Currently reading: Alfa Romeo Mito and Giulietta unlikely to be renewed

Replacing the two smallest Alfa models isn't a priority, says boss Reid Bigland

The Alfa Romeo Mito and Alfa Romeo Giulietta are unlikely to spawn direct replacements and are "not at the same level as the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio", according to Alfa boss Reid Bigland.

Speaking at the Geneva motor show, Bigland said the Giulietta and Mito would "stay for the foreseeable future", but new Alfas would be like the Giulia and Stelvio and "put the driver at the centre", in line with the firm's new strategy.

"They are very good cars but not at the same level as the Giulia and Stelvio," he said.

Bigland said that decisions on future Alfas would be taken on their global appeal above all else, and the Mito and Giulietta were very Europe-focused models.

"I have nothing to announce on this, but our lens will be less Europe and more the entire globe. The European market will be a consideration, but we'll take quite strongly Asia and North America [into consideration too]. In China and North America, the compact segments are small segments [for sales]."

To that end, Bigland said the next Alfa model would most likely be an SUV, sized immediately above or immediately below the Stelvio. He said the decision to launch future Alfas would be taken purely on the basis of the size of the global segment in which it would compete.

The biggest two global segments for premium cars is now served by the Giulia and Stelvio for Alfa, but there is debate on what size of SUV makes up the third most popular segment. That's why no decision has been taken on whether to go bigger or smaller than the Stelvio next.

The promise of six new Alfas had "slipped a little bit", said Bigland, who didn't confirm any new targets.

Read more about the Geneva motor show here

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The Alfa Romeo Mito is a usable, fun package, even if its DNA drive modes can prove frustrating

Mark Tisshaw

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Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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Toreador 9 March 2017

Future lineup

Low investment/high return lineup proposal: C-segment CUV (mini-Stelvio) Guilia coupe, convertible LWB Stelvio w big boot/+2 seats all these on Giogio platform already paid for... 6C based on 4C but with the mad V6 from Giulia/Stelvio QF :-) 8C twinned with new Maser Alfieri And Marchionne must please stop changing plans every 2 years and killing models, it wastes money that could be used better, and appears deperate. But the man deserves plenty of credit for making RWD Alfa´s again! Would like to see an electric Alfa too, when there is money for it...
erly5 9 March 2017

Strange decision

And not even an estate version of the Giulia. I wish Alpha Romeo success but I don't understand their strategy to achieve it.
erly5 9 March 2017

Strange decision

And not even an estate version of the Giulia. I wish Alpha Romeo success but I don't understand their strategy to achieve it.