First look: Alfa Romeo muscles in on Mini

ALFA Romeo has revealed the first official images, sketchy details and the surprising new nameplate of its all-new entry-level hatch, which is aimed directly at buyers of BMW's popular Mini compact: the Mi.To.

Hailed by its Italian maker as "the most compact sports car ever" and designed to attract a younger dotcom/texting generation of Alfa aficionados, the curiously named Mi.To takes its new moniker from both Milan, where it was designed, and Turin, where it will be mass-produced from June.

Until recently Alfa's brand-new entry-level hatch had been referred to as the "Junior", but had been expected to come with the name "Furiosa" after it emerged as the top choice in a naming competition by European car magazines.

Australian alfisti will have to wait until the middle of 2009 to get their hands on the new Fiat Punto-based, sub-147 three-door, which will be priced somewhere between the Punto ($19,990-$27,990) and Alfa Romeo's current price leader, the 147 ($35,990-$39,990). The Mini Cooper hatch opens at $31,100.

Brief technical details were issued yesterday along with the three official images you see here, including a length of 4.06 metres, height of 1.44 metres and width of 1.72 metres.

The Mi.To's shapely exterior has obvious links with the last new Alfa to be produced, the 8C Competizione, with which it shares its unframed side window proportions, its three-lobed front bumper motif and the shape of its headlights and (LED) tail-lights.

Alfa says top-quality materials and attention to detail are evident in an interior that "represents the ultimate expression of Italian style" and a dashboard and seats that are "highly personal".

Claimed to be represent the most innovative technological content in its segment, the Mi.To will introduce the so-called Alfa DNA system, which alters the performance characteristics of the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox.

The system will offer three different vehicle behaviour modes, "based on the driving style best suited to the situation or the customer’s wishes: supersporting (Dynamic), town driving (Normal), maximum safety even in difficult grip conditions (All-Weather)".

VDC stability/traction control will be standard on the entire Mi.To model range, which is expected to achieve the same five-star ENCAP crash test result as the Fiat Punto upon which it is based.

In Europe the MiTo will comprise five turbocharged petrol and diesel engines offering up to 114kW - including 1.3 and 1.6-litre JTDM turbo-diesels and various versions of the 1.4-litre turbo-petrol - with "even higher power ratings" to come.

Presumably that refers to a circa-184kW, all-wheel drive, GTA-badged version of the Mi.To, to tackle the likes of Mini's Cooper S JCW and the S1 iteration Audi's forthcoming A1.

Expect the Mi.To to emerge in the metal at the Paris motor show in September.

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