After 115 years of pure petrol passion, Alfa Romeo is embracing a new rhythm. The Junior Hybrid, unveiled on August 19 in Quezon City, marks Alfa’s first dance with electrification—and it’s got all the Italian swagger fans expect, with a modern twist.
Petromax Enterprise, the exclusive Philippine distributor of Alfa Romeo and Abarth performance vehicles, launched the new Alfa Romeo Junior Hybrid. Petromax Enterprise President & CEO Allen Ong unveiled the new hybrid compact SUV at the Alfa Romeo-Abarth Petromax Cars showroom along C5 (E. Rodriguez) Avenue in Quezon City. “The Junior Hybrid is expected to boost the sales of Alfa Romeo globally,” he said. “This model aims to make the brand more accessible to the loyal Alfisti, or Alfa Romeo enthusiasts.”
Italian Compact SUV
Alfa Romeo designed the Junior Hybrid as a powerful yet docile crossover/compact SUV that offers sporty handling and a comfortable ride. The 5-door compact SUV body exudes a design language that is unmistakably Alfa Romeo and an overall styling that is unmistakably Italian. The ergonomic cockpit is sporty, the interior spacious, and the overall layout thoughtful with a 415-liter cargo space behind the 60/40 split rear seats.
The Ibrida (Italian for “Hybrid”) is powered by a 1.2-liter 3-cylinder gasoline engine paired to a 48-volt mild hybrid system, which includes a 21kW electric motor that is integrated into the 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission (DCT). The racing and sports car heritage of Alfa Romeo is ingrained into the Junior Hybrid, with unparalleled road handling and exciting performance. Priced at P3.15 Million, Petromax offers the first 10 units at an introductory price of P2.85 Million. “However, 5 units have already been reserved,” Ong said. “Deliveries are expected by the fourth quarter of the year.”
Racing partnership
Another exciting development for his dealership came to the fore. Petromax Cars entered into a partnership with Radical Motorsports Philippines, Mike Consenheim, the President of Radical Cars Philippines stated. “Petromax Cars can help maintain, service or repair Radical race cars between racing seasons.” Radical Cars Philippines Marketing Director Enrique Hormillo later spoke about the features of their race cars and the advantages of partnering with Petromax Enterprise.
“The Radical Racing Series is the most accessible circuit racing series that anyone with a passion for motorsports can get into,” Hormillo explained. “After graduating from karting, racing in a Radical offers the same excitement as racing in an open-wheel Formula Junior or Formula 3.” A Radical SR1 race car decked in Seaoil Radical Racing Series livery was prominently displayed at the Aftersales Service area of Petromax Cars. Prices for the Radical SR1 race car start at P6 Million and figure an expense of around P700,000 per racing season.
