Alfa Romeo MiTo

Alfa Romeo wants to offer “the sportiest compact” to a new generation of Alfa enthusiasts. For them it has created the Alfa Romeo Mito, a modern and innovative car, but one whose name recalls the glorious past of a make which has written some of the most important pages in motoring history. The name MiTo has, in fact, a highly evocative meaning, a sign of the strong link between the past and future of the brand: between Milan, the city which gave birth to the stylistic design of the car, and Turin, where it is produced.
At Geneva, the Alfa Romeo MiTo is present with two cars in Distinctive set-up, both fitted with the sparkling 1.4 liter 155 HP Turbo Gasoline engine and the Premium and Sport Packages. Both cars have high-spec equipment: dual-zone climate control, Cruise Control, Bose Hi-Fi system, parking sensors, steering wheel controls, rear spoiler and sports pedals, bi-xenon headlights, and 18 inch alloy rims. Both cars are fitted with the new “RadioNav” GPS which constitutes the new generation of entertainment and satellite navigation developed for Alfa Romeo by Magneti Marelli. The system incorporates a GPS system, radio with dual tuners, one dedicated to traffic information (TMC), CD/MP3 player and European maps loaded on SD card to speed up data access and route calculation. To guarantee maximum sharpness and definition of the images it has a 6.5 inch color high definition display. Both MiTo cars exhibited are also fitted with the Blue&Me voice command system which, exploiting the Radionav technology, allows the driver to operate the media player and Bluetooth connection via an intuitive interface. In addition, one of the two cars offers an elegant black leather interior and large electric sunroof.
Winner of the “Auto Europa 2009” title awarded by the UIGA (Union of Italian Motoring Journalists), the Alfa Romeo MiTo recently received the prestigious Euro NCAP “5 Stars” accolade for being the segment leader in the field of safety. In fact, in the Euro NCAP adult occupant rating the car achieved a score of 36 points out of a maximum of 37, and an assessment of “Good” (first in its segment with 3.35 points out of a maximum of 4) in the new tests which Euro NCAP has introduced to assess the adequacy of front seats in preventing “whiplash”.
The secret of this prestigious recognition of the Alfa Romeo MiTo is the happy combination of looks and performance, Italian style and technical excellence designed to produce maximum driving pleasure in complete safety. The new compact Alfa offers in its 4 meters all the values of the brand, from the aggressive external lines to an interior design representing the most developed expression of the style “Made in Italy”, based on an image of sportiness and thorough attention to detail. Like all Alfa Romeos, MiTo is a concentration of advanced technology, its equipment including the Electronic Q2 system which, by acting on the braking system, provides the benefits of a self-locking differential, the DST system (Dynamic Steering Torque) which integrates electrical power steering into the Vehicle Dynamic Control system, assisting the driver in emergency situations. Deserving of special mention is the “Alfa D.N.A.” system, the control which acts on the various systems (engine, brakes, steering, suspension) modifying the character of the car based on the driving style most suited to the situation or the wishes of the driver: super sporting (Dynamic), urban (Normal), maximum safety even in poor grip conditions (All weather).
Last but not least, the Alfa Romeo Mito range was recently enlarged with the arrival of two new engines: the 1.4 liter 120 HP Turbo Gasoline engine and the 1.3 liter 90 HP JTDM engine (the latter not marketed in Switzerland): the first represents the new heart of the gasoline range, coming between the 1.4 liter 78 HP engine and the powerful 1.4 liter 155 HP Turbo Gasoline engine, while the 1.3 liter 90 HP JTDM engine becomes the new “entry level” diesel, complementing the 1.6 liter 120 HP JTDM engine. The new gasoline engine delivers an output of 120 HP at 5000 rpm and torque of 206 Nm at 1750 rpm. Offering sparkling performance (max speed 198 km/h, acceleration 0-100 km/h in 8.8 seconds), this is a well balanced engine providing an optimal power-to-weight ratio. In addition, it joins a market sector in which nearly all the competitors are offering normally aspirated engines. The new 1.3 liter JTDM diesel engine, on the other hand, forms part of the new generation of turbodiesels with JTDM direct fuel injection and variable geometry turbocharger. It is a “4-cylinder in line”, with 16 valves, capacity of 1248 cm3, bore 70 mm and stroke 82 mm. The engine delivers 90 HP at 4000 rpm and torque of 200 Nm at 1750 rpm. This is an engine with a low fuel consumption: in the combined cycle it uses only 4.5 m per 100 km and consequently CO2 emissions of less than 120 g/km. This engine, therefore, puts the Alfa Romeo MiTo among the best cars in its segment for emissions, but without sacrificing performance and driving pleasure, always the special hallmarks of Alfa Romeo cars.