Although effectively with its range reduced to just two models, the MiTo and Giulietta, Alfa Romeo is enjoying a real sales resurgence on most of its key markets this year thanks to demand for the latter model which replaced the decade-old Alfa 147 in the showrooms across Europe last autumn. Driven by the success of the Giulietta, on its domestic market last month Alfa Romeo's sales were up 51.20 percent year-on-year against a market that lost more than a third of its sales year-on-year and while its sister Fiat brand's registrations collapsed by 40 percent.

That success for the Giulietta has carried into France, and with 1,761 registrations in March, Alfa Romeo was up 78 percent year-on-year, making it one of the market's top performing brands. That successfully rounded out the first quarter of the year: 4,596 registrations is up 64 percent year-on-year, more than seven times the overall market which was up 8.9 percent for the same period. In Germany Alfa Romeo's sales were up by 153.7 percent year-on-year during March and have doubled for the year-to-date.

Alfa Romeo says that the MiTo remains a cornerstone of its sales success despite much pressure in the hotly contested premium supermini segment, although it doesn't breakdown sales figures for individual models. The MiTo has therefore bucked a trend in France as on other markets it has struggled over the last year since the end of 'scrappage' incentive schemes: on its home market, Italy, its sales tumbled three thousand units to 4,133 units for the opening two months of this year (individual March model data hasn't been broken down yet). Alfa Romeo France sees the arrival of the MY2011 MiTo range later this month -  featuring a new body colour, improved interior trims and fabrics, and the TCT transmission - as being an "asset" to the range.