A MAJOR car brand has been forced to make a significant design change - ending a 70-year tradition. The firm will have to rearrange the front end of its new models thanks to new pedestrian safety laws drawn up by the EU. The bloc is introducing a new set of regulations designed to better protect anyone who is hit by a car.
But the small print means big change for Alfa Romeo , where designers have found themselves scrambling to relocate number plates on the brand's motors. Way back in 1955, the beloved Italian manufacturer began a tradition of having its plates off-centre, usually set out to the right-hand side. This began with the iconic Giulietta Spider and continues to this day with the latest Giulia , Tonale and Stelvio models.
The idea is to allow more room for the sleek triangular grille that has become a staple of Alfas down the years. Now though, the rules have forced design teams to overhaul the front end to accommodate a centrally-mounted plate . Their solution has been unveiled in the form of the new Junior electric SUV.
The car features a deeper front with the grille raised higher and the plate set right along the bottom edge of the bumper. Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, head of design for Alfa , said: "We cannot put the number plate on the side any more because of the homologation regulations for pedestrian [safety]." He also confirmed that the change would apply to the upcoming electric replacements for the Giulia and the Stelvio.
The latter is set to debut next yea.
