ALFA ROMEO JUNIOR

As our time with sleek EV ends, we find surprising common ground with an Italian icon.

- Dawn Grant [e-mail]

IT'S time to say goodbye to our Alfa Romeo Junior Veloce – and during our six months with the car, we couldn't help but draw some parallels with my husband Dave's Vespa. Both vehicles ooze Italian charm and although the Junior's design isn't as iconic as the Vespa's, which has barely changed in 60 years, it certainly draws on Alfa's heritage.

The rear end reminds Dave of an Alfasud his Dad owned in the late seventies, while the headlamps and Scudetto shield both reimagine past designs, as do the striking diamond-cut 20-inch alloy wheels, which incorporate the famous circular motif. More than a few times over the past months we've been parked up, and when other EVs have driven past, they've only highlighted the looks and presence of the Alfa, which stands out from the crowd without trying too hard.