Alfa Romeo ditching long-standing iconic tradition with the new Giulia coupe
- Alfa Romeo is ditching tradition
- The new Giulia coupe is touted by design chief, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, to be ‘super-cool coupe’
- A fresh closed grille is in, while side-mounted license plates are out
Published on May 29, 2024 at 2:24 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on May 31, 2024 at 7:25 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
The next-gen Giulia coupe from Alfa Romeo is having a bit of a facelift as it enters its new era.
The brand’s distinctive offset license plates are out due to pedestrian safety regulations.
Meanwhile, a new blocked version of the iconic scudetto grille is in for future models of the Giulia and Stelvio, covered with logo-inspired 3D graphics – similar to the recently unveiled Tonale.
Alfa Romeo design boss, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, has talked excitedly about the new Giulia launch, stating that it will be ‘super-cool’.
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Additionally, upcoming Alfa Romeo EVs, including the next Giulia and Stelvio, will adopt a blocked version of the iconic scudetto grille with 3D graphics,
“We cannot put the number plate on the side anymore because of the homologation regulations for pedestrian safety,” Mesonero-Romanos explained.
“This will allow us to have symmetry anyway, so I am happy – I’m one of the guys who likes the plate in the middle.”
First appearing on the 1955 Giulietta Spider, the off-center plates were introduced by the Italian brand to avoid interrupting the lines of their iconic grille.
Mainstream models from the 1970s-late 1990s, saw centrally-mounted license plates being used because their grilles were narrower, allowing for bulkier bumpers.
The trend cycled back in 1997 on the 156 sedan.
And it’s remained consistent since then until the recent unveiling of the EV version of the Junior subcompact SUV earlier this year.
Originally named the Milano SUV, it’s the first electric car for Alfa Romeo.
Mesonero-Romanos spoke about the importance of the design flair to Autocar.
“Some die-hard Alfisti, who think an Alfa Romeo isn’t an Alfa Romeo unless it has the number plate on the side won’t be happy, but there are plenty of beautiful Alfa Romeos in history which have the number plate in the middle: I own an Alfetta and a 1968 Giulia which have a central plate and look beautiful,” he said.
What the switch has allowed for is a ‘fresh interpretation’ of the iconic scudetto grille for the next iteration of the Giulia, Stelvio, and subsequent models.
“Putting the logo in a big size shows we are proud of it, and it’s a modern interpretation graphically, it’s pretty strong to have it in a big size,” he said.
And it’s about function as well as form.
“With Alfa function and design always go together – the next generation of cars will have a closed logo because they will be electric cars, and we cannot have the function of the Scudetto as it was when it was conceived.”
The new Stelvio will debut in 2025, followed by the Giulia sedan in 2026, per Alfa Romeo announcements.
With fully electric powertrains, both will ride on the same STLA Large platform.
Mesonero-Romanos teased further on the next-gen Giulia: “It’s what people would expect from a Giulia in terms of sportiness, with a super-cool coupe – and I won’t reveal anything else for now.”
Watch this space.
Want to hear more about iconic car grilles? The story behind Bugatti’s iconic horseshoe-shaped grille is actually fascinating.
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All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
