Dead: Alfa Romeo Giulietta

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta is dead, or at least that's what the latest Autocar report states. According to the British publication, the Italian hatchback has been taken off sale after existing for 11 years.

This news wasn't exactly a surprise, however. Alfa Romeo, through its product marketing boss Fabio Migliavacca, announced the fate of the Giulietta last year, which will pave the way for the arrival of the Tonale crossover. The timeline has been delayed, presumably because of the pandemic, the Autocar report said.

Speaking of the Tonale, Alfa Romeo's new CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato, wants better performance from the model’s PHEV system, according to a report from last month. This delays the Tonale's launch, which was supposed to happen this year but with the recent development, it looks like the Italian marque has other plans.

Of note, the Tonale will be slotted below the bigger Giulia and Stelvio models, pegged to be the automaker's savior amid the SUV-hungry market. With that responsibility at hand, a lackluster performance shouldn't be an option.

Good news is, recent reports state that the Tonale is coming to the US, though an even smaller crossover might not make it stateside. Whether it will sell or not, only time can tell.

With that said, the departure of the Giulietta means that there will be several months that the Alfa Romeo lineup will be left with only two models on sale – at least until the Tonale arrives. Some reports say that the small crossover might arrive in the summer of 2022 but frankly, your guess is just as good as ours right now.

What's definite, however, is that the new CEO is working to keep the Alfa Romeo brand alive. The new Stellantis merger will make that possible, with "greater opportunities" in store for the automaker in the upcoming years.