As a petrolhead, I think one of the biggest dreams other than becoming a professional racing driver, of course, would be to become part of something like a manufacturer’s media drive. Now combine this with the opportunity to drive those cars on track, and we’re all living out our Top Gear fantasies.
But this gets significantly better, thanks to Stellantis and specifically Janus, who has been spearheading the operation in what Alfisti is calling “Make Alfa Romeo Great Again.” Not only did Stellantis and Rola come together to give the Alfa Romeo Club of Cape Town a magnificent track day where all the Alfisti could enjoy some track time in their glorious machines, ranging from the iconic GTV 6 3.0 to even a Fiat Doblo having a crack, but something extraordinary was waiting for us.
For me, I was looking forward to taking my Spider on track, but as we arrived, three Alfa Romeo Junior Elettrica Veloces immediately captured my attention. Now, the elephant in the room: yes, it’s an electric Alfa Romeo. The heart and soul must be completely stripped away, right? Well, you’d be wrong. It is undeniably a stunner, and I genuinely believe photographs don’t do these cars justice. From the exterior, it truly possesses that Italian flair, elegant yet aggressive, and the interior is breathtaking, especially if you have the optional Sabelt… yes, Sabelt bucket seats fitted. It’s genuinely one of those cars where you simply feel special the moment you settle inside. Remember how I mentioned manufacturer drives and all that? Niel and I were handed the keys to these beauties, and for the entire day we were taking prospective clients around for hot laps, demonstrating what the car is truly capable of and savoring every single second piloting this hot hatch-like crossover SUV around Killarney Circuit.
The Junior Veloce: When Electric Meets Alfisti Spirit
Now let’s dive into some of the technical details. The Junior Veloce, which is the more potent model in the range, produces 207kW and 354Nm of torque, which translates to a 0-100km/h sprint in 5.9 seconds. All that power is delivered to the front wheels, but fear not. Although the car exhibits quite substantial torque steer, which gives it character like taking a Jack Russell for a walk, it channels that power through a proper limited-slip differential, which transformed it into an absolute weapon through the corners. It allows you to genuinely rotate the car, and at one point I was pursuing Janus, who was driving a Stelvio Quadrifoglio around the circuit, and Janus is unquestionably a brilliant driver who knows the Stelvio intimately. Yet somehow, through the corners, it simply couldn’t escape this diminutive Junior, which genuinely felt like a proper hot hatch in the bends. It’s remarkable what the technology in this car achieves to make it feel engaging while also permitting some playfulness, which is practically unheard of in a modern vehicle.
The next question might be, “But Nico, it’s an electric car. Surely it’s heavy and the brakes will overheat within seconds?” Well, you see, somehow by modern standards, the Junior is remarkably light, weighing in at approximately 1.6 tons, but the true star is the four-piston calipers that clamp down on 380mm rotors, the same size rotors as a G80 M3. This means the Junior can execute hot lap after hot lap without even breaking a sweat. Truly astounding. I was honestly profoundly impressed by this little Junior.
Soul Over Specifications
Now, does this mean I’m a fully converted electric enthusiast now? Well, let me say this: this was comfortably one of the finest days I’ve experienced behind the wheel, not only getting to feel like I’m part of my favorite car brand in the world but sharing that passion with every passenger who drove with me, hearing their laughter as we attacked the corners, and the one thing they all kept repeating was, “This car has a soul.” And that is what Alfa Romeo is fundamentally about. Not the engine, not the design, not the price tag, but the way a car makes you feel. That in itself is something most manufacturers cannot claim, and it gives me tremendous hope for the future of the brand.