When was the last time you thought about Alfa Romeo? Unless you’re an owner, or a prospective buyer, it has probably been quite a while.

And that’s a shame, because the historic Italian auto brand is steeped in heritage and boasts a colourful portfolio of gorgeous, iconic models and race cars, including but not limited to the 33 Stradale, the Montreal and, more recently, the 8C Competizione and Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Those cars are known for their sleek, sexy silhouettes, and while they vary in exclusivity, purpose, and certainly price, they all embody a particularly sporty essence that Alfa Romeo instills into every one of its cars with great pride.

But at the other end of the spectrum are the more ‘regular’ models, the ones that sell in Europe’s most affordable market segments to drive sales and profits in order to make those halo cars possible. Alfa has a long history there too, with models like the discontinued Giulietta being a much-loved, red-blooded hatchback.

In Australia, the brand isn’t quite as well-known or widespread as it is in Europe, and hasn’t operated in those smaller sales segments for the past few years. But that has just changed with the arrival of its newest global model: the Alfa Romeo Junior.