The Alfa Romeo Tonale will also be marketed in the United States where it will have to be wary like its shadow of a competitor to which it has given a lot: the Dodge Hornet. The latter will be none other than his rebadged clone of a ram. Explanations.
Unthinkable for a premium car brand to decline one of its models under a generalist brand? You can’t imagine a DS7 Crossback that would be sold under the Citroën brand in other latitudes. And yet, the brand new Alfa Romeo Tonale, the premium compact SUV rival of the Audi Q3, BMW X2 and Mercedes GLA will indeed be marketed, across the Atlantic, under the Dodge label.
TO READ. Alfa Romeo Tonale (2022). The compact SUV against its competitors
Hornet: an American made in Italy!
It will be precisely the Dodge Hornet which differs from its Italian clone in terms of the grille of course, the shield, the shape of the hood and the light signature of its headlights. In contrast, both the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the Dodge Hornet will be assembled at the historic Pomigliano d’Arco plant (the one created for Alfasud), not far from Naples.
For the American market, the vehicles, whether badged Alfa Romeo – where the Tonale will benefit from a muscular thermal engine and mechanical all-wheel drive – or Dodge, will be exported by boat. Note that the Dodge Hornet will also be entitled to the hybrid technology introduced by the Tonale. Stellantis, the parent company of Alfa Romeo and Dodge has partially revealed it on these two technical diagrams also sketching the lines of the Dodge Hornet.
TO READ. Alfa Romeo Tonale (2022). Our opinion on board the premium compact SUV
Alfa Romeo / Dodge: a not-so-new collaboration
At first glance, it may be surprising to observe an exchange of good and loyal service between Alfa Romeo and Dodge. However, the partnership between the Italian premium label and the American generalist brand whose positioning across the Atlantic is almost similar to that of Seat in Europe, is not new. In 2012, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta compact sedan was lengthened, if not decked out with a trunk, to become the Dodge Dart. Enough to afford an entry-level at a lower cost for the ram brand.
TO READ. 2012 Dodge Dart: A Trunk Alfa Romeo for America
This is not her first loan, she already has, among other things, to her credit, the Dodge Sprinter van we know on the old continent as the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. It is simply a change of grille and logos. But you will agree that in the world of utility vehicles this sleight of hand is more than common. For private vehicles this is more rare.
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