All posts tagged alfa mito
Fiat Punto Evo and Alfa MiTo to get Twinair engine
The Fiat Punto Evo and Alfa Romeo MiTo engine ranges will include the 0.9 TwinAir engine from autumn of this year. The twin cylinder engine debuted on the Fiat 500 and is now also available in a 105 hp version. According to reports from Autoedizione.nl the engine would be an extra unit in the line-up and wouldn’t replace the Fire 1.4-litre unit with 78 hp, or the 1.4 Multiair with 105 hp.
Rather, the TwinAir would be aimed at a public particularly interested in keeping fuel consumption down, although we do see it as an interesting choice for the MiTo. The sportier Alfa image would be maintained with the 105 hp TwinAir version, while the Punto would get the 85 hp powerstep.
Source | Autoblog.it
Alfa MiTo Super adds to MiTo Sprint for UK
The Alfa MiTo Sprint is a new edition for the UK market, as Alfa Romeo seeks some extra success for its little model after sponsoring UK athletics. Given that sponsorship, the models will appear in red, blue or white - the colours of the Union Jack. The MiTo Sprint versions provide mostly a new look, with 16-inch alloy wheels, rear spoiler and sport badging.
Engine options available include two petrol units and a diesel, with prices ranging from £13,295 (about 15,590 euros) for the 1.4-litre model with 94 hp, to £16,395 (approximately 19,225 euros) for the MultAir unit with 133 hp. The 1.3 JTDM turbodiesel offering costs £14,845 (about 17,400 euros).
The new MiTo UK offering is also joined by the Alfa MiTo Super model on the Italian market. The Super name is a historic label for Alfa and indicates a full optional model. The MiTo Super has air conditioning, CD/MP3 audio system and eight speakers, 16-inch “Elegante” wheels, sports rear bumper and extractor and a leather steering wheel with integrated controls. The completely kitted out MiTo is availabe in the 1.4-litre, 1.4 Multiair and 1.4 Turbo Multiair petrol versions; and the 1.3 JTDM and 1.6 JTDM diesel models.
The pricing for all the MiTo Super models is as follows:
Continue reading: Alfa MiTo Super adds to MiTo Sprint for UK
Alfa MiTo defamation case: the video
“Let’s take Alfa Romeo, which is strategic at the moment. Today, we talk about whether Fiat should sell Alfa or not…. symbol of sports style. We took a small sports car, the MiTo, and put it to the test on the track, comparing it to two competitors, one of which was Citroen. See how it goes on a track run….”
These are the opening words to the defamatory ‘test’ for which Fiat is suing the Italian television program, Annozero. It’s traditionally a political program, with no business testing cars and so the context in which the Alfa MiTo, model from an Italian brand that evokes passion in the country, was tested could only be a political one, likely linked to current industry turmoil and controversy surrounding Sergio Marchionne, Fiat CEO.
We’re lost on what Top Gear (mentioned more than once) has got to do with the test, but the commentary continues with phrases such as “just look at the results” and “this is the apple of the eye for Alfa in sports cars - the one that many young people want to buy”. To put the nail in the MiTo coffin comes: “in our race test, the Mini arrives first, the Citroen second and the MiTo last. You’ll say we’re deaf partisans who’ve got problems with Marchionne.” Quite.
In true Italian style, polemics then ensue but the whole point of the test drive and the broadcast seems to be none other than that the MiTo, modern Alfa sports symbol car (although we’d debate this one), doesn’t go as fast as a Mini or the Citroen DS3 on a wet track in what looks like sleet. Fiat says that the “test” and broadcast was “highly denigratory and damaging to the image and the honour of the company, its products and its workers”….
Video | Autoblog.it
Fiat sues over Alfa Romeo MiTo defamation
That’s the short of it. The long of it is that Fiat Group is suing an Italian television program over what it claims is defamation of its brand image, products and the company and its workers. Fiat claims that the television program Annozero attempted a pseudo-comparative test of the Alfa Mito in which the technical specifications of speed alone were enough to assert the overall inferiority of the MiTo.
In an official note, the company says:
The instrumental way in which Annozero illustrated the performance of three cars, among which an Alfa Romeo MiTo, involved in a test apparently carried out in autumn, concluded, only on the basis of the information relating to the speed of the vehicle, that the results of this “test” demonstrated an overall technical inferiority of the Alfa Romeo MiTo.
Alfa Giulietta gaining ground in Italy: saving the Alfa Romeo brand
The Italian press is proudly reporting of the sales success so far of the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta on the local market. The Giulietta has managed to reach 30,000 orders in recent months and has proved it could be a perfect replacement to what was originally a popular model - the Alfa 147. In making the announcement, Alfa CEO Harald J Wester underlined both the driving pleasure and safety characteristics of the Giulietta, saying that all of the recent Alfa models have managed a five-star safety rating.
The proof will probably be in the international pudding - it’s one thing to have lots of Italians buy an Alfa Romeo, and quite another to see it compete well in this segment on the world stage. However, the 30,000 Giuliettas will probably build on the highly popular Alfa MiTo, particularly on the local market, and while there are many die-hard Alfa fans out there, most of them are certainly not blind to Alfa’s difficulties of late. In fact, most of them have remained somewhere back in the heyday of Alfa, about 30-40 years ago.
Harald Wester went on to say: “From the launch to today we have collected more than 30,000 orders for the Giulietta - a number which leaves us feeling confident that we’ll reach the 100,000 sales set as the objective for its first year on the market. The results are even more positive when considering the fact that in some important markets, like the UK, the launch finished only in September. The Alfa MiTo and the Alfa Giulietta are sustaining the brand, enabling us to work calmly on our future. We are currently working on the industrial plan presented to investors in April, which represents the basis for stable and consistent growth of the brand.”
Source | La Repubblica via Autoblog.it
Alfa MiTo five-door for US market: what about the Giulietta?
With reports that the Alfa MiTo will have a five-door version from 2013, here’s another rendering of what that might look like. From ‘Graphicar’ it looks awfully similar to the new Alfa Giulietta, which was our problem with the proposed model in the first place. Just how many hatches does Alfa Romeo think it can produce in attempts at relaunching a brand?
The new five-door MiTo would be based on the next generation MiTo and the next Fiat Punto Evo platform, also expected on the market for 2013. The company has apparently taken this option of a five-door MiTo with plans that it will debut on the US market along with the new Fiat Punto. At this point we wonder where Fiat is going with some of its plans for Alfa. If they have to develop another five-door hatch, this time based on the MiTo, why not take the Giulietta stateside and leave the investment in new models elsewhere…?
Source | Autoplus.fr via Autoblog.it
Fiat to get own dealerships in US: no sharing with Chrysler
The Fiat-Chrysler merger had first indicated that Fiat products would appear in Chrysler dealerships and that particularly the Fiat 500 would occupy its own small, featured corner on showroom floors. It now appears, though, that Fiat will get its own dealerships in the US, according to CEO Sergio Marchionne himself, and that Fiat will have a strong presence of about 200 stores opening.
We’re a bit skeptical about investing these kinds of resources when there is already a wide network of Chrysler dealerships that could be harnessed. But reports say that current Chrysler dealers will have the first opportunity to purchase new stores, which will be fitted out with service departments, too.
This would indicate that more than just the Fiat 500 will be going stateside as clearly, it would be difficult to build an entire dealership around one compact car. It raises the question, though, as to exactly what models will appear, as previously the new Alfa MiTo and Alfa Giulietta have been denied, and we can’t see that Fiat would be in a rush to take the Punto across the Atlantic. Perhaps the new Alfa SUV…?
Source | Autoblog.com
Alfa Romeo five-door MiTo rendering
Alfa Romeo will produce a five-door version of its Alfa MiTo compact car. Following the success of the sexy little city car, 2013 will see a bigger hatch version appear after a restyling in 2012. Alfa intends to compete with the Audi A1 Sportback, and it should increase worldwide sales with five-door MiTo production also in the US. The overall aim is to reach half a million sales a year by 2014.
The ambitious target would mean that Alfa will have to increase its sales by 400,000 units over the next five years. While the Alfa MiTo has been a successful car so far for the company, and the new Alfa Giulietta should also help out with the target, but it won’t be easy. In an interview with Automotive News, Arndt Ellinghorst from Credit Suisse said that Alfa has huge potential but that its strategy isn’t what it needs to be.
The target of 500,000 vehicles a year, for example, includes just 85,000 sales in the US, with the latter 425,000 being absorbed by the European market alone. The MiTo is as cute as you like, but that’s a tall order for any manufacturer in Europe. The Fiat Group is obviously still testing the US waters, but Alfa will have to expand its focus to achieve these sales targets.
Source | Autoblog.it
Alfa Romeo MiTo for Australian police
The Alfa MiTo has a new paint job - white with blue check stripes, belonging to Australia’s Sydney police force. While you might think that the Alfa MiTo has been chosen as part of a new acquisition of compact vehicles to fight crime, according to the police the purchase has actually been made because the new Alfa model attracts a lot of attention and is a talking point; meaning the police use it to connect with communities and build stronger relationships.
The police department says: “When it comes to visibility, the MiTo has proven to be an exceptional car, attracting attention and interest like no other car, with its primary role as providing a talking point from which we can discuss road safety.” Just a random excuse to buy new and interesting cars, maybe? Lucky them!
It’s not the first Alfa Romeo that has been used by Australian police who have also previously employed an Alfa Romeo GT Coupé. The Alfa models are part of an interesting lineup of cars that have been used in the past to attract attention to road safety campaigns, including the Holden HSV GTO, Lotus Exige and Chrysler 300C. But word is out that Sydney police are secretly hungering for their own police Lamborghini….
Source | CarAdvice
Hot performance model Alfa Romeo Giulietta GTA and Fiat Punto Evo hybrid
Fiat is developing an Alfa Giulietta GTA model, and is also developing its first hybrid car in the form of the Fiat Punto Evo hybrid. The Alfa Giulietta GTA sports version would be equipped with a 1750 TBi MultiAir engine, and would replace the Alfa MiTo GTA which appeared as a concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, but that didn’t make it to production. The Alfa Giulietta GTA could also be called the Quadrifoglio Verde or Cloverleaf version, which means we saw a preview of it at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. It could have about 235 hp. The Alfa Giulietta range will soon also have TCT models with dual clutch transmission.
The Fiat Punto Evo recently got a facelift, although more significant changes are planned for the future, including possible modifications to the suspension system. A Fiat Punto Evo hybrid could appear (as could an Alfa MiTo hybrid), thanks to the collaboration with Chrysler which will provide some of the hybrid know-how. A new Fiat 500 US version with chassis upgrades will also appear, meaning that the Fiat is undertaking an overall touch-up of its range, which will hopefully stand it in good stead in the future, especially for the Alfa Romeo brand under fire from Sergio Marchionne.
Source | Autocar
Alfa MiTo courtesy car for Maserati
The Alfa Romeo Mito gets a smooth new colour in “Maserati Blue Ocean” for the set of Mito courtesy cars to Maserati. 100 of the cars will be exclusively produced and the limited edition Alfa MiTo will be equipped with the 1.4-litre TB Multiair engine with 170 hp.
The interior gets a revision, too, with Frau leather seats, aluminium pedals, twin-zone air con, radio navigator unit, and Blue&Me system with USB. External features include bi-xenon lights, 18-inch wheels, rear sports spoiler and bumper and Dynamic Suspension electronic control.
The Alfa MiTo courtesy car project is the first product of the new brand integration plan of Alfa Romeo and Maserati, under the guidance of new manager, Harald Wester. The project follows the 500 units produced of the Fiat 500 “Rosso Corsa” edition as a courtesy car to Ferrari.
Alfa Romeo MiTo "Nine" kit
We saw the Alfa Romeo MiTo “Nine” video over on Blogdolcevita.com and here is some more information on the MiTo Nine package courtesy of our colleagues at Autoblog.it. The package is named after the upcoming movie musical from Rob Marshall, based on the Federico Fellini film, 8 1/2.
The “Nine” package is available for all versions of the MiTo, except the Quadrifoglio Verde equipped with the 1.4-litre TB MultiAir engine with 170 hp. The Nine kit on the “Progression” range offers “Elegante” 16-inch alloy wheels, black tint roof and brushed finish for door handles, mirrors, and headlight frames - at a cost of about 1,400 euros.
For the “Distinctive” range of the MiTo, the special kit includes 17-inch wheels, leather seats, lumbar back adjustment in the rear passenger seats, and the same black roof and brushed satin finish. The cost on this range is 1,700 euros. Check out the MiTo product placement if you’re going to see the film, and see the “Nine” with the Alfa MiTo preview video on Blogdolcevita.
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