Alfa Romeo’s CEO Is Poised To Lead The Brand To New Heights

The recently revealed Alfa Romeo Tonale is just the beginning of the Italian brand’s rebirth. Known for its gorgeous creations and V6-engined sports cars, the Milanese brand has not been in the greatest position for many years. The Stelvio and Giulia aren’t the successes Alfa had hoped they’d be. Buyers in this segment are traditional and stick to what they know.

But CEO Jean Philippe Imperato isn’t ready to give up on the company just yet. In fact, he sees the Tonale as the start of a new era. So, how will he stage the hallowed marque’s comeback? It all starts with technology, he told Autocar. Future Alfas, according to Imperato, will be “in the top quartile for [this].” That doesn’t mean the brand is about to forget about its rich legacy, though. “I will never disrespect Alfa Romeo design,” says Imparato. “You have to be cautious of the brand. You have to inject some points of reference in the cars from our fantastic history.”

The Tonale will be followed by a smaller crossover called the Brennero, as well as a new GTV. The revival of the treasured nameplate is likely to occur on an electric four-door coupe, in the same vein as the BMW i4. Imperato also hinted that a brace of new sports cars is on the way. They will be the brand’s first dedicated sports cars since the 4C was discontinued.

The renewal of the Spider ‘Duetto’ and 33 Stradale hinges on the success of the brand’s mainstream offerings. While Alfa has always offered pricier motorcars, the brand has also had affordable yet exciting vehicles in its portfolio. This is set to continue and, even though Imperato wants Alfa Romeo to be the global premium brand for Stellantis, he said Alfa is for everyone: “Everybody deserves the beauty of an Alfa Romeo. Not everybody is rich. If you have a reasonable wage, you can buy a piece of beauty. We aren’t elitist; we’re for all.”

Previously, the CEO headed up Peugeot. Once a struggling brand on the verge of failure, the French brand is now the second best-selling brand in Europe. If anyone can pivot Alfa Romeo to success, it’s Imparato. He says the most important lesson he learned from his days at Peugeot is stability:

“Don’t change the strategy every morning. Spend your time executing instead of changing it. Secondly, protect the value, [and] the pricing power. I think those two points will do the job. It can take 30 years to build a brand and 10 seconds to kill it.”

Another key to the brand’s success comes in the form of F1. Just six months into this role, Imparato renewed the company’s contract with Sauber, noting that it’s the only global motorsport that brings a return on the hefty investment. “It’s consistent with our country mix: the Americas, Asia, and Europe. We get worldwide coverage. We’re well connected with the Sauber team. It isn’t a power relationship; we’re a tribe.”

Hopefully, all these factors will combine in a way that sees Alfa Romeo back where it belongs: at the top.