Nimble, dynamic and sporty. The Junior is the Alfa Romeo that wasn’t, a sharply featured, muscular compact that had long been missing from the Biscione range. “In July 2021 when I arrived at Alfa Romeo, the project was already underway but we needed to give it more character”, says Alejandro Mesonero Romanos, head of Alfa Romeo design, whom we met up with at the style centre in Turin.
A raised hatchback
While the initial architecture of the Junior was conceived with SUV undertones, it now has more the look of a raised hatchback: “There is no firm or soft surface, you just have to look more closely to realise how many lines define the volumes. A myriad of them, but with a feline grace, persuasive and captivating, despite the compact stature. It’s a veritable sculpture in motion”, Mesonero continues.
The rebel of the family
The high beltline, black roof and contrasting C-pillar help camouflage the crossover-type proportions. Subtle tactics, but effective. “The Junior is the little sister of a series of models that will start arriving next year. It is the rebel of the family: just one look and you realise it is aggressive, ready to pounce”. The front is the part with the most character, and the large shield in the centre has been given a completely new makeover.
The large shield in two versions
“We wanted to interpret it in a new way, to be daring, with actually two different versions”, continues Giovanni Ribotta, Design Project Manager. The entry version has Alfa Romeo lettering in the centre of the shield, while the sportier Veloce carries the Biscione logo with the cross symbol of Milan. A novelty for the brand, in both cases framed by LED headlights with three-point daytime running lights”.
Always be yourself
There is no visual distinction based on the engines, and apart from the exhaust tailpipes the electric Junior is almost identical to the hybrid, a choice strongly advocated by the design team: “An Alfa Romeo must always be itself, regardless of its engine”, Mesonero asserts as he points to the 20-inch wheels of the Junior Veloce and their new four-lobe design, behind which the red Brembo brake calipers stand out.
Consistency to the heritage of the brand
“We have to be innovative while at the same time remaining faithful to the heritage of the brand: it is not retro design, but an act of homage to the future”. A concept that can be found at the rear where a contrasting full-width black spoiler houses three-point headlamps, giving rise to the truncated tail. Seen from behind, the Junior boasts wide, muscular, athletic sides: “The inverted rear window accentuates this feeling of power that is a rarity on models of this size, and the same goes for the GT line that points up the subtle move-ment of the rear wheels. We wanted to create the illusion of a long, low car”, explains Giuseppe Barbera, Senior Exterior Designer.
(Full article in A&D no. 266)
