It depends on what is one expecting from an engine but surely 1.5 GSE T4 130 is tad quicker than 1.2 EB3 136 and lets not forget that there is a 1.5 GSE T4 160.
Is it? I find it hard to compare since there's only heavy SUVs with the 1.5 GSE. Junior 1.2 EB3 136 has similar acceleration and top speed as the Tonale 1.5 GSE 160. The Tonale 130 is much slower, but of course it's also much heavier.
Why there isn't higher end 1.5 engine? Well... A lot of development was already killed by Manley like some higher end more powerful non Miller versions.
Imparato made another step. Yes, there was a plan for Giulia and Stelvio PHEV with 1.5 turbo. But then, similar people killed Maserati 2.0 PHEV and development of a 3.0 V6 MHEV engine which was planned as a common engine for Alfa and Maserati.
In my opinion Imparato has made some terrible decisions for Giulia and Stelvio MCA models but his end point is to make it profitable at any cost even if it means offering limited or non competitive products.
In the end that's the most important for surviving. Better solutions on paper don't help if you can't fund product development. If they did the big MCAs in 2022 then new generations of Giulia and Stelvio would have been delayed even further.
Imparato's latest fixation is BEV only lineup.
We'll see if that's wise or not. I understand product planning is really hard in times like this. BEV sales are slowing a bit, but then CO2 penalty fees will climb in coming years. If they developed STLA large for Alfa to not allow ICE versions, I hope there's a good technical benefit in it.
PHEV? Not a fan. Too much weight for a twisty European roads of you ask me.
I do agree that it makes more sense in America than in Europe.
