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The Alfa
MiTo has been launched this week and is now heading to
the Italian showrooms; taking Alfa Romeo straight back
to its past MiTo is a fun, sporty, agile and very
stylish hatchback that is set to be the next step in the
brand's revival. A lot of work has gone into the MiTo
project and a lot rides on it being a hit with consumers
across Europe.
The
international media test drive day was held on Tuesday, and
it dawned warm and sunny, with the famous Autodromo
Nazionale Monza, a name etched into Italian sporting
traditional, set to provide the perfect - and quite
appropriately evocative - backdrop to the occasion. The
MiTos sat in the paddock in rows, in three colours: red, the
glittering deep metallic Alfa 8C Competizione red, and
black.
On first sight
the MiTo is much better looking than official images had
suggested, its distinct Alfa 8C Competizione inspired front
end combined with all round potent hot hatch looks make it
stand right out from the crowd with a bang. The frontal
treatment gives it a truly unique identity, which is
perfectly synonymous with Alfa Romeo, and its bulbous arches
offset the high sideline and promote a squat, purposeful and
aggressive look. The LED rear lights are striking and give
it a supercar feel, shamelessly inspired by the recent
Ferrari 599 and the Alfa 8C. Big, bold alloy wheels and
brash detailed styling cues, such as the eye-catching
chromed light surrounds (which can also be personalised in
different finishes), all add to the effect of a new car with
heaps of individually but indelibly blended with Alfa Romeo
heritage; vital qualities if it is to go head-to-head with
the Mini.
The ignition key
is patterned with the shape of the traditional Alfa 'heart'
and the inner area is colour-coded red. The MiTo burbles
into life - in our case, the 1.4-litre 155 bhp turbocharged
version, which according to Alfa Romeo's engineers, has been
reworked in key areas from the unit used in the Fiat Bravo
and Grande Punto Abarth.
Alfa Romeo's
heritage is all around us at Monza: large backdrop posters
in the paddock area depict racing successes from the past:
Mauro Pregliasco's Alfetta GTV Turbodelta splashing at speed
down a muddy track is captured in crisp black and white, as
is another poster depicting Toine Hezemans and Nino
Vaccarella framed in huge laurel wreaths after yet another
win with the Tipo 33-3. For Alfa Romeo the racing link is
unbreakable, and glancing at the photos and recalling these
glory days is Han Akersloot, a former Autodelta factory
driver and now PR consultant with Alfa Romeo Netherlands.
We set off down
the paddock and drive adjacent to the famous track which is
being used today by a number of single-seater racing cars
out testing. The MiTo's turning circle is pretty good, just
getting out of the paddock gate involves a very tight right
hand twist past huge and unforgiving concrete blocks, which
are comfortably negotiated with room to spare. The
intermittent howl of racing engines flying past behind the
towering catch fencing adds to the vibrant atmosphere and
reminds everyone that Alfa Romeo is right at home here, on
the race track, an arena that it repeatedly fought and beat
the world's best, in the process creating the evocative
brand image that the MiTo seeks to capture.
The glorious
setting of Monza becomes even more poignant as we burst onto
the historic banking, which despite falling into disuse
decades ago, is now perfectly maintained. The ghosts of the
past hang heavy on the steep, brooding surface, reputations
were made and broken on this crushing test of man and
machine in unforgiving action. Legends were created here.
Powering the MiTo up the banking makes you realise the
steepness is shocking; racers of old redefined bravery as
they hurtled round this course, their momentum carrying them
almost as if locked into a furious pendulum swing. Our pace
though is more sedentary, but the MiTo still grips tight to
the aged concrete tightly, unfazed by the treacherous
surface that propelled so many of its predecessors into
fabled folklore. Into the infield, swooping under the track
and alongside the tree-lined perimeter access road, and we
burst out into the busy Monza morning traffic. Meanwhile the
outside temperatures continue to soar.
The glossy
'roadbook' recalls the past, and the road map has been
chosen to evoke test routes of the past which provided the
diversity required to allow all a car's features to be put
through their paces. Leafing through the roadbook and the
past is brought to life in a series of images, the parallels
are drawn: The legendary Tipo B 'P3', Tazio Nuvolari on the
grid at Monza, Autodelta test drivers in crisp overalls at a
tree-lined Balocco, a Montreal at speed on the roads of
Milan, an Autodelta GTA-SA racing along the Monza banking
during the Jolly Club 4 Hour race in 1969, Test Driver Guido
Moroni casually perched on the pitwall in the late 1960s,
and a TZ2 erupting from the main gates of the Autodelta
factory - motoring legends one and all. The MiTo is born
into illustrious company.
The test drive
route is 106 km, and is set to take us from Monza north
towards Lecco, through Lissone and up the SS36. At the small
town of Suello we will swing sharply east in the direction
of Erba, before cutting northwards again and tackling a
steep ascent through Canzo and Asso, from where we will
plummet sharply down a tortuous road, through Valbrona, and
onto the banks of Lake Como. Hugging the lake we will head
south towards Lecco again, cutting off to pick up signs for Oggiono and the SP51, and returning to Monza.
We begin the
jaunt heading north on a fast, crowded, dual carriageway,
steering well clear of the chaotic driving that is as much
part of Milanese tradition as cutting-edge fashion and
pasta. The MiTo is right at home on this surface, the
steering is quite responsive if a little on the light side
thanks to the modern era electronic systems. This 155bhp
turbo version has a top speed of 215 km/h, and although we
never got to test this figure it pulls well at higher
speeds; it's set to be an accomplished small motorway
cruiser.
The cabin is
roomy and airy, even though this car features an all-black
interior. The instruments are housed in a deep cowl in true
Alfa Romeo style and are clean and crisp: chrome effect
surrounds, with clear white numbers on a black background;
the needles hang vertically at rest. The water temperature
and fuel gauges are clear too in a similar vein, allowing
the driver to focus entirely on the road ahead. Between the
speedometer and rev counter an LCD display provides digital
information, also revealing to us that the outside
temperature is now into the 30s. However the air con is
doing an admirable job of keeping the occupants cool.
The dashboard
section structure is finished in a stylish carbon fibre
effect with the outer sections and glovebox being made of
the now-obligatory hard plastics which also feature on the
door and rear side panels. The Blaupunkt radio, CD player,
air con and other functions in the centre of the dash are
simply laid out and easy to use. The tray below features the
usual pull-out cylinder-shaped ashtray while the USB port,
complete with the familiar Microsoft logo, is easily
accessible. The steering wheel is chunky and pleasing to
grip, whilst the switch gear has a reassuringly solid feel.
The fabric seats
are sporty and supportive and the back is able to
accommodate three adults with sufficient legroom. All in
all, it's a pleasing cabin, well thought out by the
designers, the functions clear and accessible. It is simple,
stylish, highly specified, and sporty; just as an Alfa Romeo
should be.
We pass through
Cesana and Carella and turn north again; the road begins to
climb sharply and tight hairpin bends feature as we head up
the mountainside. Here the MiTo's useful torque is firmly
put to the test; its mid-range pull is excellent. It makes
easy work of the terrain and doesn't feel its 1145kg kerb
weight; meanwhile we steer clear of steady streams of
cyclists clad in brightly-coloured lycra jerseys. The level
of available grip is superb as we chuck the MiTo through the
many twists and turns; it feels in tune with the changing
demands of the surface, easily able to cope. The 230 Nm
(23.5 kgm) torque is useful and gives the MiTo an excellent
mid-range; the engine is revs nicely right through the range
and the needle is able to thrust towards the 6500rpm redline
with plenty of power on tap.
Once we reach
the summit the road drops dramatically down to Lake Como, a
demanding test by any standard, and by including it in our
route Alfa Romeo's planners have betrayed no fear that the
MiTo might be shown up. This is exactly the type of road an
Alfa Romeo worthy of the name has to excel on: lots of
power, torque, stopping power, and general all-round ability
are musts. There is no room for compromises, any
deficiencies will be glaring.
Although the
route is over 100 km long, this short section totally
defines motoring fun and is the perfect setting to try any
Alfa Romeo. We descend the sun soaked mountain through 180
degree bend after 180 degree bend, aiming for the gently
lapping waters of Lake Como. The mountainside though is
alive with hordes of little black and red MiTos racing up
and down the sinuous road. As we stop to take photos of our
car, MiTos rush by from all sides, the sheer rock faces
reverberating to the squeal of tyres doing their job. From a
distance the MiTo looks very assured and solid, digging into
the hairpins and holding its line well, the suspension doing
its job.
Meanwhile the
action is interspersed with Italian cars of all shapes,
sizes and ages plodding up the hillside: Mareas, Puntos,
Pandas and Stilos toil towards the summit. And of course the
obligatory 3-wheeler Ape comes wheezing up the ascent the
driver enthusiastically waving from the tiny cockpit and
honking his horn furiously. This is Italy. And in Italy
everyone is a racing driver. Alfa Romeo won't loose sight of
its roots as long as it keeps conceiving cars in this
region.
From behind the
wheel of the MiTo it's a similar story: fluid handling and
rapid responses. It rides with assuredness on the rougher
surfaces of these minor roads; comfort isn't compromised by
the search for performance, and the driver feels part of the
experience. The MacPherson front/torsion beam rear
suspension is well tuned for the task in hand. The brakes
are excellent and inspire confidence. It's an involving car.
During Monday's press conference Alfa Romeo CEO Luca De Meo
and his team were very honest in detailing the MiTo's Grande
Punto underpinnings, but took care to outline the areas that
they had focused on reworking: the engine, brakes, chassis
rigidity, suspension, driving experience, looks and feel.
The T-Jet engine, which forms the base of the new unit, has
already gained a reputation for big engine responses from
its 1368 cc, so its the perfect unit to power the 'hot'
MiTo.
All the efforts
of Alfa Romeo's engineers to imbue a sporty setup seem to
have paid off handsomely, and the chassis rigidity is
excellent, an area of focus that Fiat Group engineering boss
Harald Wester referred to during the press conference,
defining it as class leading. The 6-speed gear box is crisp
and smooth, something that Alfa Romeo used to struggle with
in the past.
The innovative
DNA system works well, the 'D' (Dynamic) sports setting
sharpens up the handling, improving throttle response with
more boost, although the switch has to be engaged at low
speeds. The 'D' setting also prompts an LCD display on the
dashboard that allows boost levels to be clearly visualised,
thus involving the driver further into the driving equation.
We drop like a
stone down the final kilometres which are chiselled into the
mountainside and level out right on the shoreline of Lake
Como. And time stands still as the adrenaline drains away
and we are thrust into a world of complete calm. The huge
lake stretches out before us and the houses of Mandello and
Abbadia on the opposite bank appear as little dots clinging
onto the steeps sides. The sheer tranquillity of the scene
is perfectly summed up by a rowing boat lazily bobbing in
the water a dozen metres off the shore with a cloth parasol
shielding its snoozing occupants from the beating sun. Life
here is relaxed indeed.
As we turn onto
the 583, which hugs the shoreline towards the foot of the
lake, we spot motoring journalist John Simister and Auto
Italia photographer Michael Ward sitting outside a tiny
roadside café. It seems the perfect spot to take a break
after the rush of the mountain roads. The cafe appears to
have been last refurbished sometime in the 1970s, and apart
from the apron wearing owner the only other person sipping
coffee is the local postmistress. Relaxing outside it seems
pertinent to ask Simister, who gets to drive every new car
that has four wheels, his own informed opinion of the MiTo .
He likes it, comments its pretty good all round, and picks
out the handling, responsiveness of the engine, and the gear
changing as particular highlights. Coffee arrives on an
ancient and heavily carved wooden tray that looks like it
really should be inside a museum showcase, while the feeling
that time has clearly bypassed this location is reinforced:
an espresso and a cappuccino total just 2.20 euros.
Admiring the
pair of gleaming MiTos parked outside, appreciation of its
distinct styling continues to grow. It's modern yet
typically Alfa Romeo, and it beats the Mini hands down in
the looks stakes, making BMW's rival appear quite old and
staid. The Alfa 8C Competizione derived cues work well, and
the back end in particular looks very neat and chunky. The
only over-styled details I noticed were a fussily moulded
cowl over the exhaust tailpipes and two unnecessary
protrusions, on either side, under the rear bumper.
Alfa Romeo is
aiming to redefined the hot hatchback once again, and the
parallels to the fondly remembered Alfasud (which oddly
hasn't featured in the many historical depictions that
thrust into view at the launch) are impossible to miss. The
MiTo takes Alfa Romeo back to its roots, doing what it does
best, and the conservative target of 70,000 units a year
should be easily achievable. Meanwhile, the cars bask on the
roadside in Como. In Italy everyone is an automotive expert,
and so the MiTo attracts much attention.
It's time to
head back, and the MiTo's round town abilities are
unexpectedly put to the test as we miss the route signs and
are plunged into Monza's very tight town centre. Chasing
round a maze of narrow one way streets the MiTo rides
smoothly over the harsh paved surfaces, and negotiates the
cramped, twisting turns with ease. Manoeuvrable and
responsive, the MiTo is clearly able to handle the urban
jungle just as well as a demanding road.
On first
impressions, the MiTo has all the makings of a winner, and
should prove a powerful contributor to Alfa's long-awaited
revival, taking up the baton with effect, and biting a
sizeable chunk out of the much vaunted 300,000 units a year
target.
by Edd
Ellison
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