Carlos Tavares Drives the Alfa Romeo Junior 280 Veloce at Caramulo

There are many perks to being the CEO of a major global car company, but none as sweet as getting behind the wheel of a brand-new Alfa Romeo Junior 280 Veloce at the Caramulo Motorfestival. That's exactly what Carlos Tavares, head honcho of Stellantis, did—because why leave the cool stuff to the influencers when you can flex those driving muscles yourself?

With a compact 280-hp all-electric engine, this new Alfa Romeo isn’t just about turning heads—it’s about turning corners at speeds that make you question your life choices (in the best way). And where better to test it out than the legendary Michelin Historic Hill Climb? Yes, the hill is famous. No, it's not a Michelin star restaurant, but there’s plenty of tire-rubber aroma in the air.

Alfa Romeo rolled out the red (and green) carpet for this event, slapping the Junior with a special livery paying tribute to both the brand’s heritage and the Portuguese flag. Because nothing says "Look at me!" quite like a car wearing its country’s colors. It’s the automotive equivalent of rocking up to a party in a tuxedo made of your national flag—bold, but classy.

Of course, Tavares didn’t just stroll into the hill climb like some weekend hobbyist. No, he took on that hill with the swagger of a man who probably has an army of PR people ready to tweet every microsecond of his drive. And what a drive it was! The Junior’s agility, lowered suspension, and limited-slip differential had Tavares dancing through the curves with the precision of a Formula 1 driver on a Sunday cruise.

Not to be outdone, Alfa Romeo also brought along its big guns—the 510-hp Giulia Quadrifoglio Super Sport. It's the kind of car that makes grown men weep, and it led the charge like an angry bull chasing a very slow matador. All of this, while onlookers probably tried to decide which they loved more: the cars or the fact that Carlos Tavares can pull off a racing suit like it's casual Friday.

And just in case you thought this festival was only for the modern machines, Alfa Romeo threw in a collection of vintage cars from the Caramulo Museum—driven by all-female crews, because who said men should have all the fun? These beauties, including a 1956 1900C SS and a 1970 Giulia GT 1300 Junior, brought some old-school class to the event, reminding us all that Alfa Romeo has been making people swoon for decades.

At the Alfa stand, they even let the public try their hand at simulated racing on the Junior Veloce. Perfect for anyone who wanted to pretend they were Carlos Tavares, without the pressure of actually being good at driving.

So, while most CEOs are stuck in boardrooms, Carlos Tavares was out there tearing up the tarmac in Portugal. He’s living the dream—and reminding us all that sometimes, it’s good to be the boss.