Alfa Romeo MiTo MultiAir
Motoring Feature A
lfa Romeo is a brand that conjures up all manner of images in the average
car buyer’s mind: Passion, flair, beauty – it’s the stuff motoring dreams are made of. But on the flip side of the
coin are the less attractive connotations – reliability woes and trouble-prone electrics are reputations dealers are still struggling to overcome. With that in mind, news of
the most complicated engine ever to grace an automobile being fitted to the latest MiTo might send a shudder down the spine of some retailers. But the new MultiAir powerplant isn’t something to be feared. Yes, it might be more
complicated than quantum physics, and the last thing you EVER want to do is get involved in a full-blown conversation about how it works, but the fact remains it is still a dramatic leap forward. All you really need to know
are three key facts: MultiAir is more fuel efficient, it’s greener and, most importantly, more powerful than a standard engine. It does all this in an extremely clever way too. It’s something to do with
pistons, valves and springs. Or something. However it works, it’s seriously complicated and impossible to explain here without sending you to sleep, so I won’t bother. Google it if you’re interested.
12 What’s far more important
is how it drives. And boy does it excel here. The MultiAir 1.4- litre, turbo-charged engine is available with two power outputs: 135bhp and 170bhp. The latter is the most exciting of the duo, hitting 60mph in 7.5s, topping 135mph and it’s got that evocative Cloverleaf badge of days gone by too. On the road, turbo-lag
has been all but eliminated producing a driving experience that really stirs the soul. Power is almost instantaneous and the MiTo feels beefy, belieing its size. This is, after all, the Italian’s rival to the Mini and with this unit under the bonnet will be a true contender for honours against a Cooper S. The MiTo MultiAir also
features a host of other tech for the car maker including active suspension, fuel saving stop-start and DNA. That last one is utterly superb – it’s an electronic system (don’t grimace) that communicates with the engine, braking, steering, suspension and transmission to alter the ‘feel’ of the car, depending on circumstances. Derived from racing, it’s
dramatic in the way it alters the MiTo and with the ‘Dynamic’ setting engaged, makes it feel positively sporting. The throttle response is crisper, steering sharper and the car hunkers down, gripping harder in
bends. The other two settings stand for ‘Normal’ and ‘All weather’, which again alter the car’s feel accordingly, but are rather less exciting. Another debut in this Mito
is the six-speed gearbox. This has been developed in-house by Fiat and offers a swift, direct shift. It’s not as good as some rivals, but is a huge improvement over the five- speed found in the 135bhp variant of the MultiAir. Specification for the
MultiAir is reasonable. It comes in three trims – Lusso, Veloce and Cloverleaf – with the base model featuring 16- inch alloys, electric windows, air conditioning, that all- important DNA switch and a CD player. That costs from £15,165. But the biggest talking
point really has to be that ground-breaking
engine.
MultiAir is a dramatic step on for the brand. You only have to look at the figures to see that: CO2 is reduced by 10 per cent, fuel consumption cut by the same amount – while power is boosted 12.5 per cent. For those buyers forced into downsizing to save money, but not wanting to lose any performance, the MultiAir offers a unique opportunity.
by James Baggott, editor of Car Dealer Magazine, www.
CarDealerMag.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88