Smart car review: 2014 Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde

Monday, April 27, 2015

2014 Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde

Presented in world preview at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, sales of the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde 1750 Turbo Petrol 240 HP TCT and of the Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde 1.4 MultiAir Turbo Petrol 170 HP TCT kick off today in Italy. The rest of Europe will follow soon. The MiTo and Giulietta range for 2014 is now renewed. The two models will be leaving a mark in their respective market segments with a perfect alchemy of essential style, compact and powerful engines, the right power-to-weight ratio and pure Alfa Romeo technological features devoted to driving pleasure.

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The two new Quadrifoglio Verde highly-performing models are in sync with the fascinating Alfa Romeo 4C, the brands modern icon which represents the essential sportiness embedded in the Alfa Romeo DNA: performance and technical excellence for maximum driving pleasure combined with a breathtaking style. At the same time, the two new cars are a tribute to the legendary history of the Quadrifoglio Verde: since 1923 this symbol has been associated with the top performing cars manufactured by Alfa Romeo. The Quadrifoglio Verde has appeared not only on many cars that have graced the worlds race circuits, but also on numerous special production models too.

The first Alfa Romeo car to bear the Quadrifoglio Verde was the RL driven by Ugo Sivocci that won the 14th edition of the Targa Florio in 1923. Since then, all racing Alfas have carried the emblem for good luck, ensuring its worldwide recognition. Starting in the 1960s, the symbol also began to appear on performance versions of road-going Alfa Romeos.

The Quadrifoglio Verde versions of MiTo and Giulietta have assumed a place in the tradition of the best Alfa Romeos, drawing on the heritage of dynamic performance, without compromising on efficiency, respect for the environment and convenience in everyday use. Alfa Romeo cars have always been dedicated to those who expect a response that goes beyond the concept of useful means of transport to cross over into that of the truest excitement.

MiTo ‘Quadrifoglio Verde’: the most dynamic expression of the sporty compact

The new MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde is the compact cars dynamic soul. It conquered those European customers who were sensitive to Italian style and to technical excellence aimed at providing driving satisfaction in total safety.

Exterior

The MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde is identified by a sporty look featuring a rear spoiler, a sports bumper with extractor beside the new burnished finish for mirror fairings, front grille, door handles, front and rear headlight frames and 17" alloy wheels with red brake callipers standing out. The all matt Magnesio Grey body colour for the MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde enhances this compact sports cars aggressive design and highlights the Quadrifoglio Verde logo located under the side direction indicator.

Interior

The black interior respects the exterior style and at the same time features a long series of developments which underline this models most sporty and dynamic spirit. This is highlighted by the new moulded leather steering wheel with contrasting white stitching, the new instruments with QV logo, the Competizione dashboard with carbon look finish and the new special mats. Inside, black leather is used to cover the handbrake lever (with white stitching) and the gear lever boot (with white and green stitching).

Engine and transmission

The engine is the heart and at the same time the true strength of every Alfa Romeo model. And the new MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde is no exception. In terms of sports design and strong personality, the car introduces the new 1.4 MultiAir Turbo Petrol engine which, in combination with the next generation 6-speed double dry clutch Alfa TCT, develops a maximum power of 170 HP at 5500 rpm and a maximum torque of 230 Nm at 2500 rpm (it increases to 250 Nm at 2500 rpm in Dynamic mode).

The pièce de résistance of this engine version is its outstanding weight/power ratio, which has always been one of the key factors behind the success of Alfa Romeo cars on the road and the race track.

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A desire to be ahead of its time is encoded in the DNA of the Alfa Romeo MiTo and is confirmed by the new engine: after being the first car to offer the revolutionary MultiAir engine, it is now the first car in Italy to offer the next-generation Alfa TCT matched with the 135 HP 1.4 MultiAir Turbo engine (awarded Best New Engine of the Year 2011 by an international panel of experts) and Start&Stop system.

The heart of MultiAir is a new electro hydraulic valve management system that reduces fuel consumption by controlling air directly via the inlet valves (without using the throttle) and reduces polluting emissions too (via combustion control). As befits a flag-bearer for the downsizing concept, MultiAir is a versatile technology that is easily applied to all petrol engines. Examples include the new 105 HP 0.9 TwinAir engine that has been recently introduced on the new 2014 MiTo.

Performance

The Alfa Romeo MiTos most sporty model offers excellent performance. It reaches a top speed of 219 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in only 7.3 seconds with reduced emissions and fuel consumption. In the combined cycle, these values are respectively 5.4 l/100 km and 124 g/km of CO2 emissions. With respect to the previous Quadrifoglio Verde, both CO2 emissions (-11%) and fuel consumption (-10%) are improved.

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Not to mention the fact that Alfa Romeo power units are distinguished by their unmistakable Alfa Romeo sound that emphasises the unique nature of the car while complying fully with type approval constraints and environmental aspects.

Standard equipment and options

True to its image of technological car, the new MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde offers the very best that is currently available in the field of infotainment and on-board comfort. This is showcased by the comprehensive standard equipment inclusive of a special instrument panel with white graphics and Quadrifoglio Verde logo, moulded sports steering wheel with white stitching and radio controls (8 buttons), fog lights, braking system by Brembo and electrically adjustable heated door mirrors, aluminium kick plate with Quadrifoglio Verde logo, front seats with lumbar adjustment (with height-adjustable passenger seat).

The spoiler and sports rear bumper, the twin chrome exhaust tail pipes, the 17" alloy wheels with burnished finish, the external Quadrifoglio Verde logo, the gear lever boot with double white and green stitching, the parking brake lever with white intersecting stitching, the door-handle burnished finish and front and rear light cluster frames come as standard.

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Moreover, the new MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde offers the new Uconnect system with 5" colour touchscreen as standard and is also available with a navigation system by Tom Tom. All you have to do is tap on the screen to download and play to your favourite music and rock your world. It is not by chance that since 2008 the MiTo has played the starring role in Alfa Romeos communication campaign at concerts, events, DJ sets, exhibitions and high-level sessions sponsored by the brand.

Finally, the interiors can be equipped with Sabelt seats with a wraparound carbon fibre backrest made with the innovative RTM (Resin Transfer Moulding) technology, which teams great mechanical resistance with smaller dimensions and lightness. The Alfa Romeo logo stands out in the central part of the Alcantara® material. It is all embellished with new white and green stitching that highlights the craftsmanship of the product, found on the leather trim of the gearbox and steering wheel, the latter complete with radio controls.

The main standard equipment of the MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (for the Italian market) are:

New Alfa TCT

· Braking system with red callipers by Brembo

· Antracite trim

· Burnished trim on grille, handles, mirrors, front and rear light frames

· Flat-bottom sports steering wheel and handbrake lever with white stitching, gear lever boot with white-green stitching

· 17" 5-hole alloy wheels with burnished finish

· Sports bumper with twin tailpipe

· Specific instrument panel with built-in QV logo

· Carbon look dashboard

· Fog lights with dark frames

· Alfa Adaptive Suspension

· Customised QV kick plate

· Fabric seats with Alfa Romeo logo and white-green stitching

· UconnectTM 5" Radio (Touch-screen display, Bluetooth, Text Reader, Audio Streaming, Voice Controls, Mp3, USB and Aux-In)

· Transmission controls on the steering wheel

· Specific QV mats

· Frau® leather seats with white piping and green stitching (optional)

· Sabelt® seats with carbon fibre shell (optional)

· New Matt Grey colour (optional)

· New QV Line Pack

Inspired by the new Quadrifoglio Verde version, the new QV Line pack will soon be debuting in the Distinctive trim level for all engines with the exception of the 70 HP 1.4 power unit.

The QV Line MiTo will be identified by a special badge on the outside, a sports rear bumper and a refined burnished finish for front grille, door handles, 17" alloy wheels and front and rear light cluster frames. The QV Line pack will also include the new black leather-coated steering wheel with contrasting white stitching and the black leather coating for parking brake (with white stitching), gear lever knob and boot (with white and green stitching).

Furthermore, the customer has a choice of three different types of seats with white and green stitching which reflect the interior mood by featuring either a black fabric with Alfa Romeo logo (standard equipment) or, alternatively, a fine Frau leather coating or a sporty carbon-fibre shell by Sabelt.

The main features of the Pack QV Line for MiTo are:

· Glossy Antracite trim on grille, handles, mirrors, front and rear light cluster frames

· Flat-bottom sports steering wheel with white stitching

· 17" 5-hole alloy wheels with burnished finish

· Rear sports bumper with extractor

· Gear lever boot with white-green stitching

· Carbon look dashboard

· QV Line badge

· Black interior

· Customised QV kick plate

· Fabric seats with Alfa Romeo logo and white-green stitching

· Specific QV mats

· Braking system with red callipers (optional)

· Frau® leather seats with white piping and green stitching (optional)

· Sabelt® seats with carbon fibre shell

· New Matt Grey colour (optional)

The 2014 Alfa Romeo MiTo range

The new Quadrifoglio Verde version embellishes the MY 2014 Alfa Romeo MiTo range presented last year and continues to satisfy a new generation of Alfa enthusiasts, a clientele mainly made of young people who dream of purchasing a safe sports car with a unique style and high technical contents at a reasonable price.

At the same time, focus on fuel consumption and emissions, plus its dynamic qualities and compact size, made the MiTo model an attractive proposition for a more adult clientele in an automotive scenario that seems to reward the downsizing trend.

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At present, the 2014 Alfa Romeo MiTo offers four trim levels in Italy: Impression, Progression, Distinctive and Quadrifoglio Verde and 10 body colours including the new Antracite Grey as well as the exclusive matt Magnesio Grey available on the Quadrifoglio Verde models. MiTo confirms its wide customisation levels proposing eight different alloy wheel designs, four of which are available in exclusive burnished or diamond ground finishes.

Depending on the version, customers may choose from a wide range of efficient, reliable and environmentally-friendly engines: 70 HP 1.4, 78 HP 1.4, the new 105 HP 0.9 Turbo TwinAir, the new 140 HP Turbo Petrol MultiAir with Alfa TCT and the new top-of-the-range 170 HP 1.4 Turbo Petrol MultiAir engine with Alfa TCT. The offer is completed by two turbo diesel engines (85 HP 1.3 JTDM and 120 HP 1.6 JTDM) and by the 120 HP 1.4 Turbo bi-fuel engine (petrol/LPG) that brings together sportiness and respect for the environment.

Whatever the trim level and engine version selected, the Alfa Romeo MiTo features plenty of safety equipment as standard: seven airbags, ESC, Hill Holder, ABS, ASR, Brake Assistant, MSR, CBC, Alfa Q2 and Alfa Dynamic Steering. Four packs grouping the most popular optional equipment and accessories are available to further customise the Distinctive versions: Sport, Comfort and Lusso.

Quadrifoglio Verde: a symbol of Italian motor racing since 1923

In short, the Alfa Romeos philosophy expressed by the Quadrifoglio Verde is based on the constant pursuit of excellence applied to competitions and then completely transferred to its production vehicles. The Quadrifoglio Verde became an emblem indissolubly linked to Alfa Romeo in 1923, when Ugo Sivocci was the first to decide to race in the Targa Florio with this symbol painted on the bonnet of his RL, achieving the first of the brands ten victories in this prestigious competition.

The victory concludes a perfect competition: 432 kilometres of the Madonìe Circuit (four laps of 108 km each) at an average of 59.040 km/h, a speed which was amazing at the time, above all considering the pitfalls and roughness of the course.

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Alfa Romeos success was so clear that the other drivers of the Alfa Romeo team - including Enzo Ferrari, Antonio Ascari and Giulio Ramponi - decided to adopt the lucky Quadrifoglio Verde for all other races as well. From this moment on, the Quadrifoglio Verde became the symbol of Alfa Romeo race cars and was later also used on special series of production models to demonstrate the continuity between Alfas touring cars and those designed for competition.

It was the Quadrifoglio Verde that stood out against the dark red of Brilli Peris P2 when he won the first World Car Racing Championship at Monza in 1925, the first of Alfa Romeos five world titles. At the end of the 1920s, it was the Quadrifoglio Verde that distinguished the cars built by the Alfa Romeo from those made by Scuderia Ferrari sporting the prancing horse symbol in races.

In 1950 and 1951, Giuseppe Nino Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio won the first two editions of the Formula 1 World Championship on the Alfa Romeo 158 and the Alfa Romeo 159, the renowned Alfettas. In the 1960s, the Quadrifoglio Verde was used for the ready-to-race version of the Giulia, the TI Super and then for a few decades in combination with the Autodelta light blue triangle on the models going from the GTA to the 33 in a timeframe that extends to the World Championships respectively entered by the 33 TT 12 and the 33 SC 12 in 1975 and in 1977. Alfa Romeos racing activity continues in the 1980s. After it returned to F1 in 1980, the successes in racing for touring cars were repeated (GTV 6 2.5) up to the resounding victory in the DTM (Deutsche Tourenwagen Mesterschaft) with the 155 V6 Ti in 1993 and the long series of wins by the 156 Superturismo (1998-2004).

Of standard production Alfa Romeos, several bear the Quadrifoglio Verde. These are particularly high-performance models produced between the 1960s and the 1980s. Some feature the symbol on the body without appearing in the official name (Giulia TI Super, Giulia Sprint GT Veloce, 1750 GT Veloce - which is actually golden - Alfasud Sprint). Others instead carried the Quadrifoglio in their official names starting in the 1980s, such as the Alfasud TI Quadrifoglio Verde, Sprint Quadrifoglio Verde, the various versions of the 33 Quadrifoglio Verde, 75 Quadrifoglio Verde (also with its US version), the Spider 2.0 Quadrifoglio Verde, 164 Quadrifoglio Verde, and 145 Quadrifoglio Verde.

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In 2009, the Quadrifoglio Verde returns to the MiTo and in 2010 to the Giulietta, the new models which have assumed a place in the tradition of the best Alfa Romeos, drawing on the heritage of dynamic performance, without compromising on efficiency, respect for the environment and convenience in everyday use. With their racing spirit and safety equipment, the Quadrifoglio Verde versions of the MiTo and Giulietta have been Official Safety Car in various seasons of the SBK Superbike World Championship. Alfa Romeo has been Superbike Top Sponsor since 2007, sharing the same values of sportsmanship, technology and safety at the highest levels.

Today, it is over to the new 2014 models, featuring the legendary Quadrifoglio Verde, thus renewing the authentic passion shared by millions of fans around the world which, in fact, is the secret of a brand that has written some of the automobile industrys most important pages in over one century of life.

Source:Alfa Romeo Press Release