by Changes in Stellantis Plans
Stellantis and its Italian subsidiary Alfa Romeo are changing their strategic plans. Instead of quickly launching new sedan and SUV models, the company has decided to extend the life cycle of existing cars. The current Giulia and Stelvio will remain in production until the end of 2027 at the Cassino plant in Italy, as the debut of their successors has been postponed.
This decision was confirmed by Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato during the presentation of the updated Tonale, noting that the new generation of cars needs additional time for refinement.
Model Lineup Updates
The next generations of Giulia and Stelvio were initially planned as fully electric vehicles, but later Stellantis decided to add hybrid powertrains, which extended the development timeline. Previously, Imparato reported that the new Stelvio could debut in 2025, with sales starting in 2026, followed by the Giulia. However, these plans turned out to be too optimistic.
The Giulia was introduced in 2015, and the Stelvio in 2016, both models built on the Giorgio platform. In 2023, they received a mid-cycle update with improved design and technology. By the time production ends in late 2027, these cars will have been in service for over a decade. For comparison, during this time BMW will have released three generations of the 3-Series and X3 models.
Despite this, the Giulia and Stelvio remain the least sold models in the Alfa Romeo lineup. The most popular now is the Junior model, followed by the Tonale.
Questions Regarding Future Updates
After the launch of the Junior and the updated Tonale, the Giulia and Stelvio remained the only Alfa Romeo models with an off-center license plate placement. This raises questions about the possibility of their sale over the next two years without any changes. However, there is an objective reason for this.
We can no longer place the license plate on the side due to homologation regulations for pedestrian safety.
Some suggested this is due to the new EU General Safety Regulation II rules, which come into effect for new models from July 2026. However, the regulations do not have a clear requirement for a central license plate location. At the same time, certification bodies may refuse approval for new vehicles that do not meet technical requirements for the placement of front license plates.
Interestingly, there is a clause that allows regulators to permit greater tolerance regarding the perpendicular position of the license plate for technical, aerodynamic, or other reasons. However, this is only possible upon the manufacturer’s request.
It remains unclear whether Alfa Romeo will be able to retain the current design or will be forced to conduct an expensive bumper redesign for its least-selling models, especially considering that the last update barely touched the exterior.
Further Challenges
An additional problem is the internal combustion engines that do not comply with stricter European emission standards. Developing compliant replacements will require significant investments, so Alfa Romeo may discontinue sales of certain versions in Europe and continue their sale in other markets.
The extension of Giulia and Stelvio production until 2027 indicates that Alfa Romeo is trying to find a balance between tradition and modern requirements. On one hand, the brand wants to preserve the unique features of its cars, such as the off-center license plate; on the other hand, it must adapt to new safety and environmental standards. The delay with the next generations may also be related to the need for more thorough preparation for the transition to electric and hybrid technologies, which is becoming a key factor in the modern automotive market.
