Filed under: Spy Photos, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchbacks, Alfa Romeo
Rendered Speculation: Alfa Romeo MiTo could be first true MINI-killer
The Mini is so 2006. VW's new Polo has yet to launch. Neither of those cars matter once you set eyes on the forthcoming hotness from Alfa Romeo. Alfa is coming back to the U.S. market, and while everyone's been ga-ga about the 8C Competizione, supercars just don't support the type of sales volume that Alfa is looking for. Dubbed the MiTo, Alfa's B-car might be the starter kit for the more aspirational supercars that the brand has to offer, but it's no less kickass when taken on its own. Alfa's styling will be new and fresh in the U.S., the brand having been absent from North American shores since the 1990s. There's a little retro in the nose as seen in these renderings from Winding Road, but it's not anywhere near the total homage to the 1960s that the Mini is.What's underneath the sheetmetal that's alternately voluptuous and crisply creased is a versatile chassis developed before GM took their wad of cash home from Fiat. The MiTo actually shares its platform with the Opel Corsa and the Fiat Grande Punto, both of which have left favorable impressions with reviewers. Power units could run the gamut from a fire breathing turbocharged 1.4-liter gas unit to a 1.9-liter diesel, and a 2.0-liter that kicks out 280 horsepower is also a possibility if a Delta version comes to fruition. As excited as this news makes us, it's going to be a long wait until 2010.
[Source: Winding Road]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Brad Kempeny 8:51AM (3/03/2008)
This is awesome. The 8c is a dead sexy car, and this looks like its just a mini version. With the mini getting not so mini it seems every year, this could be a very viable competitor. Bring it on, I'll take a delta version.
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tenfifteen 9:16AM (3/03/2008)
Um... if this is indeed using the Grande Punto's chassis, a little comparison might be in order:
Grande Punto: 98.8" wheelbase
R53 Cooper: 97.1" wheelbase
R56 Cooper: 97.1" wheelbase
The R56 is 3.1" longer overall than the R53 at 146.2", but that's still 12" shorter than the Punto Grande... no reason to say the MiTo couldn't be smaller than the Cooper, of course, but excluding the Clubman, the MINI line is still very small.
Mike 8:55AM (3/03/2008)
HOTTNESS!!!!!!!!!!
I
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tenfifteen 8:59AM (3/03/2008)
"Though the rear suspension is the fairly unsophisticated torsion bar setup and not state-of-this-segment multi-link..."
Yeah. Real Cooper-killer. *Very* pretty hatch (assuming the fascia makes it stateside looking like the illus.), but until it starts owning G stock, let's just say the jury's out on its handling.
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markitos 10:15AM (3/03/2008)
Delta version?
You guys mean a GTA version right? Delta is another car...
geo.stewart 9:07AM (3/03/2008)
"pricing in line with the mini."
if it has a better interior design, and how can it not?, then I'm sold. It will be arriving when I'm in the market for my next vehicle. I'll take one with 180hp and a sunroof.
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Alex 9:22AM (3/03/2008)
i really hope that is pronounced "mee-toh" and not "mee-too". It'll sound like the bastrd runt of the B-segment that always gets ingnored if its the latter.
That being said, 2010 is shaping up to be an awesome year for those of us looking for a small, fun car. everything from the Ford Verve/Mazda2 through to this piece of beauty and the Audi A1.
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Ligor 9:40AM (3/03/2008)
can the 280HP one be AWD and not FWD
but this does look fantastic
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MikeInNC 9:47AM (3/03/2008)
If they brought this over as well as the Abarth 600, it would be a tough choice. Both are very striking and who wouldn't want to see more brand choices running the roads of the US? I really miss Alfa and Fiat on our roads.
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Rick 10:42AM (3/03/2008)
There's going to be allot of naming conflict here in the near future. Both Fiat and Alfa have some very nice models. They all can't come over. There's just no room. There may be some badge swapping. The Abarth 500 may come as an Alfa, among others.
Travis 10:54AM (3/03/2008)
Looks excellent, but the mini is currently 2668lbs (for the 2008 MCS). If this is a foot bigger, and has the corresponding weight added to it, is it really going to be stealing the Mini's go-cart crown? I'm more eagerly anticipating the Abarth SS with 150hp and weighing in at ~2000lbs as opposed to this... Although I must admit, more (any?) choices in the $20k, lightweight, fast, fun to drive cars are always welcome.
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DKB_SATX 10:56AM (3/03/2008)
re: "developed before GM took their wad of cash home from Fiat." ... as I recall, GM actually paid Fiat a big chunk of cash not to "finish" buying them, so that deal was much better for Fiat from start to finish than it ever was for GM.
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Bill 2:40PM (3/03/2008)
Hope the interior is better than the Mini - which sucks. Then again, I'm probably not in the target demographic for Mini.
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mr.ed 10:17PM (3/03/2008)
Those who remember Italian cars before they mercifully disappeared from our market haven't forgotten the incredible repair bills and long waits for crappy parts. I'd like to see these gorgeous Alfas fine tuned by the Japanese and made by the Koreans.
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