Alfa Romeo Flagship SUV Hinted As Possible Porsche Cayenne Rival

However, since the money comes from mainstream vehicles and most new car shoppers only want crossovers and SUVs, the Italian marque's fifth model will probably be a high-rider. Moreover, it will be Alfa Romeo's flagship SUV, whose size and premium flair will pin it against the likes of the Porsche Cayenne, and others.

In a sit down with Autocar, Alfa Romeo's head honcho, Jean-Philippe Imparato, hinted at a possible flagship SUV as the brand's fifth model. "The question is, do we go up [in size]? And for me, the answer is yes: we have to go up," Imparato said. "We have everything – the platform, the engines, the software. We can push the limit to the max and I have some design sketches that are very good."

Alfa Romeo certainly has the tools and knowledge to develop a flagship high-rider. The yet-unnamed vehicle would obviously use the STLA Large construction. In the 'transverse' configuration, it underpins the Jeep Wagoneer S, Recon, and Chrysler Airflow, and in the 'longitudinal' variant, it is the foundation stone of the all-new Dodge Charger. The latter is said to be used on the second-gen Giulia and Stelvio, as well as on the next Maserati Levante.

The company's management board still has to approve this model, and an official decision is said to be taken before the end of the year. Alfa's execs and those from Stellantis will account for the potential of the Asian market, as well as the electrification in North America and the sales of its rivals in the Old Continent. Thus, if everything goes according to plan, then a flagship SUV from Alfa, which would qualify for the premium mid-size class in our market and the E-segment overseas, might arrive in 2027.

But what if it doesn't get the management board's blessing? Alfa Romeo might favor a smaller offering as its fifth model in that case. As Imparato said, they might go down in size to the compact class, more specifically, the hatchback one. Does that sound familiar? It's because you remember the Giulietta, an Audi A3 Sportback, BMW 1 Series, and Mercedes A-Class rival from Alfa that left the assembly line for good at the end of 2020. Some consider the Tonale or the Junior its indirect replacement, yet a new hatch could also be in the pipeline.

So, if you had to choose between a large crossover or a compact hatchback from Alfa Romeo, how would you convince them to bring back the Sprint GTA or the 037?