ALFA ROMEOMiTo 2008 - 2013

　　Introduced in 2008 as an urban premium hatchback, the MiTo took its name from the cities of Milan and Torino and tried to impress customers with an upmarket styling based on a mundane platform shared with the Fiat Grand Punto and Opel/Vauxhall Corsa.

　　When Fiat and GM tried to join forces, they developed a new platform named GM Fiat Small platform. Unlike the American automaker, who didn’t have a premium brand based in Europe, Fiat had the Alfa Romeo. So, it decided to create an elegant urban car, and the result was the MiTo. While it was pricy for small-sized vehicles, it was an affordable premium hatchback that could provide more luxurious items than most other cars in the segment. In its ten-year production run, Alfa Romeo sold about 300,000 units of the MiTo. It wasn’t a stunning success, but at least it could bring some money for the company.

　　At the front, the MiTo featured a front fascia that resembled the sporty and expensive 8C Competizione and Spider. Its headlights sported a triangular shape flush to the front fenders and were surrounded by chromed trims. The tri-lobo concept, where the tall triangular Alfa Romeo crest was flanked on the lower side by horizontal slats, looked similar to other products from the premium Italian automaker, including the 159 sports sedan. Finally, the hood featured a V-shaped power dome that started from the lower side of the Alfa Romeo shield and continued to the A-pillars’ bases.

　　Alfa Romeo made the MiTo exclusively as a three-door affair, unlike the Grande, which was available in a three-door configuration as well. The slightly enlarged front and rear fenders gave the car a sporty look, while the chromed door handles looked upscale. Alfa Romeo decorated the lower side of the windowline with a chromed trim, creating a unique, luxurious image for the vehicle. Finally, at the back, the carmaker installed corner-mounted round taillights with chromed surrounding. At the lower side of the bumper, the MiTo sported chromed exhausts.

　　Inside, most cars in this segment came with cloth upholstery and didn’t offer leather seats. The MiTo did, so it looked more special. The driver fronted a compact instrument cluster with large dials for the speedometer and tachometer and small gauges for the coolant temperature and fuel level. In addition, the automaker added a small monochrome display on the dash panel. The high-bolstered front seats provided good side support, while at the back, Alfa Romeo installed a bench seat profiled for two. The MiTo was available in three grades: Turismo, Lusso, and Veloce.

　　Under the hood, Alfa Romeo installed a choice of turbo diesel and gasoline engines that sent their power to the front wheels via either a five or six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic, depending on the engine option. Power ranged between 85 PS (84 hp) and 135 PS (133 hp) and was sent to the front wheels.

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