Alfa Romeo's bold new promise: Tonale SUV to deliver "the quality of a Lexus, the resale value of a BMW"

Alfa Romeo has set out a bold brand-wide vision that will begin with the new Tonale SUV, promising the Italian brand's vehicles will deliver the quality of Lexus and the resale value of BMW.

Past Alfa Romeo vehicles have carried a reputation of being high in passion and excitement, but sometimes lacking in things like fit and finish and residual values.

But that stops with the new Tonale, says the brand's global CEO, Jean-Philippe Imparato, who has set some lofty targets for his team regarding new Alfa Romeo product.

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Brand executives can sometimes be cagey about naming their benchmark brands, but Mr Imparato is openly targeting Lexus levels of quality and dependability, and BMW levels of resale value.

"I will share with you my target in terms of quality. I want to be at the height of Lexus. I am driven by quality," Mr Imparato says.

"And it's not a question of money. It's not a question of investment. It's not a question of anything else (other than) rigour and discipline everywhere in the world.

"And it is not only a question of product. It is as well a question of customer satisfaction. I don't want you to be satisfied. I want you to be delighted.”

You can almost see the waves of passion coming off Mr Imparato when he talks about his vision for putting Alfa Romeo back on the premium automotive map, with the former head of Peugeot insisting he won't let any vehicle leave the factory that doesn’t meet his stringent quality requirements.

The Tonale plug-in hybrid has been delayed at his request, reportedly after he demanded a more engaging drive experience, and the production of the mild-hybrid variant had been throttled back until recently so each vehicle could undergo exhaustive quality checks.

Mr Imparato is also acutely aware of the investment dealers in Australia - and around the world - have made in the Alfa Romeo brand, despite the trickle of new products, and he says quality will help repay that faith.

“We can’t afford to be average. If you buy a car at 39,000 euros, you must have the best car of the segment for this level of price in Europe or in North America or in Australia.

“That's it. And it's very important not only for the market, for the customer, it's also very important for the network.

“Because these (dealers) in Australia are supporting us for years, and only for passion. Only because they love Alfa Romeo. Not for business - let me be clear.

“I have one way for Alfa Romeo, up.”

Mr Imparato also says he will deliver BMW-levels of resale value within five years — which is also how long Alfa Romeo's warranty now is in Australia.

“We know the value of our cars. In terms of residual value, what’s the starting point? It’s minus five (percentage) points against BMW at the beginning of 2021, more or less. And we see that after one year we start to take one point, or two points against them,” he says.

“What is the target? After five years I’m at their level.

“So 2022, 2023, 2024, so at the end of the 2024, this brand will have more or less the same.

“Not this vehicle only, the whole Alfa Romeo brand, after three or four years we want to be at the level of our benchmark competitors. We will get there.”