If there’s one thing that buyers can expect from the Italian car maker Alfa Romeo, it’s style. Every model in the range is lovely to behold with that typical Italian flair. With the legendary front grille and badge, folk will always know it’s an Alfa. The good news is that the same design ethos remains in their pure electric cars.
Readers of this blog, who will already know that MHH International export cars from the UK to Kenya, New Zealand, Ireland, the Caribbean and elsewhere, often VAT-free, may remember the slight hiccup Alfa Romeo had with the naming of their most recent model, the Junior, in our original article; that’s now recent history. What’s new is this exciting new electric version which now carries the legend ‘Veloce’. Well, it’s fast alright and here’s why:
The Alfa Romeo Junior 280 Veloce is a small car that truly embodies the brand’s sporting spirit. Packing the electric equivalent of 280 BHP (and a chunky 345 Nm of torque) and with perfect weight balance, this fine car offers first-class driving dynamics, advanced technological solutions and timeless beauty. It’s a true Alfa Romeo in other words, a car that elevates these features to the highest levels with segment-leading agility and best-in-class road handling.
The Car
The exterior is much the same as the standard car (see our review here for photos) but with a few embellishments. With a kerb weight of just 1,560kg, the new Junior Veloce weighs about 200 kg less than its nearest competitors, giving it a significant advantage when it comes to EV efficiency; an important aspect of this motive power. A compact lithium-ion battery pack contributes significantly to the car’s low mass, while the brand’s trademark ‘truncated tail’ and asymmetrical front air intakes help reduce both aerodynamic drag and energy consumption.
All this is made possible by two world-first additions for the Veloce: There’s a new 280 BHP (207 kW) electric motor and the latest Torsen ‘D’ mechanical limited-slip differential. As the flagship of the Junior line-up, the 280 also benefits from the quickest steering in the segment, which has been specially calibrated to enhance the exceptional road-holding. In addition, the suspension has been lowered by 25 mm and the anti-roll bars have been recalibrated. Finally, the braking system includes 380mm discs at the front with 4-piston ‘monobloc’ calipers, while the 20 inch alloy wheels feature bespoke tyres especially developed for high performance electric vehicles (EV).
This premium sporting vehicle is distinguished by its unique ‘Progresso’ badge, a two-tone livery of black roof and the chosen body colour (from six options) with red accents, privacy glass at the rear, adaptive Full LED Matrix headlights, and ‘Venti’ 20 inch alloy wheels. Options to customise cars further include black mirror caps, body-coloured door handles and the ‘Biscione’ logo on the C-pillar.
The Driving
To optimise handling and performance, drivers can select their preferred driving mode using the Alfa ‘DNA’ selector, which made its debut on other current models. For the new Junior Veloce 280, ‘Dynamic’ mode provides maximum power and torque, increases the sensitivity of the steering and pedals, and minimises any annoying electronic stability programme (ESP) interference. In addition, regenerative braking is disengaged in favour of fully mechanical braking to enhance the overall sporty feel.
Alternatively, selecting ‘Natural’ limits maximum output and speed in an effort to save energy, while the ESP interventions are more conservative. In ‘Advanced Efficiency’ mode, torque is limited to 300 Nm for utmost energy efficiency. Finally, the Junior Veloce features a ‘B-mode’ button for enhanced regenerative braking to recover energy to the battery each time the accelerator is released, helping to improve the vehicle’s range.
Further, for this car, the suspension setup is a proven combination of the McPherson strut at the front and torsion beam at the rear, ensuring perfect road holding and great comfort in all driving conditions.
The Power
Whether or not the world will see a petrol-powered version of the Veloce remains to be seen. In the meantime, the current set-up will please EV users, especially in urban and suburban environments, day to day. This exceptional electric power-train consists of a Hybrid Synchronous Electric Motor and the latest 54 kWh battery, which offers a high energy density and an outstanding ratio of rated to usable energy. For example, the lithium-ion pack provides up to 207 miles of range in the official cycle. Moreover, charging is remarkably simple: it takes less than 30 minutes to charge the batteries from 20 to 80% at 100-kW DC fast charging stations.
The Interior
Despite the small size, the Veloce is very roomy inside and offers a 400 litre boot capacity. There’s refined ‘Spiga’ seats with black/red/eco-leather fabric upholstery. The driver's seat also features electric adjustment and massage function, while soft-touch materials are used for the dashboard, which also includes laser-cut trim inserts. Elsewhere, there is a front centre armrest, a smartphone storage space and two cup holders in the central tunnel. Attention to detail is further demonstrated by the elegant and distinctive eight colour interior lighting marking out the air vents, central tunnel, and the iconic ‘Telescope’ instrument cluster.
In terms of technology, the standard specification includes wireless connection for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, the Alfa Connected Services suite, a sound system with four speakers and two USB ports in the front. This new car is also peerless when it comes to safety features, as demonstrated by the Lane Assist, adaptive Cruise Control and Driver Attention Alert systems, while further ease of driving is guaranteed by the electronic parking brake, rear parking sensors, climate control and D.N.A. selector. The standard specification is completed by tailored floor mats, a three-level height-adjustable boot floor and an 11-kW three-phase onboard charger.
The Veloce features new-generation electronic architecture with over-the-air system by which means software updates and new features can be added as soon as they become available. The new infotainment system also features a sophisticated, fluid multi-tasking interface, giving the driver all the information they need at-a-glance without taking their attention off the road.
Ahead of the driver is the ‘Telescope’ system that consists of a fully digital 10.25 inch TFT screen to access the car’s data and the settings for the driving technologies. In the centre console and angled towards the driver, is a 10.25 inch touchscreen infotainment system developed to work with widgets and graphic components. Designed for intuitive interaction with all the features, it can be customised via quick and easy drag and drop features.
Small is beautiful, they say, and that is certainly the case with this new addition to the Alfa Romeo ranks. If it’s too small, consider the superb Guilia, possibly the best looking saloon car on the market today. Interested in any of the Alfa range? Get in touch with us here at MHH International via this website for more details.
