The upcoming Alfa Romeo Tonale, a small SUV that will sit below the Stelvio, has appeared in a leaked video hours before its unveiling.
The video is believed to have been accidentally posted online by Stellantis. It reveals the alleged interior and exterior designs, with an emphasis on the front and rear lighting.
UPDATE: The Alfa Romeo Tonale has been officially revealed
Also revealed was the digital dials and central infotainment display, as well as blue and green exterior paint colours.
Alfa Romeo boss Jean-Philippe Imparato had previously given an early look at the Tonale's silhouette in a preview photo on Twitter.
Shown behind the executive team responsible for its design, marketing, manufacturing and specification, the Tonale already looks to bear a close resemblance to its larger sibling.
Alfa Romeo's new hope for sales success will be unveiled as part of an online (rather than in-person) event.
The Tonale, which follows the Stelvio in taking its name from a famous Italian mountain pass (this one lower and in the Rhaetian Alps), will be the first Alfa Romeo to offer a plug-in hybrid powertrain. ​
Let me introduce you to the band: #FrancescoCalcara on Marketing, #DanielGuzzafame on Product, #AntonioCasarella on Manufacturing + #AlejandoMesoneroRomanos on Design.A talented group ready for big hits in the future!1st album "Tonale Road" out on 8th February.Don't miss it! pic.twitter.com/rWuVDKLtHZ
— Jean-Philippe Imparato (@JPImparato) February 3, 2022
The Tonale has been spotted testing in final, production-spec bodywork multiple times ahead of its official reveal, showing a resemblance to the original Geneva motor show concept, but with a number of changes.
At the front, the split between the bonnet and front bumper has grown, accomodating more conventional headlights. The rear window has grown in size, too, while the tail-lights are thicker. The overall proportions remain the same, however.
The Tonale concept was a surprise unveiling at the Geneva motor show in 2019 and underlines Alfa Romeo's determination to finally hit the 400,000 annual sales target - up from around 150,000 in 2018 - that it has long coveted, according to European brand boss Roberta Zerbi. The car's launch is widely reported to have been pushed back by three months to early 2022, as Alfa CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato was not satisfied with the performance of the PHEV powertrain option, which is lifted from the Tonale's platform-sharing Jeep Renegade 4XE relation.
Speaking at the 2019 concept's unveiling, Alfa Romeo Europe boss Roberta Zerbi said: “We expect the Tonale to become our best-selling car. Combined with our other new products, we expect to have a car to suit the needs of around 80% of all European car buyers by 2024, and that puts Alfa in a much stronger position than today.”
Zerbi also claimed back then that the car would reach production with very few changes beyond details such as adding windscreen wipers and switching it from a four to five-seater. “This concept gives a good indication of the production model,” she said. “It is accurate in not just the proportions, but the details, including the telephone dial wheels, the triple headlamps and the dashboard lines.”
