Deliveries of the Alfa Romeo Tonale aren’t expected to begin in the United States until the second quarter of this year, but the crossover is already enjoying very strong demand. So much so that the automaker has reportedly added a second shift at its Pomigliano plant in Italy where the Tonal is produced.
At the same factory, Stellantis also built the Fiat Panda, and the manufacturer discontinued production of the small car. Soon, the same assembly line will also become responsible for the Dodge Hornet, which is essentially a rebadged version of the Tonale. The Italian crossover is currently sold in Europe and Japan, and will soon arrive on US shores where it has a starting price of $42,995 for the entry-level Sprint version.
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The Pomigliano plant recorded a strong 34% increase in production last year to reach a total of 165,000 units, including 20,000 Tonales. With the addition of a second shift for the crossover, Tonale’s production will increase to approximately 400 units per day. The announcement also means that the factory’s 1,600 temporarily laid off workers will return to work.
In its first year on the market, the Tonale recorded 11,171 sales in Europe, but it was announced in November last year that pre-orders for the model had reached 35,000 units. On the Old Continent, the model is sold with a plug-in hybrid, mild-hybrid and diesel engine, unlike the United States where only the PHEV powertrain is available. The electrified mill combines a small 1.3-liter turbocharged petrol engine with an electric motor for a total output of 285 hp.
The Tonale is part of Alfa Romeo’s plan to have at least 40% of its sales come from outside Europe by the end of the decade, up from just 18% in 2021. The Dodge Hornet closely related should also generate strong sales with early estimates. showing over 40,000 potential sales per year.
