Alfa Romeo has unveiled more details on the Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA. It’s still called a concept right now but I reckon it’s quite close to a production version.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with Alfa Romeo nomenclature, GTA actually stands for Gran Turismo Alleggerito and is associated with mad and scary cars full of torque steer such as the 147 GTA.
Under the hood of the MiTo GTA is a 1.8 litre turbocharged engine with dual variable valve timing and direct fuel injection producing a nice 240 horsepower. Although torque figures were not given you can probably expect between 300 to 350Nm of torque. The MiTo GTA has been lowered by 20mm, and the front suspension uses new geometry for the aluminium leading arms, and all-new bushings for the rear suspension. The dampers also have active damper control for a better balance between handling and comfort.
There is also something Alfa calls a “Sky-Hook” function which is supposed to improve comfort levels, but it’s not known what it is or how it works at the moment. We’ll have to wait until Geneva to find out.
Check out two more photos after the jump.
After dabbling for years in the IT industry, Paul Tan initially began this site as a general blog covering various topics of personal interest. With an increasing number of readers paying rapt attention to the motoring stories, one thing led to another and the rest, as they say, is history. An avid electronic gadget aficionado as well as big-time coffee lover, he's also the executive producer of the Driven motoring TV programme.
fantastic engine specs…and i wonder what sky hook does.
SO SWEEEET!!!!
Turbocharged mini car, will not be surprised if this thing does 100 within 5 sec.
The front looks like a bug yelling "look I am cute huhu!".
wow nice side and rear… will be more expensive than upcoming VW Golf GTi? love the rear so much.
hmmm perhaps "Sky-Hook" has something to do with somekind of suspended seats config……….
Still FWD? then this isn't much to shout for.
[quote comment="214707"]Still FWD? then this isn't much to shout for.[/quote]
agree!
is it me or does the side remind u of a modded satria neo with the rims and high arches….
oh in fact the front looks like a neo crop too….just the back looks original.
cun giler babeng.. oi xD50, got no sense of art ka? how dare u compared it with a neo? jauh panggang dr api wehhh…
GTA! when u drive this, u can create havoc on the road
LOL nah, jk. afterall its just fwd, what a waste for all those power! without electronics, wheel spin is guaranteed.
[quote comment="214761"]cun giler babeng.. oi xD50, got no sense of art ka? how dare u compared it with a neo? jauh panggang dr api wehhh…[/quote]
he said, is it me or does the side REMIND u of a MODDED satria neo with the rims and high arches…."
from side, yes, it does remind me of neo, but just that. front n rear is totally different. i love the rear!
front looks like cute car act garang LOL with this additional power, they had to do some adjustment to suspension. but for most malaysian, they dont understand…just think, drop in engine enough dy. kerja siap, change to aftermarket suspension enough…sigh…dont flame me, i said MOST, not all 
Hornestly the front look horrible….urgly.
[quote comment="214719"][quote comment="214707"]Still FWD? then this isn't much to shout for.[/quote]
agree![/quote]
alfa has been making FWD cars for a long time now. i think its no big deal with it being so. besides that, there really arent many real hot hatches out there that are RWD. and alfa are pretty good at tuning good FWD handling.
vw, mini, seat, honda, etc. all have FWD hot hatches.. besides that.. i believe its also easier to package a hot hatch as a FWD.
overall, a very very interesting looking car. definitely one for the alfa enthusiast. i would say its not the kind of car that the general person on the street will like immediately.
Nice…loved the front and the rear looks! Anyway, what's wrong with FWD?! Some FWD cars also can smoke some RWD cars la. Yes, it's nothing to shout about but those commentors obviously never been in Golf GTi, Mini Cooper S, Celica and Integra DC5…I have!!! Cuba la dulu…don't think that RWD cars cool b'coz they can drift and mostly in FnF movie…
It's considered a hot hatch, not a true sports car, so FWD shouldn't be a big issue. Good job to AR for squeezing 240horses from a 1.8l motor. Maybe our engineers can do the same.
But, somehow the Italian designers might have gone overboard with their quirkiness. The front face looks off, my two cents.
And I agree, they might have looked at our Neo for design cues.. who knows?
BMW better because 1 Series is most beautiful
yeah..its really nice tho…yeah..who cares if the hd neo wheel arch..as long as it is not copy proton's nose like what proton did..copied alfa nose design..thats wrong..thats every car identity..for the shape..i think its ok..coz now no cars has an original dsg…proton also no original dsg..even audi etc…
i think theres no wrong put FWD..gti,cooper n most hatches using FWD..so..whats the problem with that…actually alfa planning to use the FWD system in their small hatches..maybe upcoming 159gta they will use Q4 system…jz wait n c…
The Skyhook active suspension system has been used in cars from the Maserati stable (another Fiat group company) for quite some time now. Maserati has graciously provided the following information online (on the new Quattroporte S's technology page):
"The Skyhook system
The Skyhook system electronically controlled suspension system provides automatic and continual adjustment of the damping. Any bumps in the road’s surface are absorbed and on-board comfort levels remain as high as ever as the system adapts to the driver’s style behind the wheel.
Skyhook boasts software that is exclusive to the Quattroporte S and conceived to offer the maximum in comfort on the move. Skyhook acts by using acceleration sensors that detect movement on all four wheels and the body and instantly adjusts the dampers accordingly.
There are two different settings: Normal and Sport. In Normal mode, the ride is softer, favouring comfort. The driver can switch to Sport mode at any time to stiffen the ride and bring out Quattroporte S’s sporty nature and performance."
nobody complain about honda's tpye r being fwd..hehehhehe
honda typer….haha.with low torque car,nothing to be afraid off.
this car estimated torque between 300 to 350Nm of torque.that something u need to think about.overall this car is beauty and the rear diffuser is awesome.
fastcx.. oo ok.. sori laa.. im an alfa fan laa.. my bad.. ter 'emo' pulak..
anyway i do like the new neo cps also.. the side looks like mito hehehehe..
Oh man, why do some people think every new car must be copying proton? A "crop" of the Neo, huh? Ever heard of the 147 GTA? Resembles this car a lot and predates the Neo by years. (it even had wheel arches too, guess proton didn't invent those after all)
If anything, especially given their history, it's more likely Proton took design cues from Alfa when styling the Neo. What's next, are you going to complain that the Mito's grille is "a crop" of the Perdana? lol
lex aaa ProtonSagwa.. y so emo²? they only talking² la.. mai sechawan ~
bimmer_man;
cool..so now we know hehe. thx!!
[quote comment="215073"]Oh man, why do some people think every new car must be copying proton? A "crop" of the Neo, huh? Ever heard of the 147 GTA? Resembles this car a lot and predates the Neo by years. (it even had wheel arches too, guess proton didn't invent those after all)
If anything, especially given their history, it's more likely Proton took design cues from Alfa when styling the Neo. What's next, are you going to complain that the Mito's grille is "a crop" of the Perdana? lol[/quote]
please la bro, you're getting all riled up for nothing. no one actually said this alfa is copying anything from a proton. they just said it reminded them of a neo and they have every right to say so. whats wrong with that? and the fact is, it does remind me of a neo somewhat. and personally, i think the neo is a good looking car and is also quite original.
aiyah chill dudes, I was referring to xD50, not anyone else:
[quote comment="214756"]oh in fact the front looks like a neo crop too….just the back looks original.[/quote]
Pretty clear what he meant there… Figured my second sentence would have made it obvious enough who I was talking to, but oh well.
And where did I write that nobody can say it resembles a Neo? Please don't put words in my mouth la. Heck, I even gave a plausible explanation for the similarities. But theres a difference between talking about a resemblance and slagging off the Mito as a Neo crop and unoriginal.
[quote comment="215086"]bimmer_man;
cool..so now we know hehe. thx!![/quote]
You're welcome.
Incidentally, Maserati often doesn't fit the Skyhook system on its sportier models. On the 2009 Quattroporte GT S, for instance, it has been replaced by a conventional single-rate Bilstein item. Skyhook isn't even an option on the GT S.
Apparently, as Paul hints at in the original article, Skyhook is associated more with comfort and cross-country touring, rather than outright sportiness and track day driving.
300 to 350nm to FW is not much matter.
The Fiat Coupe is also FWD, the upcoming Ford Focus RS also FWD with high torque figures….
Get your facts right….
CUTE!!! CUTE!!! CUUUUUUTTTTEEE!!!! Wanna chubid (pinch) the nose and the cheeks oledi…
and give it a spanky bottom!!!
sky-hook is a button at the dash where you slam at the point of near collision. You and your seat will then be ejected thru the sun roof just like the F-15 fighter jet. No?