Tag Archives: Alfa Romeo

NEW CARS

2026 Alfa Romeo Junior Sport Speciale: Small Car, Big Passion

Alfa Romeo’s latest compact aims to prove that you don’t need a massive engine—or a massive bank account—to feel the pulse of Italian performance. With the new 2026 Junior Sport Speciale, the brand revives its long-running tradition of speciale editions that blend style, spirit, and just the right amount of indulgence. Following the success of the Junior Intensa, this new Sport Speciale becomes the centerpiece of Alfa’s refreshed lineup, alongside the recently updated Tonale.

Design: Compact, but Pure Alfa

At first glance, the Junior Sport Speciale doesn’t just look sporty—it looks expensive. The glossy black body kit, accented by silver inserts on the side skirts and bumpers, gives it a poised, planted stance. The lower guards feature bespoke finishes, while the new 18-inch “Fori” alloy wheels, done up in a dual-tone Matt Miron Diamond Cut, reinforce its athletic posture. A discreet Sport Speciale badge on the flanks lets keen-eyed enthusiasts know this isn’t your average Junior.

A two-tone roof—optional, but highly recommended—adds contrast to a shape that already feels quintessentially Alfa: taut, emotional, and free of unnecessary frills. Even the tinted rear windows manage to feel like an aesthetic statement rather than an afterthought.

Interior: Handcrafted Sophistication

Step inside and the cabin delivers that mix of craftsmanship and drama that Alfa Romeo interiors are known for. The heated, power-adjustable seats are wrapped in perforated Alcantara, with light-colored backrest inserts and “ice” accents that visually cool the otherwise dark cockpit. The same soft-touch Alcantara flows across the dashboard, center tunnel, and door panels, matched by a leather-and-Alcantara steering wheel with contrasting stitching.

Subtle details elevate the ambiance: luminous dashboard stitching, aluminum pedals, an illuminated logo, and ambient lighting that feels more Milan lounge than Milanese commuter. It’s not over the top, but you’ll know where your money went.

Technology and Equipment

Buyers can take the tech game further with the optional Techno Pack, which bundles a full suite of Level 2 driver-assistance features. That includes Adaptive Cruise Control, lane centering, and traffic-jam assist. The pack also brings Matrix LED headlights, a navigation system with integrated TSI, and—on Q4 all-wheel-drive models—an upgraded digital experience that keeps pace with the best in class.

Convenience touches abound: a 180° rear camera, 360° parking sensors, hands-free tailgate, wireless phone charging, blind-spot monitoring, and even heated mirrors. The Cargo Flex Kit improves trunk versatility, while a panoramic sunroof and heated windshield are optional for those who like their Italian flair with a side of practicality.

Powertrains: Choice Meets Character

Under the skin, Alfa keeps things simple but smart. There’s a 145-hp hybrid driving the front wheels, the same output available with Q4 all-wheel drive, and a 156-hp all-electric version for those who prefer their performance whisper-quiet. The BEV variant includes an 11-kW onboard charger for faster top-ups, while the hybrids get standard paddle shifters mounted on the steering column—a proper nod to Alfa’s performance DNA.

The Alfa You Can Drive Every Day

The Junior Sport Speciale isn’t about outright speed or Nürburgring lap times. It’s about feeling—about infusing every commute and corner with a sense of occasion. In a market flooded with sensible crossovers and homogenized EVs, this little Alfa stands out as something rare: a compact car with genuine soul.

Source: Alfa Romeo

News

Maserati and Alfa Romeo Join the Carabinieri Fleet

This morning in Rome, under the ornate ceilings of the General Command of the Carabinieri, a pair of unmistakably Italian machines took the stage—not for a concours d’elegance, but for duty. The national gendarmerie has officially added a Maserati MC20 (in special MCPURA configuration) and an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio to its fleet, each liveried in the force’s institutional blue and equipped for one of the most critical missions imaginable: the urgent transport of organs and blood.

The ceremony, held in the presence of General Commander Gen. C.A. Salvatore Luongo and top Stellantis executives, marked a rare moment when Italy’s storied automotive passion and public service ethos aligned perfectly. “This collaboration represents not only an alliance between Italian automotive excellence and institutional operational efficiency,” said Luongo, “but a true alignment of purpose in service of the community.”

A Maserati First

For Maserati, this delivery is historic—the first time one of its cars will wear the Carabinieri badge. The MC20 MCPURA packs the marque’s 630-horsepower Nettuno twin-turbo V6, a 3.0-liter masterpiece with pre-chamber combustion tech borrowed from Formula 1. Its carbon-fiber monocoque and mid-engine layout are designed for precision and stability at speed—qualities that take on new meaning when the mission is measured in seconds and lives. Special equipment for organ and blood transport has been seamlessly integrated into the supercar’s limited cabin space, transforming this track-bred thoroughbred into an instrument of life-saving urgency.

The Return of a Legend

If Maserati’s entry is groundbreaking, Alfa Romeo’s presence feels like coming home. The Giulia Quadrifoglio continues a lineage that stretches back to 1951, when the Carabinieri first adopted the rugged Alfa Romeo 1900 M “Matta.” One year later, the 1900 sedan became the original “Gazzella”—a term still synonymous with the Carabinieri’s rapid-response units. From the elegant 1960s Giulia to the sharp-edged Alfetta, 75, 155, and 159, Alfa’s four-leaf-clover-badged machines have long served Italy’s uniformed protectors.

Today’s Giulia Quadrifoglio channels that legacy with a 520-horsepower twin-turbo V6, rear-wheel drive, and a mechanical limited-slip differential—pure driver’s-car DNA, reimagined for emergency service. The sedan’s trunk now houses specialized systems for secure medical transport, but otherwise it remains a Giulia in full stride: aggressive, poised, and unmistakably Alfa.

A Modern Mission

For Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa, the delivery goes beyond brand symbolism. “The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio and Maserati MCPURA are not only symbols of performance and style,” he said, “but concrete tools to ensure speed and safety in missions of vital importance.”

In a world where every second counts, these vehicles stand as proof that Italy’s passion for design and performance can serve something higher than spectacle. They are rolling testaments to how engineering excellence, when paired with institutional purpose, can save lives.

Performance with a Purpose

While the sight of a Maserati or Alfa Romeo in police livery might stir envy among enthusiasts, for the Carabinieri it’s all about function. The MC20’s carbon tub and active aerodynamics deliver precision at triple-digit speeds on open autostrade, while the Giulia’s balance and agility are perfect for navigating Italy’s narrow, twisting city streets. Both are equipped with advanced communication systems and refrigeration units designed to maintain vital medical payloads at stable temperatures—because in this mission, speed isn’t about a quarter-mile time. It’s about survival.

Italian Icons in Uniform

In an era when public institutions often settle for utilitarian efficiency, the Carabinieri’s latest additions remind the world that practicality and passion can coexist. The partnership between Stellantis and the Carabinieri continues a decades-long tradition of Italian automakers supporting law enforcement and public welfare with engineering artistry and national pride.

For Maserati and Alfa Romeo, the assignment couldn’t be more fitting: serving the nation not through horsepower alone, but through heart.

Source: Maserati

Restomod

Totem GT Super Farina: The Alfa Romeo Restomod That’s Pure Italian Poetry

If Singer has rewritten the gospel of the Porsche 911, then Totem Automobili might just be Italy’s answer to that divine restoration craft — except their scripture is written in the language of Alfa Romeo. And this, the Totem GT Super Farina, might be their Sistine Chapel.

Only 40 examples will ever exist, each one hand-built with the kind of passion that makes you want to speak with your hands while talking about it. It’s based on Alfa Romeo bones — but “based on” is like saying the Mona Lisa is “based on a woman.” What Totem has done here is nothing short of automotive alchemy.

A Shade Straight Out of the Seventies

The owner of this particular GT Super clearly wasn’t interested in blending in. He ordered his dream machine in Luci del Bosco, a luscious metallic brown inspired by the earthy tones of 1970s Italian exotica. It’s the sort of colour that looks different every time the light hits it — sometimes liquid bronze, sometimes molten espresso. Add in gold-painted rims, satin nickel accents, and a full carbon-fibre body treated with Totem’s extended satin finish, and you’ve got a restomod that looks like it should be parked outside a Lake Como villa, waiting for the espresso machine to finish.

Retro Soul, Modern Precision

From every angle, the Farina looks impossibly right. The stance, the proportions, the delicious blend of old-school romance and new-school aggression — it’s all there. It’s as if someone took a vintage Alfa and whispered, “you deserve better,” before rebuilding it molecule by molecule.

Open the door, and the theatre continues. The cabin is wrapped in ivory Nappa leather, with Alcantara, carbon fibre, and brushed metal making cameo appearances. The machined aluminium switchgear feels like it was carved by watchmakers, not fabricators. And then there’s that manual gearbox, crowned with a wooden shift knob — a glorious rebellion in an age of paddles and screens.

Heart of a Modern Italian Beast

Under the bonnet, Totem could’ve played it safe with a lightly warmed-over Alfa twin-cam. But that’s not their style. Instead, they teamed up with Italtechnica, who conjured a twin-turbo 2.8-litre V6 that sounds like it was tuned by Pavarotti’s pit crew.

In its “standard” form, it delivers 600 horsepower and 700 Nm of torque — but if you tick the right box, you’ll get 750 hp and 986 Nm, which are numbers that start to feel a little… unholy. All that in a compact, lightweight body that channels its power through a proper manual? That’s not nostalgia — that’s nirvana.

The Price of Passion

At €539,000, the GT Super Farina isn’t just expensive — it’s exclusive. You could buy a small fleet of Giulia Quadrifoglios for that. But none of them would feel like this. None would blend 1960s romance with 2020s performance so seamlessly.

Totem hasn’t just made a car; they’ve made an emotion you can drive. A tribute to Alfa Romeo’s soul, to Italian craftsmanship, and to the art of making machinery that moves you — literally and spiritually.

If the GT Super Farina proves anything, it’s that sometimes, il cuore sportivo still beats loudest when it’s hand-built, polished to perfection, and painted the colour of autumn sunlight over Tuscany.

Source: Totem Automobili