[UPDATE] During a media roundtable, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato told Motor1.com a final decision regarding a Quadrifoglio will be made before the end of 2022.
Alfa Romeo finally unveiled the production-ready Tonale yesterday following an exhausting teaser campaign. It all started three years ago at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show with a namesake concept. A little over a year after the showcar's premiere, a report from Italian media stated the sub-Stelvio model would not receive the Quadrifoglio treatment. As it turns out, it might just happen one day to slot above the warm Veloce trim level.
Speaking with Australian magazine Drive.com.au, the automaker's global product manager Daniel Tiago Guzzafame did not rule out giving the Tonale a go-faster derivative. When questioned about the prospects of a Quadrifoglio, he said the company already has "some alternatives, both with pure thermal [gasoline engine] and in the electrification world." However, he cautioned that it will only happen provided the performance will be on a par with the level of sportiness associated with the famous logo.
Gallery: 2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale
He went on to say a Quadrifoglio variant will be under consideration for each and every future Alfa Romeo model going forward: "Quadrifoglio will sort of be a brand within the brand, an umbrella to all of our programs [model lines]. Each program will be offered with a Quadrifoglio version or not depending on the potential we have [with] that specific segment and vehicle."
When asked about whether a more potent Tonale would have a combustion engine or an electric motor, he vaguely hinted it would be the latter scenario: "Where we are going is what we were saying before: the future Alfa Romeo will be electric." On the same note, Guzzafame mentioned the company's first EV will be out in 2024, but not related to the Tonale. However, the platform underpinning the crossover accepts a pure electric model, which could also happen.
The first Alfa EV is rumored to be a smaller crossover some have suggested will bear the name Brennero. It too will accept both ICE and EV setups, with the first electric-only model scheduled to debut in 2025. Guzzafame mentioned the global lineup will consist of only electric models by 2027. That tells us the Tonale will have a relatively short life cycle.
Note: Top image shows unofficial Alfa Romeo Tonale GTA rendering by X-Tomi Design.
