It’s a crying shame that Alfa Romeo’s striking Cuorerosso concept won’t become a production model, but at least we can all console ourselves with the fact that the dramatic four-door coupé will light the way for the styling direction of several new models due before the end of the decade.

Unveiled at the Paris Motor Show, the Cuorerosso’s influence will be seen on a replacement for the Tonale SUV, expected in early 2028. A new performance-focused hatchback targeting the Volkswagen Golf and BMW 1 Series is also planned, while a successor to the Stelvio SUV remains under consideration.

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Alfa Romeo CEO Santo Ficili confirmed the brand’s upcoming medium SUV will draw heavily on the concept. “As soon as we launch that car, you will immediately recognise something coming from this concept,” he said.

Measuring 4.7 metres long, the Cuorerosso takes its name from the Italian words for “red heart” and wears a spectacular Liquid Ink Red finish that Alfa likens to a combination of molten metal and lava.

Its low-slung body features muscular wheelarches, short overhangs and a long bonnet, while the traditional Alfa Romeo Scudetto grille has been reinvented with illuminated triangular elements referencing the brand’s famous cross and serpent emblem.

Slim headlights, enormous reinterpretations of Alfa’s classic teledial wheels and a prominent Quadrifoglio badge complete the aggressive front-end styling. At the rear, the concept draws inspiration from the celebrated Alfa Romeo 8C, with rounded lighting elements, a subtle integrated spoiler and a centrally mounted exhaust outlet.

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Beneath the sculpted bodywork sits a hybrid powertrain incorporating a version of the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6, paired with Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel-drive system. However, the concept has been engineered to demonstrate the brand’s flexible approach to electrification, with battery-electric and plug-in hybrid configurations also possible.

The cabin is equally ambitious. Four doors opening in opposite directions and the absence of a conventional B-pillar provide access to a luxurious four-seat interior trimmed extensively in Alcantara, leather and metal. The driver faces a futuristic yoke-style steering wheel and an unusual instrument display featuring two cylindrical gauges that can mechanically combine into a single unit.

A concealed OLED infotainment display, dubbed the Magma Display, remains invisible until required, while physical switches are retained for essential functions including climate control, transmission selection and driving modes.

Alfa says the minimalist arrangement is designed to keep technology from overwhelming the driving experience. Sustainability also features prominently, with the concept’s leather incorporating 60 per cent post-industrial waste.

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The Cuorerosso arrives as Alfa Romeo prepares for a major product renewal. Production of the current Giulia and Stelvio is scheduled to end in 2027, leaving the Junior and Tonale to carry the range until replacements arrive.

The Tonale successor is expected to lead the charge in 2028, followed by a raised, sporty hatchback inspired by the discontinued 147 and Giulietta.

Whether the Cuorerosso’s spectacular proportions and unconventional interior survive the transition to production remains uncertain, but Alfa Romeo has made its intentions clear: its next generation of cars will put distinctive Italian design firmly back in the spotlight.