Alfa downsizes via modern-day Alfasud

The Alfasud is back -- in spirit if not in execution.

Alfa Romeo, the venerable Italian marque, has just released the first official pics of its all-new baby car, dubbed the Mi.To -- a named arrived at by combining the first two letters of Milan and Turin (or Torino in Italian).

Milan is Alfa Romeo's spiritual home, while Turin is the industrialised city where the newcomer will be built.

The new ultra-compact is scheduled to make its world debut in June before arriving in Australia in the middle of 2009. It's conceived to rekindle the essence of the much-loved Alfasud, which set new dynamic standards for a compact front-driver when it was launched in the 1970s.

However, relative to the opposition (which in the Alfasud's case included the Mark I VW Golf), the Mi.To is even smaller, making it a rival (at least in size terms) to the likes of the three-door Peugeot 207.

Measuring just over 4m long and 1.72m wide, Alfa says the Mi.To is "resolutely a prestige small car that is intensely focused on the driver".

Although it sits at the opposite end of the spectrum to the ultra-exclusive 8C Competizione, the Mi.To clearly derives its design language from the latter. The face, tail-lights and glasshouse share a discernible family resemblance with the flagship V8-powered coupe.

Alfa Romeo claims the Mi.To will be highly innovative, and among the features it will pioneer are the 'DNA' system -- the next generation of electronic stability control, billed as a first in this class.

"Controlling the engine, brakes, steering response, suspension and gearbox, the Mi.To can be set to offer a super-sporting dynamic range of responses, a normal setting for city use and a special high grip setting for snow, ice and mud conditions," says its maker.

Alfa Romeo claims the DNA system, allied with VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) and a body shell developed to achieve the highest EuroNCAP crash test rating, will make the Mi.To one of the safest small cars on the market.

Exact technical specs are yet to be announced, but Alfa Romeo has so far revealed that an array of petrol and diesel engines will be offered, with power outputs ranging from 67kW to 115kW.

Although yet to be confirmed, there are also rumours of an eventual GTA go-faster version with around 140kW, which would put it in the hunt against the likes of the Renaultsport Clio 197.

The marque's local distributor, Ateco Automotive, says full Australian pricing and specifications will be announced when it goes on sale here in mid-2009.