Specifications (Alfa Romeo MiTo 1.4 JTB):
Price Range (est. MSRP): $25,000 - $40,000
Body Type: 3-door hatchback
Layout: front engine, FWD
Engine: 155 hp, 170 lb-ft of torque, 1.4 L, 16-valve DOHC I-4 turbo
Other Engine Options: 78hp and 95hp 1.4-liter I-4, 120hp 1.4-liter I-4 turbo, 90hp 1.3-liter I-4 turbo-diesel, 120hp 1.6-liter I-4 turbo-diesel, 230hp I-4 turbo (upcoming GTA version)
Transmission: 6-spd manual
Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc (305mm ventilated discs / 251mm solid discs) ABS, EBD, BA
Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 4,210 / 1,759 / 1,484 / 2,578 mm (165.7 / 69.2 / 58.4 / 101.4 in)
Curb Weight: 1,406 kg (3,099 lbs)
Tires: 225/40R18 (std. 225/45R17)
Cargo Volume (seats up / folded): 270 liters
Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 10.1 / 6.8 L/100 km
Warranty (mo/km): 48/80,000 comprehensive, 60/100,000 powertrain
Direct Competitors: Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Fiat 500 Abarth, Mini Cooper S, Renault Clio RS, Volkswagen Scirocco, Volvo C30 T5
Heritage is a coveted commodity in the automotive industry. Marketing departments trade on it regularly, and some of the largest automakers have gone so far as to reach into the past and revive dormant marques. But what many automakers crave, Alfa Romeo has in spades.
The name alone conjures up images of graceful cruises along azure coasts and heroic victories under checkered flags. But in a saga mirroring the history of the continent onto which it was born, Alfa Romeo's golden age subsequently descended into dark times. Highly praised sports cars were replaced by lackluster sedans, dynamically inferior to their predecessors, to say nothing of their contemporaries. While the competition progressed, Alfa was left to trade on its heritage alone, which only deteriorated as time went by. Generations matured knowing Alfa only as a troubled relic, and the legend was left unsubstantiated. Buying a new Alfa became an entirely emotional choice, with little in the way of performance or competence to gratify the owner. Alfa Romeo withdrew entirely from the North American market in 1995, where the high level of competition left little room for sentimentality. Those dark ages, however, are drawing to a close. That is, if cars like the new MiTo have anything to say about the matter.
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The MiTo belongs to a new generation of Alfa Romeos that was spearheaded by the achingly beautiful 8C Competizione. That supercar was engineered, designed and realized in cooperation with erstwhile arch-rival Maserati, which was paired up with Alfa Romeo under the common ownership of the all-encompassing Fiat Auto Group. With a new 4.7-liter V8 engine mounted in a platform borrowed from Maserati's own grand tourers, and a graceful silhouette penned by the company's own Centro Stile design atelier, the 8C Competizione captured the hearts of automotive enthusiasts around the world, heralding a rejuvenation of the badge which it proudly wears.
However, the 8C Competizione, and the arguably even more desirable convertible version to follow, remain far outside the reach of the average driver. Its price tag delves into six figures and only 500 of each will be built, with an additional 100 lightweight, even more hard-core GTA versions to follow in celebration of Alfa's upcoming centenary.
The MiTo, meanwhile, is an entirely different kind of animal. Although it mimics the styling of its range-topping counterpart, the MiTo enters the Alfa Romeo family as a new entry-level model, with a price tag hovering closer to a tenth of the 8C's. Needless to say, it won't post the kind of earth-shattering performance as its exotic big brother, but the MiTo will compete on a far more relevant level that will show the way for a plethora of new models to follow.
The MiTo borrows its platform from the more commonplace Fiat Grande Punto, a stylish if decidedly more mass-market hatchback that took the European market by storm, garnering a wealth of awards in its inaugural year. The new Punto also gave birth to the first new model from the revived Abarth sub-brand with a new hot hatch taking aim at Europe's finest. The MiTo picks up where the Punto Abarth leaves off, with a heavily revised chassis that we recently had the chance to sample at the Varano racing circuit in northern Italy.
Varano dè Melegari - known to some as the Autodromo Riccardo Paletti - is one of eight FIA-certified racing tracks in Italy. Once a favourite practicing ground for the nearby Monaco Grand Prix, Varano is home to Alfa Romeo's advanced driver training program as well as fifteen motor races each year. The wide variety of turns and bends along the 1.5-mile circuit includes an S-complex named after former multiple Grand Prix and Le Mans winner Jacky Ickx, and proved the perfect location to push the MiTo to its limits.
The test vehicle which we sampled at Varano was near the top of the specification sheet. Equipped with a 155-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the MiTo drives through a six-speed manual transmission via the front wheels, while Alfisti around the world eagerly anticipate the return of a commonly-accessible rear-drive platform from the stoic Italian marque (an even more enticing 230 horsepower GTA version is in the works, and a variety of more cost-effective and fuel-efficient gasoline and diesel engines are also on offer).
Arguably the most intriguing element of the MiTo's drivetrain, however, is a small switch mounted next to the shifter on the centre console. Alfa calls it the DNA system, allowing the driver to switch between Dynamic, Normal and All-Weather modes. The system is derived from Ferrari's manettino switch, and controls the myriad electronic systems that keep the fully-loaded MiTo on the proverbial straight and narrow. Among those systems perfecting the MiTo's dynamics is ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution, Vehicle Dynamic Control (Alfa Romeo's electronic stability program) with Anti-Slip Regulation, Cornering Brake Control and Dynamic Steering Torque, HBA descent control, and Alfa Romeo's Q2 electronic differential. Leaving the switch in Normal mode allows for comfortable cruising, while All-Weather gives an added level of security and sure-footedness under adverse driving conditions. The Dynamic mode, however, tightens up the suspension and steering, reigns back the electronic systems and allows the natural competence of the MiTo's chassis - which is considerable for an entry-level model - to shine through.
Tossing the MiTo around the Varano circuit and through its accompanying figure-eight handling course, the MiTo proved an able driving tool. Our only qualms were a slightly numb and disconnected steering feel, and a relatively long travel on the clutch. Otherwise the little Alfa impressed as we hustled it around the track, its dynamic performance proving worthy of its vaunted emblem and reconnecting Alfa Romeo with its past.
The supercar-derived styling is a matter of taste, with some arguing that it suits the car well and others insisting that its curves look out of place on the short wheelbase. That call will ultimately prove the decision of the buyer.
The cabin design approach is decidedly intimate, enveloping the driver and passenger where some of the MiTo's competitors go for a more airy, open approach. The materials, however, are top-notch, worthy of a premium badge like Alfa's, even in its entry-level model. The optional leather trim on our test vehicle - available in black, red or natural tint - is made by vaunted leather-crafters Poltrona Frau and combines such sumptuous touches as perforated skins and contrasting stitching to give an instant air of exclusivity. The dashboard and door panels are fitted with a unique material mimicking carbon fibre but with a more tactile feel, available in either dark red or black, while the titanium-finish trim contrasted nicely. The ergonomics keep everything within easy reach and with pleasing feel, and the cabin incorporates as many high-tech systems as the chassis.
A six-speaker sound system with CD player and MP3 support comes standard, with an available 8-speaker option plus a range-topping Bose premium surround system on the menu as well. Alfa Romeo also offers the Blue&Me system, developed with Microsoft, to integrate all manner of information and entertainment systems. The standard and available features for the MiTo leave little to be desired and few excuses for potential buyers to look elsewhere.
The MiTo is only the first step in an ambitious rejuvenation program that aims to bring Alfa Romeo back to its rightful place in the worldwide automotive market. That position includes a highly-anticipated return to North America, with possible local production and an as-yet unconfirmed range of offerings that will be spearheaded by the 8C and, we hope, will also include the MiTo. With this premium hatchback soon to hit the European market, Alfa is preparing a slew of additional new models, including a five-door hatchback to accompany the MiTo in replacing the ageing 147 and anchoring the company's line-up. A new convertible and a crossover utility vehicle are also being considered, as well as replacements for the sharply-styled yet dynamically underwhelming (and subsequently slow-selling) 159, Brera and Spyder models, plus a successor to the discontinued 166 flagship sedan.
If the company's new leadership can turn the MiTo's momentum through the twists and turns of a diversifying range and an expanding marketplace, the glory days of Alfa Romeo may no longer be a thing of the past.
source:autos.canada
