The Alfa Romeo Stelvio has been in our possession for eight years. The Stelvio has sold more than the Giulia car almost every year since its introduction, but it never gave the company the boost they were hoping for from their first SUV. It emerged shortly after the name returned to North America in 2015. People clearly want the next generation to make things better, but based on what Alfa’s leaders said today, it might be a while before things change. Santo Ficili, CEO of Alfa Romeo and Maserati, quickly answered a question about the new SUV during a Q&A session this morning about the company’s work with the Luna Rossa sailing team. “You see, the electrification transition is not proceeding as quickly as we had anticipated last time, so we are completely altering our course in response to the particular requests of our clients,” Ficili said to the crowd. As a result, Alfa Romeo will have to contend with a future that includes BEVs, PHEVs, MHEVs, and powertrains that utilize diesel or gasoline. This is how we’re changing our plan. We will, of course, show you the new Stelvio as soon as we’re ready. This isn’t very pleasant, but not totally a surprise. Due to “tepid demand for electric vehicles,” Reuters reported last month that the launch of the new SUV had been delayed. An all-electric Alfa Stelvio was supposed to take the lead. It would be built on Stellantis’ STLA Large base, just like the Dodge Charger. Based on that story and Ficili’s comments, Alfa has chosen to take more time to make a hybrid car in addition to the EV. Reuters has learned that the second-generation Stelvio is unlikely to begin delivery until at least September 2026. At the same time, Stelvio has definitely started to get older. It still looks great, even with the latest update from Alfa’s high-end competitors in Germany, but it’s struggling to keep up with the newest cars. The famous Italian car company doesn’t appear to be on the verge of a comeback, which is a shame.
