Reworked Euro 7 Regulations Mean Alfa Romeo will Keep its V6 Engine

• Stricter Euro 7 emissions limits will only apply to trucks and buses, after all.

• Alfa Romeo says its 2.9L twin-turbo V6 will continue to power Quadrifoglio models for at least a few years.

• Pushback from automakers and eight EU countries has forced lawmakers to relax the proposed regulations.

The upcoming Euro 7 emissions regulations have been responsible for the recent demise of a number of models and powertrains, but things might be turning around for automakers.

Indeed, the very stringent emissions regulations that had been proposed have been relaxed and are now set to apply only to buses and heavy vehicles.

This is great news for automakers since it means they can continue selling their current models and engines for at least 10 more years.

Decried by automakers and eight EU countries, these requirements were reportedly to blame for the demise of models such as the Ford Fiesta since the extensive modifications required to make gasoline engines comply by July 2025 would have made smaller vehicles unprofitable to manufacture.

Volkswagen had also hinted at the end of its sub-compact Polo and the retirement of the manual transmission in the Golf.

Since these requirements won’t affect passenger cars after all, some automakers have decided to continue the use of engines that would not have complied with Euro 7, such as Alfa Romeo.

Indeed, the automaker says that its Quadrifoglio models will continue to use the same 2.9L twin-turbocharged V6 engine for at least a few years.

In addition, the company’s boss has hinted at the possibility of more models being powered by this powertrain, which is closely related to the new Nettuno engine used in some Maserati models such as the MC20 supercar.

What the abandonment of Euro 7 requirements for cars and SUVs doesn’t change, however, is the fact that the European Union has put forth a ban on the sale of new vehicles powered by gasoline engines, which is set to come into effect in 2035.

This means that gasoline engines as a whole have a limited future ahead of them, and even more so in the case of the Alfa V6.

Indeed, the brand has committed to selling only electric vehicles starting in 2027, and the recent change to Euro 7 rules doesn’t appear to have made it go back on its word.

This means that the automaker’s Ferrari-derived twin-turbo V6 might only live about two years longer than was initially planned, but it seems the company is aiming to make the most out of this reprieve.

Source: Autocar