Alfa Romeo Announces Sporty MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde with 170HP 1.4-liter Turbo Engine

We were hoping that Alfa Romeo would introduce the production version of the 240hp MiTo GTA concept at the Frankfurt show but the Italians decided to start off with something a little less spicy in the form the sporty Quadrifoglio Verde model. The "four-leaf clover" MiTo is powered by Alfa's revolutionary new 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo engine that cranks out 170HP or 15 more ponies than the turbo engine of the 1.4L TBi model.

Power is transferred to the front wheels through a newly developed "C635" six-speed gearbox.

Alfa claims a 0 to 100km/h (62mph) sprint time of a little over 7 seconds with an extra-urban cycle (that means highway) fuel consumption of just 4.8 lt/100 km (49mpg US) and CO2 emissions of 139 g/km.

To further improve handling Alfa equipped the MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde with its Dynamic Suspension system that has been co-developed with Magneti Marelli. The system comprises of four electronically controlled shock absorbers, five accelerometric sensors, a control unit and an interface for the three different settings (Normal, All Weather and Dynamic).

A sporty Alfa wouldn't be complete without the visual upgrades so the Italians fitted the Quadrifoglio Verde with 17-inch alloy wheels finished in satin titanium that is also used for the headlight and tail lamp frames as well as for the wing mirrors.

The hot hatch's interior is further enhanced by the different fabric used to upholster the seats, the dashboard and the white lighting on the instrument panel.

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Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA 240HP Concept - Official Photos

Don't be fooled by Alfa's "concept" moniker; the MiTo GTA that we'll be seeing at next week's Geneva Motor Show is the real thing and it will find its way into production. Set to rival Europe's hottest small cars like the 211HP MINI Cooper S JCW and the 197HP Renault Clio RS, the MiTo GTA is powered by Fiat's all-new, direct-injection, 1.75-liter turbocharged four-pot that produces a hefty 240-horsepower.

Justifying its GTA logo (Gran Turismo Alleggerito - light grand tourer ), Alfa's engineers have reduced the MiTo's weight by using carbon fiber on the tailgate spoiler, the roof and the mirror fairings and aluminum for the braking system, suspension and some parts of the chassis.

To enhance the MiTo's dynamic qualities, Alfa completely revised the operating parameters of the suspension, lowering it by about 20 mm and added a new "active suspension system" that stiffens the rear end by means of shock absorber control. The GTA also features a revised steering wheel system for a more direct and precise feeling as well as a new, lightweight braking system from Brembo.

The MiTo's looks have been beefed up with a functional bodykit that is said to improve the car's CX drag coefficient and increase downforce. Up front, the GTA gets a new bumper with two wide air intakes, a redesigned grille and a windscreen wiper deflector. From the side, the GTA stands out thanks to the 19-inch alloy wheels, blacked out side skirts and engine cooling air vents which bring to mind the 8C Competizione.

The sexiest part of the GTA in our opinion is its rear end that features a massive diffuser incorporating two large diameter exhaust pipes in the middle and a redesigned tailgate made from carbon fiber that incorporates an integral spoiler with a wing which is wider in the upper and side sections.

Inside, Alfa said that the MiTo GTA Concept gets a set of four sport seats with the 4-point seatbelts attached to the rear roll, dark leather trim and a new sport steering wheel.

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Alfa Mito Inspires Fashion Designers to Create a Line of Women's Jeans...

In an attempt to "Lancia-Ypsilon-ize" (...) the MiTo hatch and make it more desirable to female buyers, Alfa Romeo's UK arm joined forces with TV's fashion persona (or so the company claims) Louise Roe, to challenge two promising young fashion designers to create a line of women's jeans, and at the same time, raise money for charity. The result of the work of London-based designers Bjork and McElligott is a one-off series of limited edition skinny-fit jeans.

In the extremely rare case that some of you (hopefully, only female readers) are actually interested in the designer jeans that feature Alfa Romeo red stitching and badges embroidered on the rear pockets, you can order them through mitojeans.co.uk. Prices are set at £75 a pair.

If it makes you feel better, the proceeds are expected to raise funds for the girls in the pics Jeans for Genes, a charity that helps children and families affected by genetic disorders.

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2010MY Alfa Romeo 159 with New Turbo Engines hits UK Shores

The fairest compact executive car of them all, Alfa Romeo's gorgeous 159 Saloon and Sport Wagon have arrived in Great Britain. The 2010 model year 159 that was presented at the Geneva Show in March benefits from the introduction of two brand new Euro 5-compliant turbocharged engines, the 1750 TBi petrol and 2.0 JTDM diesel, as well as a revised range structure for the UK market.

The new 159 1750 TBi gets a 1.75-liter direct injection turbocharged engine that makes 200 horsepower along with 320 Nm of torque launching the saloon from rest to 100km/h (62mph) in 7.7 seconds before topping out at 147mph or 236km/h. The sedan returns a combined fuel consumption of 34.9 mpg UK or 8.1 lt / 100km.

Alfa's new 2.0 JTDM diesel powerplant produces an output of 170 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and a maximum torque of 360 Nm available between 1,750 rpm and 2,500 rpm. With this engine, the 159 covers the 0–62 mph (100 km/h) sprint in 8.8 seconds and achieves a top speed of 136mph or 219km/h while returning a combined fuel economy of 52.3mpg UK (5.4 lt / 100km)

For the 2010MY 159, Alfa has introduced a new range structure which now features five trim levels: Turismo, Turismo Sport (new), Elegante (new), Lusso and TI.

The new Turismo Sport trim features several sporty upgrades over the base model including 17-inch alloy wheels, Blue&Me, sports seat cloth, sports leather steering wheel with remote audio controls and gear knob, and sports dials.

The new Elegante trim also adds new features to the Turismo, including rear parking sensors, visibility pack and specififc seat and door panel upholstery.

UK pricing for both the 159 1750 TBI and 2.0 JTDM Saloon start from £21,800 (see comprehensive price list in the image above).

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2011 Alfa Romeo Giulia: 159's Successor Illustrated

What you see pictured above is an artist's impression of the Alfa Romeo 159 replacement that is reported to revive the Giulia nameplate as the Italians are swapping their current system of numeric names for more personal ones (e.g. the 147's successor will be named Milano). The CGI, courtesy of Motorionline, is apparently more of a wild guess on the Guilia's styling than anything else, but in any case, we'll let you decide if you like it or not.

The Giulia, which isn't expected to surface on the market before the second half of 2011, will make use of Fiat Group's new versatile C-Evo platform that will also underpins the forthcoming Milano hatchback.

And yes, unfortunately this means that the Giulia will not make the transition to rear-wheel drive. Instead, Alfa's 3-Series challenger will be offered with front-wheel drive with the option of the Italian firm's Q4 four-wheel drive system.

It's too early for any official information on the engine range, but we suspect that the Giulia will most likely be offered with Alfa's 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol as well as with a V6 petrol and numerous turbo diesels.

And how about a GTA variant? Well, that's a tough one especially since Alfa abandoned its plans for a 'hot' 159, but hopefully the Italian automaker will make it up with the presentation of the Giulia GTA.

[Photo: Motorionline - Thanks Maurizio!]

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Alfa Romeo Milano: New Spy Shots from Factory

Yep, believe it or not, another set of pictures of the all-new Milano photographed right inside Alfa Romeo's factory have slipped into the internet. The two new images of the 147's replacement come only a couple of weeks after an initial batch of photos were posted on Facebook. The new Milano that takes styling cues from the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizone as well as the MiTo hatchback is expected to go on sale either towards the end of the year or during the first months of 2010.

The Milano, which is the first Fiat Group model to make use of the Italian firm's new C-Evo platform, will target the premium hatchback segment challenging models such as the Audi A3 and the BMW 1-Series.

The five-door hatchback with the hidden rear-door handles will be offered with a variety of powerplants including 1.4-liter and 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines and 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter turbo diesels. To check out our previous post on the Milano, click here.

[Via: 4Troxoiforum , Hat tip to Nikos!]

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Alfa Romeo Milano Fully Revealed in Factory Photos!

That sound you hear are the cracks forming on the walls of Alfa Romeo's assembly plant in Italy as believe it or not, someone managed to leave the factory with what appear to be mobile phone photos of the all-new Milano. The surprisingly revealing gallery, which comes only a day after an initial leak on Friday, made its way on a Facebook group page exposing the Italian compact hatchback from several angles and even gives us our first view of the dashboard and center console.

To a lesser extent than the smaller MiTo, the five-door Milano has an all-new body design with styling cues that refer directly to the Alfa 8C Competizione. These include the oval-shaped headlamps and arrow-like bonnet lines that end with the deep Alfa shield grille, but not the round tail lamps as the Italian designers opted for a totally different design at the back.

Like the 147 hatchback that it will replace, the Milano's rear door handles are hidden in the door pillars for a smoother look that gives the illusion from a distance that this is a sportier three-door hatch.

The interior shots reveal that the Milano will feature a sporty instrument panel with two deeply set gauges at either side, a design trait seen in most modern Alfas including the MiTo and the 159.

Styling aside, the Milano uses the latest version of the Fiat Group's C- and D-segment platform which is known internally as the C-Evo. It is not clear yet if the Milano will hit the European market before the end of the year or in the beginning of 2010, but when it does, Alfa's BMW 1-Series rival is expected to be initially offered with 1.4-liter and 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines producing up to 200HP+, as well as with the usual turbo diesel line up.

[Photos via: Facebook]

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2010 Alfa Romeo Milano - 149 Hatchback Spied Testing on the Nurburgring

Our spies have captured a masked prototype of the Alfa Romeo Milano, previously known as the 149, running tests at the Nurburgring race track in Germany. The Golf-sized premium hatchback will replace the aging 147 that has been around since 2000 having received a mid-life facelift in 2004. Rivaling the likes of the Audi A3 and BMW 1-Series hatch, the Milano uses the Fiat Group's new C-Evo medium car platform that is said to underpin an array of future Chrysler Group models.

The extensive cladding on the prototype cannot hide the familiar styling traits from Alfa Romeo's latest generation models and especially the curvalicious front end with the circular headlamps inspired from the MiTo and the 8C Competizione.

The spy photos suggest that the Milano will get a steeply raked roofline and a more unique treatment for the rear-end, though expect to see circular LED tail-lamps similar in design to the ones found on the MiTo.

When the Milano begins to arrive at Alfa Romeo's European dealerships sometime in the second half of 2010, the five-door hatchback will most likely be offered with the Fiat Group's 1.4-liter and 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engines producing between 120HP and 200HP+. The range will also include a variety of turbo diesels.

Expect to see Alfa releasing sportier Ti variants with cosmetic and suspension upgrades while rumor has it that the Italians are also considering a range-topping GTA model, though we must point out that the same was said about the 159 and Alfa has yet to reveal its S4 challenger.

The official presentation of the Milano could take place as early as the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, but chances are that Alfa will probably wait for the Geneva Show in March 2010. It remains to be seen if the Alfa Romeo Milano makes its way to the States after the Fiat Group's tie up with Chrysler.

[Source: Carscoop]

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