In 2013, when Sergio Marchionne was still leading FCA, the company announced that, through an agreement with Mazda, Alfa Romeo would develop a new roadster based on the Mazda MX-5—a modern revival of the legendary Duetto.
However, these plans were never fully realized. Alfa Romeo shifted its focus to the Giulia and Stelvio, while Fiat brought an MX-5-based roadster to market as the 124 Spider, which failed to make much of a splash.
But the dream of a new Alfa Romeo Duetto never disappeared completely. According to Juan Manuel Diaz, the designer considered the “father” of the Alfa Romeo MiTo, the idea has been developing for years. Diaz recently shared a sketch (and some AI-generated renders) on his Instagram pagereveals five Alfa Romeos that were never produced, including a roadster that could be the new Duetto.
The Alfa-Miata That Never Was
Photo by: Juan Manuel Diaz / Instagram
Diaz explained that shortly after joining Alfa Romeo in the early 2000s, the team had submitted a proposal for an Alfa Romeo roadster based on the Miata:
‘The design team has completed a series of proposals based on the Mazda MX-5 platform, exploring the possibility of a relaunch of the Duetto.’
For anyone who loves cars—not just Alfa fans—the Duetto will always be a classic. Diaz began developing personal side projects, separate from any official company programs.
‘After work, I continue to draw every evening, trying to find a balance between heritage and modernity. Between 2003 and 2009, I created dozens of concepts, including a 1:1 full-size model based on the 8C Competizione, which was later shelved and replaced by the 8C Spider.’
So the Duetto revival isn’t limited to the MX-5 platform—it could also be based on the much more prestigious 8C architecture (though it’s unclear whether it will retain the naturally aspirated V8).
Forgotten Flagship
Photo by: Juan Manuel Diaz / Instagram
Diaz also shared a sketch of the Alfa Romeo Alfona, drawn in 2006 at the request of Wolfgang Egger, who was Alfa Romeo’s head of styling at the time. An unofficial project, essentially a styling exercise for a modern Alfetta, using the Maserati Quattroporte platform.
‘The idea was ambitious: to create a high-performance sports sedan capable of rivaling German flagships.’
Junior Before Junior
Photo by: Juan Manuel Diaz / Instagram
Today’s Alfa Romeo Junior—a small SUV originally launched as the Milano—is offered with a hybrid or electric powertrain. However the name had been used internally for a 2006 project (codenamed Project 955), which envisioned a slightly taller sporty coupe-like model based on the MiTo, producing around 250 CV (247 hp).
8C By Zagato
Photo by: Juan Manuel Diaz / Instagram
Another sketch shows a redesigned Alfa Romeo 8C, restyled with a completely restyled body and the truncated “Kamm” tail typical of Zagato-bodied cars. It will retain the Maserati V8 under the hood, combined with a bold and dramatic design.
Small Convertible Car
The fifth project that was never built was the Alfa Romeo MiTo Convertible, which Diaz mentioned several years ago. This three-door version of the MiTo featured a soft top and was nearly produced in 2010, but Marchionne ultimately abandoned the project, seeing little commercial potential for the small Alfa convertible.
Motorcycle Pickup1: Diaz’s sketch is an interesting look at what could have been a very different Alfa Romeo lineup. From a Miata clone to a new flagship and two sporty small cars, this direction may yield different results for the struggling luxury brand.
