Ibrida is 0.1sec quicker to 62mph than the EV
Petrol-powered version of Alfa’s smallest car is £6000 cheaper than the equivalent EV – and quicker
The Alfa Romeo Junior hybrid has gone on sale in the UK, priced from £27,895.
Named the Junior Ibrida, it swaps electric power for the mild-hybrid set-up used across a range of models in the Stellantis group, such as the Citroën C4, Fiat 600 and Vauxhall Corsa.
It pairs a 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox, into which a 28bhp electric motor is integrated.
The engine and motor combine to send up to 134bhp and 170lb ft through the front wheels, allowing the Junior Ibrida to complete the 0-62mph sprint in 8.9sec.
That is 0.1sec quicker than the entry-level 154bhp Junior Elettrica. The extra performance is most likely to be a result of the Ibrida being 255kg lighter than its electric counterpart, at 1230kg.
Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are officially rated at 58.8mpg and 109g/km.
The Ibrida also receives a small visual tweak: as standard, it gets a wire-style grille with the historic Alfa Romeo badge, rather than the flat plastic item fitted to the EV.
Inside, there are black and blue cloth seats, ambient LED lighting and two 10.25in display screens (one for instrumentation and the other for infotainment).
The optional Sport Pack (£4100) swaps the standard cloth seats for Sabelt buckets trimmed in Alcantara, as well as adding aluminium pedals and tinted rear windows.
The Premium Pack (£2000) forgoes the Sabelt seats in favour of leather chairs with an adjustable lumbar support as well as heating and massage functions.
Deliveries of the Junior Ibrida will begin during the second quarter of the year, between April and June.