Many of you think of hybrids as boring and tasteless dough. But the Tonale is a well-baked and crunchy model whose sporty expression Alfa Romeo cares about.
The Alfa Romeo Tonale introduced itself to the world in early February as a model that ushered the automaker into a new era. An example is the car’s first connection to digital NFT technology, which records important achievements in cars and creates the basis for accurate determination of residual values. We tackle all this novelty, including rich equipment, at first acquaintance.
With Tonale, the automaker is entering the world of electric drive. While the top version of the Q4 is a dedicated plug-in hybrid system with 275 horsepower, a modest 160 horsepower hybrid will suffice for the average user.
The base is a 1.5-liter supercharged four-cylinder petrol mated to a seven-speed automatic clutch. The system is equipped with a 15kW electric motor with 55 Nm of torque. Together with a 0.8 kWh battery, the Tonale can run in pure electric mode, for example when parking, sailing or driving in convoy. It can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 8.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 240 km/h.
Superior four-cylinder petrol engine with 12.5:1 high compression ratio, newly designed cylinder head, variable valve timing and powerful intake. The geometry of the turbocharger also changes depending on the load. In practice, this means better response at lower speeds and dynamic ride at higher positions. At full load, short-term performance improvements can be used. Both engines include a starter generator which ensures a quiet restart of the car.
What is interesting is the high compactness of the drive system. The battery cover has a volume of only 11 liters, which allows it to be placed in the center tunnel area between the front seats. The system works with a 48V system. The engineer’s goal was to get the heaviest component as close to the center of gravity as possible and to achieve the best weight distribution. In the case of a hybrid, all-wheel drive helps stability.
The Tonale grabs the driver’s attention by driving with a sporty touch. The car provides a steering ratio of 13.6 and an independently tuned front suspension. The chassis is equipped with shock absorbers with variable effects using integrated valves. The driver has the opportunity to choose a comfortable and sporty mode. For even more fun behind the wheel, an auto-lock differential is installed on the front axle.
The novelty is equipped with Integrated Brake System technology, which combines electronic stabilization and physical brake control. This system also optimally adjusts the connection level of the Brembo recovery system and stirrups.
If you’re looking to take a break from driving, the Tonale is equipped with a level 2 autonomous drive system, meaning it’s capable of accelerating, braking and staying on track. The system is equipped with reading traffic signs and the parking assistant will be happy to be in the city, indicating free spaces for parking and completing car entry and exit maneuvers.
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