Parisians get first public look at Alfa MiTo

Alfa Romeo will field five different versions of the MiTo small car on its stand at the Paris Salon de l'Auto, kicking off for the media tonight our time.

In addition to the new small car -- named for the two Italian cities where the car was designed and will be built (Milan and Turin, respectively) -- Alfa Romeo will also exhibit a Ti version of the Brera coupe and the sold-out 8C Competizione. Alfa Romeo has also upgraded the 159 range in time for the Paris show.

According to the local distributor, the MiTo is expected to arrive in Australia around the middle of next year. In many ways, the MiTo is a modern incarnation of the original Alfasud -- hopefully without the rust.

For the Paris show, the cars on display are all trimmed to the higher-grade 'Selective' level -- three of them being equipped with the Sport Pack option and powered by a 1.4-litre petrol turbo engine. The other two vehicles on the stand are powered by a 1.6-litre turbodiesel and all five feature the 'Confort Pack' (sic) option. Entry-level cars are labeled 'Distintive' (sic).

Both the turbo petrol and turbodiesel engines are Euro V-compliant, with the diesel developing as much as 320Nm of torque from 1750rpm.

A traction control-cum-stability control system (the Q2 Electronic system), uses brakes to transfer torque to the wheel with the best traction, sounding much like the ATTS system developed by Honda for the Prelude in the 1990s. Another driving aid introduced with the MiTo is DST (Dynamic Steering Torque), with which the system actively applies torque to the steering, 'nudging' the driver to take the appropriate action if the car is oversteering, for example.

Alfa Romeo employs high-strength steels in the production of the MiTo, ensuring that the small car is torsionally rigid for optimum strength, reduced NVH, dynamic ability and ride comfort. The MiTo rides on MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear.

As an indication of the MiTo's compact size, it's 4.06m in length and 1.72m wide, yet it manages to slip through the air with a drag coefficient of 0.29Cd.

A raft of changes to the suspension, brakes and wheels of the Brera Ti sets it apart from the standard car. Both the 2.2-litre four and the 3.2-litre V6 will be available in the Ti specification. The car's alloy wheels are a new 19-inch design, complementing the uprated springs and dampers. Brembo brake calipers are finished red and clamp down on larger disc rotors.

Interior fittings are upgraded for the Brera Ti, with sports seats trimmed in soft leather and the centre fascia finished in dark brushed aluminium. Buyers can also opt for carbonfibre trim. The steering wheel and gearshift knob are both bound in leather, a material that can also be specified as an option for the dash. Pedals and the driver's footrest are finished in a non-slip aluminium treatment. In addition, Alfa Romeo will offer the further option of sports graphics and white illumination for the instruments.

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