipped with an integrated 11 kW three-phase charger to ensure the best charging performance in all situations.

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‘Ready to drive, anywhere, anytime’

An electric car the Alfa Romeo way: simple and soothing to support the user

In the JUNIOR SPECIALE, Alfa Romeo presents the slogan ‘Ready to drive, anywhere, anytime,’ an exceptionally soothing and simple offer that supports customers in their daily relationship with their electric car. Organizing your trips out of town or managing your daily routine has never been easier, and you can charge your car anywhere and anytime.

EV ROUTING: the connected navigation system with EV Routing technology gives you the ability to plan a route indicating all stops needed for charging and how long it will take. The system is connected in real-time to over 600,000 charging stations across Europe and offers a selection of the most suitable charging location for your route and stop planning.

Model Offer

IBRIDA and ELETTRICA with three packages for top TECHNOLOGY, EXCLUSIVITY, or SPORTING EXPERIENCE

Alfa Romeo JUNIOR represents a model offering strategy that makes it easier for customers to configure. The JUNIOR is offered with four powertrains: IBRIDA with 100 kW (136 HP), Q4 IBRIDA with 100 kW (136 HP), ELETTRICA with 115 kW (156 HP), and ELETTRICA VELOCE with 206 kW (280 HP). Three optional packages complement the offer: Techno, for the best specifications in terms of safety, technology, and functionality, such as Level 2 autonomous driving, an electrically operated trunk lid without using hands, LED matrix headlights, and connected navigation with a virtual assistant.

Premium, for the best comfort and exclusivity, thanks to the interior combining eco-leather and fabric, an electrically adjustable driver’s seat with a massage function, interior ambient lighting, and aluminum pedals and kick plates. Sport, which by definition offers an emphasized sporty spirit with Sabelt seats, upholstery and trims made of alcantara, and sporty exterior features.