Milan; the fashion capital of the world and on the automotive catwalk Alfa Romeo have always been to the fore when it comes to car design. Thus it comes as no surprise that the Italian brand’s latest offering is called the Milano. Or rather it was when this piece was in preparation: It seems that somehow by confounding Italian law (how did they not know?) and building the car elsewhere other than Italy, the brand are unable to use that name and have chosen instead to call it Junior.
The name may not be so romantic or redolent of Italy, but that’s what they’ve done. There it is in our photos. It is a replacement for the previous Mito and is both compact and sporty and it is either hybrid or fully electric. Obviously our images say Milano on the badges but it’s Junior that will arrive upon delivery.
The Milano, sorry, Junior is offered with three power-trains, of which two are fully electric with the equivalent of 156bhp and 240bhp for the pokey Veloce. Alternatively, buyers can choose the Junior Ibrida which combines a 1.2 litre three-cylinder petrol engine with a 48V starter-generator and a 28bhp electric motor driving through a six-speed automatic gearbox with 134bhp and the possibility of short-distance EV running. It's front-wheel-drive as standard, but a four-wheel-drive version will arrive later, they say.
Three option packs are available: ‘Technology’, ‘Exclusivity’ and ‘Sportiness’. The Technology pack offers the best specifications in terms of safety, technology and functionality, such as level 2 autonomous driving, hands-free electric tailgate, LED Matrix lights and connected navigation with virtual assistant. ‘Exclusivity’ adds additional comfort technology, courtesy of the vinyl-fabric blend interior, electrically operated driver’s seat with massage function, interior ambient lighting, and aluminium pedals and kick plate. ‘Sportiness’ offers the best in, well, sportiness, with Sabelt seats, Alcantara upholstery and sporty exterior features.
On The Outside
This is a compact car with typical Alfa flair, mixing a balance of proportions, purity of line and attention to the quality of the surfaces. For a compact it really is very stylish and catches the eye at first sight. The proportions are set out with features relating to the brand’s tradition, such as the limited overhangs, muscular wheel arches and the iconic ‘kamm tail,’ a reference incidentally, to the legendary Giulia TZ from days of yore.
The simplicity of Italian style offers a strong identity, made up of a limited number of features that include the legendary ‘scudetto shield’, perhaps the most famous and recognisable front end in the automotive world. A contribution is made to its powerful personality by the bold look of the front, with adaptive Full LED Matrix headlights. Alfa Romeo style is characterised by the quality of the surfaces, which create rich and harmonious reflections through distinct contrasts.
On The Inside
The same inspiration of pure sportiness can be found inside the car, where the standout features are the Italian attention to every detail, the use of fine materials and the placement of all the controls within the driver’s reach.
The instrument panel and its historical ‘Cannocchiale’ design creates that direct visual connection that invites you to wrap your hands around the steering wheel, start the engine, and make the best of that Alfa Romeo driving experience. In the middle of the cluster, the standout feature is a fully digital 10.25 inch TFT screen, to access the car’s data and the settings for the driving technologies.
In the middle of the dashboard and oriented towards the driver, a 10.25 inch touchscreen system developed to work with widgets, graphic components designed for intuitive interaction with all the features, can be customised via quick and easy drag and drop. Every user can create their own homepage, where each of the car’s features is an app in itself. To further embellish the interior, the air conditioning vents in the shape of the famous ‘quadrifoglio’ (four-leaf clover) are a nice touch. To catch the eye and welcome the driver, optional ‘Sabelt’ sports seats are available featuring an enveloping backrest that combines high mechanical resistance, perfect ergonomics and structural lightness.
Comfort means making every travel experience simple, extremely pleasant, organised and safe. That’s why, when getting into the passenger compartment, you can see the meticulous attention to detail, the high quality of the upholstery and the enveloping feeling of being in your comfort zone, with a sporty nature and that distinctly Italian quality.
Despite its compact size, Alfa say that the Junior EV boasts the largest boot in its class for a fully battery electric vehicle (BEV), with a load capacity of as much as 400 litres. Convenient cable storage is supplied via a compartment located under the bonnet (hood). To increase the comfort even further, there’s a series of driver assistance features including the option of Level 2 autonomous driving. Also optionally available are 360° parking sensors and a 180° rear camera that monitors the surrounding area, for an innovative and practical semi-autonomous parking system.
The Junior can also include proximity access technology, to open and close your car quickly and easily by coming closer to or moving away from the vehicle, with no need for the customer to take any action. Further to the technology details, Alfa Romeo interprets the use of software and connectivity to enhance the driver's experience, which remains the focus. That’s why this car comes with the most advanced connected technology, to ensure maximum comfort. ‘EV Routing’ is an innovative connected system built into the navigator that manages the driver’s charging needs. All customers need to do is set up their destination, then the navigation system automatically calculates any charging stops needed along the route. Real-time traffic, battery and driving style monitoring makes it possible to rely on ‘EV Routing’ for a driving experience free from charging anxiety, so they say.
On The Road
Building on the lowest weight in the segment and optimal mass distribution, the brand clearly have the specific aim that the new crossover will achieve best-in-class road holding. This has been made possible by specific technical solutions in the ‘Veloce’ version, featuring the most direct steering in the segment, especially calibrated to be extremely precise and to enhance its exceptional road holding qualities; handles like an Alfa should in other words.
The sports suspension has been lowered by 25mm, the front and rear anti-roll bars are extra sporty to guarantee quick cornering with a high level of grip, the braking system has large front discs with four-piston callipers, while the ‘Torsen’ differential offers the best possible traction in all conditions. The high-performance twenty inch tyres are also specific to electric vehicles and offer extensive levels of grip. All this forms the basis of a one-of-a-kind compact car with a pure, recognisably Alfa Romeo sportiness.
‘Dynamic’ mode, partly made possible by specific steering and accelerator calibration, offers the utmost performance and driving pleasure. In a careful balance between performance and comfort, ‘Natural’ mode is designed for everyday use, while ‘Advanced Efficiency’ is calibrated for maximum energy efficiency by reducing consumption without affecting driving pleasure.
In the electric version, Alfa Romeo have selected a new-generation power source, combining a Hybrid Synchronous Motor and a new battery with high power and torque. The 54-kWh battery offers high energy density and a very good ratio of rated to usable energy. Specifically, in the 156bhp version the lithium-ion battery pack provides up to 250 miles of range on the open road or 366 miles in the urban cycle. Charging the Milano is quick and simple, with a 10-80% charge from a 100kW rapid charger being complete in less than 30 minutes.
Orders for Junior will open in early Summer this year. This is the car for a new generation of ‘Alfisti’ devotees or just for folk who want an attractive and unique car for everyday use. Find out about availability of this or any car currently available from Alfa Romeo by contacting us here at MHH International. If you are new here, MHH International export cars from the UK, VAT-free, to various global destinations like Kenya, Ireland, New Zealand and the Caribbean. Can we help you source your next car?
