Alfa Romeo Mi.To: Compact, Sporty, Italian

Motoring Channel Staff - 20/June/2008

Sydney, Australia — Alfa Romeo's new mini car will be hot to trot when it comes to Australia in '09. 

Packing more technology than even the Mini Cooper S, plus seven airbags as standard and dynamic chassis controls, this Italian trend-setter is eyeing off the luxury compact car crown.

Alfa Romeo has officially unveiled its hot little hatch, which will be launched in July '08 across Europe before arriving in Australia in the middle of 2009.

It is aimed at young, successful men and women aged between 18 and 30, but we're sure there'll be a much wider buying demographic than this.

This all-new ultra-compact, ultra-sporty small car, will be packaged with three engine types: 1.4-litre petrol, 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol and 1.6-litre turbocharged diesel motors.

 Entry Level: The base model with the 1.4-litre petrol engine develops 58kW (78hp) @ 6000rpm and with 125Nm of torque @ 4250rpm, it makes a decent amount of power for its small size. It goes from zero to 100km/h in 12.3 seconds and has a top speed of 165km/h.

 Mid Level Diesel: The turbo-diesel 1.6-litre engine develops 90kW (120hp) and an impressive 320Nm of torque @ 1750rpm. It'll reach 198km/h and goes from zero to 100km/h in 8.0 seconds.

If it's performance you're looking for, the 1.4-litre turbo petrol will the model of choice, though Alfa has mentioned that eventually "the Alfa Romeo Mi.To engine range will be further extended to include higher power ratings and the introduction of other new features such as the Multiair electronically controlled valve lift system and the innovative DDCT (double clutch) automatic transmission."

Update: Alfa Romeo staff have reportedly confirmed the presence of the ultra-sporty Mi.To GTA, which will be powered by a 1.8-litre turbocharged petrol engine that will outgun the Renault Clio RS and even the 155kW Mini Cooper JCW. 

Peak power of 169kW (230hp) is being touted. We'll have more news on the new king of the sports compact hill when we get it.

 Top Level Turbo: Extending the performance envelope, the 1.4 turbo petrol engine churns out 114kW (155hp) @ 5500rpm and 206Nm @ 3000rpm giving the light-weight Alfa Romeo Mi.To a top speed of 215km/h and a zero to 100km/h sprint of 8.0 seconds flat.

Though it's not as fast as the Mini Cooper S, expect an even more powerful model to launch in 2009 to challenge for the 'go-fast' trophy.

At this stage only manual transmissions are offered, but it's clear that a double clutch automatic is on its way and will probably be ready when the car comes to Australia in 2009.

The new Mi.To model is an elegant pint-sized European city car, and could be a potent challenger for Mini's parent company BMW.

Alfa Romeo will claim it's not a case of "me too" with the Mi.To, but with a similar size, similar outlook, and similarly spunky styling, Mini owners will surely be intrigued.

Unlike the iconic Mini and Fiat 500 however, the Mi.To's design is not based on a classic car. 

Flared wheel arches give it sporty stance, while spherical head and tail lights give it a cheeky vibe like the Mini.

The Italian car maker is calling the Mi.To an ultra-compact, ultra-sporty small car, which will arrive in Australia in the middle of 2009 after it's global debut in July 2008.

The tiny new model could be seen as a replacement for the much-loved Alfasud, the benchmark small car from the 1970s that Alfa claims "redefined small car performance with a class leading chassis, peppy performance and crisp styling." 

Measuring slightly more than 4.0 metres long and 1.72 metres wide, the new Mi.To is seriously small, but still a prestige small car according to Alfa Romeo, one that is "intensely focused on the driver, drawing on the iconic styling of the Alfa Romeo 8C and offering a true performance orientated experience."

The Alfa Romeo 8C is the Italian car maker's exotic V8 sports car, and to be lumped in and sharing design cues with something so desirable can only be a benefit for the Mi.To.

The Mi.To's family heritage can be seen in the grille, headlights and LED taillights explains Alfa Romeo, along with the frameless side windows endowing it with a coupe appearance. "It could genuinely be called a mini-Alfa Romeo 8C," reads the press release.

Along with a compact body and a trendy new design, the Alfa Romeo Mi.To promises to be highly competitive in all areas - performance, comfort, and especially safety.

It will incorporate a new electronic system called the "Alfa D.N.A." device, which is claimed to be a world-first for a compact car. Simply put, the three settings that alter the car's engine, brake, steering, and suspension characteristics. The modes are:

 Dynamic: "supersporting" for sporty driving
 Normal: "town driving" and everyday driving
 All weather: "maximum safety even in difficult grip conditions" for driving in bad weather

Some of the other driving aids that provide the vehicle with optimum grip include Vehicle Dynamic Control, a hill holding clutch, traction control, assisted panic braking, and DST (Dynamic Steering Torque) to improve the steering feel under hard acceleration.

Safety systems are also class-leading: 7 airbags are standard across the range, plus there 3-point seatbelts with pretensioners and load limit limiters, the S.A.H.R. or Self Aligning Head Restraint system, and an advanced body structure to protect occupants in major collisions.

According to Alfa Romeo, these technologies "will set a new safety standard when allied to VDC, ABS brakes and a design developed to achieve the highest EuroNCAP crash test rating."

Along with one of the best-looking interior's in the compact car class, with a bold Italian style, some of the features that buyers can expect include CD/MP3 stereo with steering wheel controls and a Bose hi-fi stereo is optional.

The Blue&Me device is a handsfree Bluetooth interface and advanced voice recognition developed in conjunction with Microsoft that also features a USB port, MP3 player and SMS interpreter, and sat nav will also be available.

Alfa Romeo has also said the Mi.To can be ordered with colour-coded leather seats, dual zone automatic climate control and even a panoramic sun-roof.

The Mini's dominance of the luxury compact car market has existed for many years now, and it seems that Alfa Romeo is deadly serious about wresting the crown from its German rival.

The Mi.To name itself references Alfa Romeo's history: the first two letters of Alfa Romeo's spiritual home, Milan, plus the first two letters of Torino or Turin in its Anglicized spelling, the industrial Italian province where the new compact luxury car will be built.

The Australian arm of Alfa Romeo states that full pricing and specifications for this market will be announced closer to the on sale date in the middle of 2009.

Related articles:
- Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (2007)
- Alfa Romeo 159 (2006)
- Alfa Romeo Spider (2006)