Quick and Closer Look With This New Alfa Romeo MiTo

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ALFA ROMEO’S hottest MiTo hatch, the Quadrifoglio, has arrived around australia armed with parent company Fiat’s innovative MultiAir engine technology and active suspension.

Using a combination of turbo induction and precise electro-hydraulic valvetrain control, the Quadrifoglio’s 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine packs 125kW – 11kW or about 10 % more than the actual Mito performance variant, the game.

Topping the range at a sharp $34,990, the MiTo Quadrifoglio is expected to reach in Australia in the rate of between 10 and 15 units each month – and Alfa importer Ateco expects to sell every one.

That price undercuts the MiTo Sport’s $37,490, but Alfa Romeo Australia public relations manager Edward Rowe said that anomaly could be rectified in a announcement next week.

The hard-to-pronounce Quadrifoglio nameplate translates in a roundabout way to ‘four-leaf clover’, the traditional designation of sporting Alfas.

The MultiAir engine’s peak power of 125kW represents a specific output of more than 92kW per litre. Also, it is the first Alfa to feature idle-stop technology.

Torque output is similarly impressive, feeding 250Nm by way of a six-speed gearbox in sport mode, and 230Nm at all other times.

This power and torque is achieved whilst sipping just 6. litres of petrol per 100km, and emitting just 139gm of carbon dioxide from your twin tailpipes.

Alfa RomeoMiTo center imageLeft: Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio. Bottom: Alfa Romeo MultiAir engine.

If MultiAir was the only technical innovation in the new Mito, it would still make it probably the most significant technical advances to reach in Australia this year, alfa Romeo Australia’s general manager Andrei Zaitzev mentioned that.

Alfa’s DNA (All, Normal and Dynamic-weather) system of choosing drivetrain and suspension pre-sets is complemented by standard-fit active suspension, which uses five accelerometers to check the vehicle’s movement and continuously adjusts each shock absorber independently.

Depending on which position the DNA controller is set to by the driver, the active suspension changes its working parameters, for example firming up in the Dynamic setting to match this mode’s quicker throttle response and sharper steering.

The Milanese manufacturer claims that the Turin-built Mito Quadrifoglio is the first car in its segment to offer you active suspension as standard.

Mr Zaitev said this dynamic adaptive suspension brought technology “normally associated with cars that measure their prices in fractions of a million dollars right into a new market sector for affordable cars”.

The Quadrifoglio also gets 18-inch grey alloy wheels, matching brushed titanium-look headlight surrounds and door mirror covers plus an all-black interior with white instrument panel lighting, created to reduce reflections and distractions while driving.

Compared to the Mini Cooper S, the little Alfa’s completes the -100km/h drag in 7.5 seconds, half a second slower than the Mini, and its top speed is 219km/h – 9km/h under that of its rival.

The Italian claws back points in the environmental stakes though, using .3L/100km less fuel and emitting 7g/km less CO2 the British-built, German-funded, French-powered Mini.

Alfa celebrated its 100th birthday this current year on June 24, using the Quadrifoglio heading up a long line of sporting models, right from the first Alfa Romeo, the G1 – the last remaining example of which resides australia wide.

Mr Zaitzev said the MiTo range would keep growing.

“The Mito Quadrifoglio fails to complete the MiTo range; it is just the next thing with more versions set to debut new features and technology and be sure the Mito is as technically advanced since it is chic and chic.”

It can be unlikely that the even hotter MiTo in line with the 179kW GTA concept through the 2009 Geneva motor show will become production reality, but the range is being hampered by the lack of an automatic and would benefit from the introduction of Fiat’s TCT (twin clutch transmission).

So, far, 140 MiTos are finding homes within australia this year. It can be Alfa’s second-best seller following the 159, that 248 have already been sold.

With sales down 12 % on this time last year and a lot of its models in run-out, Alfa is hoping the Giulietta, which arrives here later this coming year, will improve matters for 2011.

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