Alfa Romeo Junior EV brings 250-mile range for £33,895

Imparato added: "Many of Alfa Romeo's fans still miss the Mito and Giulietta, and now we revamp their stories. Welcome home."

Measuring 4170mm long by 1780mm wide and 1500mm tall, the Junior adopts several bold new design cues but nods back to Alfas of old with features like the swollen wheel arches, a 'coda tronca' bluff rear end and SZ-inspired headlights.

The most distinctive feature is the new interpretation of Alfa's traditional 'scudetto' front grille, which on electric versions features stylised elements from the firm's logo.

Claiming "the lowest weight in the segment and optimal mass distribution", Alfa talks up the "best-in-class" driving dynamics of the Junior, noting that the chassis was tuned by the same team responsible for the hardcore Giulia GTA super-saloon.

The Veloce variant, positioned as the most driver-focused in the range, is fitted with the same Torsen limited-slip differential as the Abarth 600e. There are front and rear anti-roll bars, with the firm claiming best in class driving dynamics.

It also has "the most direct steering in the segment", Alfa said, with a ratio of 14:1, alongside a 25mm suspension drop, stiffer anti-roll bars at each end and "high-performance" tyres.

Chunky 380mm front brake discs clamped by four-piston calipers round off the agility-focused chassis overhaul.

As with the Citroën C4, Fiat 600, Jeep Avenger and Peugeot 2008 with which it shares a platform (and its basic dimensions), the Junior is available with the choice of electric or mild-hybrid petrol power.

The Junior Ibrida combines a 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engine with a 48V starter-generator and a 28bhp electric motor in the six-speed automatic gearbox for 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 - "a first in the premium segment", Alfa claimed.

There's no word yet on the likelihood of a full-bore Quadrifoglio version, but Imparato has previously said he "will always study the possibility to make a performance version" of each new model, as long as it is "fully consistent with the product portfolio message we send".

"If I consider that I’m not able to offer the right level of performance steps of Quadrifoglio, I will not do a Quadrifoglio version,” he clarified.

The Junior will become available in the UK later this month. It will be launched in 28 markets over the next six months.