Alfa Romeo has been dropping cryptic teasers for its small new crossover for a while, but this is the most substantial yet. The fabled Italian automaker took to social media to share a short clip with the following caption: “Maybe we’ve known it all along.” It references all those rumors about the B-segment model being called “Brennero.” As for the video itself, it includes a few GPS coordinates, one of which further alludes to the model’s name.
While some of the GPS coordinates point to the Arese Museum, the Balocco circuit, and the Stelvio Pass, the fourth is for the Brenner Pass. A little over 30 miles (nearly 50 kilometers) long, this is one of the lowest passes in the Alps and runs from Sterzing (in South Tyrol in northern Italy) to Innsbruck (capital of Austria’s western state of Tyrol). Alfa Romeo’s bigger Tonale and Stelvio are also named after mountain passes in the Alps, so it makes sense for the new member to follow the same strategy.
Scheduled to debut in early 2024, the new baby crossover will essentially be Alfa Romeo’s version of the Jeep Avenger and Fiat 600. Those two models are primarily sold as EVs but they’re also available with a mild-hybrid, three-cylinder gasoline engine. Brennero is set to become Alfa’s first-ever EV, and we’ve taken a crack at rendering its exterior design. The Photoshop job takes after leaked images of the real thing, so we wager it should be fairly accurate.
Brennero will be the first of several models without a combustion engine as the Stellantis brand has already confirmed the next-gen Giulia and Stelvio will both be EVs. A big electric vehicle is also being developed specifically for North America and is set to take the shape of an SUV with an aero-focused design. Lest we forget the stunning 33 Stradale supercar can also be had in zero-emission guise as an alternative to the V6 variant.
