Now this is quite interesting, you can now grab a pair of jeans to go with your newly launched (in Malaysia) Alfa Romeo MiTo. Alfa Romeo teamed up with fashion expert Louise Roe and London-based fashion designers Bjork and McElligott to design a range of MiTo jeans. Alfa Romeo icons such as the Alfa Romeo badge’s serpent are used to decorate the designs. The jeans are going for £75 a pair and are available for sale at two Donna Ida retail outlets in the UK. Proceeds from the sales will go towards the Jeans for Genes charity.

Look after the jump for more pix of the MiTo and the jeans.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The new 1.8 liter turbocharged Alfa Romeo engine is now officially available in the 2010 Alfa Romeo 159 range, after being previewed to the public earlier this year at Geneva in March. The new model variant is called the Alfa Romeo 159 1750 TBi and is positioned between the 2.2 JTS and the 3.2 JTS.

The 1.8 liter (1,742cc) engine makes a peak torque of 320Nm from just 1,400rpm, and peak power of 200 PS is achieved between 4,750rpm and 5,500rpm. These are very impressive power stats as lots of power is made throughout a rather wide range (thanks to variable valve timing, turbocharging and direct injection).

I believe there’s some very good tuning potential here, at the expense of narrower powerbands as a trade-off. The variable valve timing is configured to set valve overlap times in a way (VVT is on both intake and exhaust) that helps spool up the KKK fixed geometry microcast steel turbocharger up faster. 0 to 100km/h takes 7.7 seconds.

Other than what’s described above, the engine has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The 9.5:1 compression pistons have flexible rings and use materials that are designed to reduce wear. The aluminium alloy cylinder head uses roller rocker arms to help reduce losses through sliding contact by up to 65% at 2,000rpm, compared to normal cylinder heads. In Malaysia, only the 2.2 JTS version is available as of now.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Think small, expensive but remarkably charming small hatchbacks and only three cars will come to mind – the MINI, and more recently the Fiat 500 and the Alfa Romeo MiTo. As of today, all three are now available in Malaysia. The MiTo offers a much more affordable price compared to the MINI Cooper and Cooper S, retailing at RM153,888 OTR excluding insurance, registration and road tax.

The 3-door MiTo shares the same engine as the Fiat Bravo – a 1.4 liter turbocharged engine producing 155 horsepower, and in the MiTO it is mated to a 6-speed manual. It is the only transmission available in the car right now, so you’ll have to work your left leg a little if you want to cruise around town with style in this particular Italian baby. 0 to 100km/h takes 8 seconds, and the car is rated to drink only 6.5 liters of petrol per 100km traveled.

There is a decent list of equipment including cruise control, auto clmate control, LED rear lamps, steering wheel audio, VDC with hill holder function (great for starting on a slope if you’re still rusty with the manual’s clutch), a 6-speaker audio system.

There is a little three-position switch near the gear lever which will alter the throttle response and steering assist for three driving environments – Dynamic, Normal and All Weather. This is called the Alfa Romeo DNA system. The MiTo is also equipped with the Q2 electronic limited slip differential, a grand total of 7 airbags including a driver’s kneebag, and finally the chassis is rated 5 stars by Euro NCAP.

Public viewing and test drives are available at the Auto ConneXion Alfa Romeo 3S Centre at Jalan 13/2 Petaling Jaya. More photos of the MiTo available after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Alfa Romeo is back alive and kicking with a launch of 4 new models in Malaysia all at once. Spearheading the list and expected to the the company’s volume seller here is the long-awaited Alfa Romeo 159, priced at RM 188,888.

Under the hood is a 2.2 liter JTS inline-4 twin cam engine mated to a 6-speed Selespeed automated manual transmission. The JTS (Jet Thrust Stoichiometric) is a direct injection lean burn engine that puts out 185 PS at 6,500rpm and 230Nm of torque at 4,500rpm, which is quite torquey for a 2.2 liter unit.

The 159 has a decent level of equipment. We’re talking about a total of 9 airbags for the front, rear, side and driver knee, and there is also a front passenger airbag deactivation feature. Creature comforts include bi-xenon headlamps with washer, auto dimming rear view mirror, auto driving light control, follow me home headlamps, keyless ignition, rain sensor wipers, paddle shifts, stability control, an 8 speaker sound system, a sunroof, and full leather upholstery.

Internationally, there is a new engine for the 2009 model year and it would be nice if Sime Darby Autoconnexxion has plans to bring it in for future variants if they deem it suitable, we’re talking about the TBi engine, which is a 1.8 liter engine with direct injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing for both the intake and exhaust. It put outs 200 PS and 320Nm of torque (a 230 PS variant is also available for the Brera/Spider), so the two models could be differentiated like the Audi A4 1.8 and 2.0.

But in any case it looks like those who have been buying the Accord 2.4 and Mazda 6 2.5 (don’t think Camry 2.4 buyers are in the same category!) can now opt to shell out a little more and enjoy a sexy Italian beauty!

Next up is the Alfa Romeo GT Blackline Coupe, powered by a 165 horsepower 206Nm torque 2.0 liter JTS engine mated to a 5-speed Selespeed, priced at RM 218,888. This sleek coupe never fails to turn heads but mechanically it is not very different from the Alfa GT sold by the distributor’s previous incarnation, Sime Darby Auto Italia.

The GT is equipped with a BOSE Hi-Fi system with amp and subwoofer, a CD player with MP3 capabilities, xenon headlamps, 8 airbags, stability control, and sports seats.

The Alfa Romeo Brera Coupe is priced at RM 308,888 and is powered by the same 2.2 liter JTS engine as the 159 sedan. You’ve got 7 airbags, stability control, 6 speakers, rain sensor wipers, keyless ignition, bi-xenon headlamps, 8-way electrically adjustable front seats with heating for the driver’s seat, and leather upholstery.

The flagship and most expensive car is the 2-seater Alfa Romeo Spider, also powered by the 2.2 liter JTS and 6-speed Selespeed. It’s priced at RM 318,888 and is essentially a soft top convertible version of the Brera.

The Spider’s equipment includes keyless ignition, rain sensor wipers, cruise control, paddle shifts, 6-speakers, bi-xenon headlamps with washer, heated driver’s seat, stability control, and 5 airbags for the front and sides of the 2 passengers including a driver’s knee airbag.

There is more coming. The cute little hatch called the MiTo will be coming later this year to give the MINI Cooper and the Fiat 500 some competition. Look after the jump for full galleries the bellas, including a few promo videos of the 159 and GT.

Alfa Romeo 159

Alfa Romeo GT Blackline

Alfa Romeo Brera

Alfa Romeo Spider

VIDEO: Alfa Romeo 159 – Promo 1

VIDEO: Alfa Romeo 159 – Promo 2

VIDEO: Alfa Romeo 159 – Promo 3

VIDEO: Alfa Romeo 159 – Promo 4

VIDEO: Alfa Romeo GT – Promo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The high performance Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA Concept was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show recently, and the Italian auto maker is not about to leave the gorgeous MiTo at that only. The auto maker has revealed that it will present another MiTo concept at the upcoming AutoRAI event which will take place in Amsterdam.

Called the Alfa Romeo MiTo Veloce Concept, it would be positioned between the standard MiTo and the high performance GTA version if it goes into production, and something tells me that it will. The MiTo Veloce Concept is expected to be powered by a tuned version of Alfa’s 1.4 liter turbocharged engine that would kick out 177HP.

The MiTo Veloce is expected to sprint to the 100 km/h point in about 7.5 seconds, and is expected to feature an up-rated suspension, as well as some slight modifications on the body work. The show will kick start on April 1st, so stay tuned as we will bring you more details.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Italian-based Alfa Romeo has released an official promo video of the Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA Concept, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. The 2 minute 48 second-long video showcases the MiTo GTA being driven in Valencia. You can also hear the roaring exhaust note delivered by its 240HP 1.75 liter turbocharged power plant. Continue reading to watch the video.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Italian auto maker Alfa Romeo has finally unveiled the MiTo GTA Concept at the Geneva Motor Show. On the outside, the aggressive-looking super mini is treated to large air intakes with mesh inserts, a front lower lip spoiler, a centrally mounted exhaust tail pipe, and a huge rear diffuser among others.

The MiTo GTA Concept receives power from a 240HP 1.8 liter cracking power plant which comes with direct injection and a dual variable valve timing system. Alfa Romeo has used carbon fiber in a number of places such as the roof, tailgate spoiler and mirror fairings to help improve power to weight ratio. The similar treatment, but with aluminium was utilized in the suspension and braking components, as well as in certain parts of the chassis.

Unfortunately, Alfa Romeo has yet to release more information regarding the MiTo GTA Concept, other than what we already know. Please click here to read our previous report on the Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA Concept as well as to view an gallery.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The new Alfa Romeo 159 was released at the Geneva Motor Show with the additions of two new Euro 5-compliant engines including; a 200HP 1.75 liter TBi with 320Nm of torque which accelerates the 159 sedan to 100 km/h in 7.7 seconds, to a top speed of 235 km/h, and a 170HP 2.0 liter JTDM power plant. This can propel the 159 Sportwagon to the 100 km/h in 9 to a top speed of 216 km/h.

At the show, two variants are being displayed including the 159 sedan in TI trim and the 159 Sportwagon. The sedan in TI trim is finished with lowered geometry, bigger tires, 19 inch alloy rims, miniskirts and large aluminum brakes with red calipers on the outside while the interior features sports seats in perforated leather with the Alfa Romeo logo stitched in red, plus the steering wheel with sports grip and the gear knob covered in leather with red stitching. The TI also comes equipped with triple-zone climate control, VDC system with Electronic Q2, GPS, Bose Hi-Fi system and Cruise Control.

On the outside, the 159 Sportwagon is treated to 18 inch wheels while the inside features sports steering wheel with radio commands, a gear knob covered in leather with black stitching and new sports seats covered in leather while its head lining, the parcel shelf and the pillar fairings are finished black. Making up the equipment list include; triple-zone climate control, Cruise Control, VDC system (with Electronic Q2), Bose Hi-Fi system, GPS system (with telephone and voice commands), and Visibility Pack (rain, mist and twilight sensors. Continue reading to view an image gallery.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

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 liter 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.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Alfa Romeo will be exhibiting an Alfa Romeo Mito GTA Concept at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show in early March, which will likely to be a close to production high performance version of the 3-door Alfa Romeo GTA. The powertrain is likely to be Fiat’s new 1.8 liter direct injection turbo engine, which is also said to be making a debut in the 159 in 200 PS form.

The Mito GTA could have it in a higher state of tune, perhaps 240 horses is not too hard to imagine. The engine has dual variable valve timing, direct injection and turbocharging technology. This is the same Euro 5-compliant engine that was announced to be slotted into the new Lancia Delta.

The Mito GTA will most probably also have the Q2 differential to help rein in those horses sent to the front wheel. Looks like MINI John Cooper Works will have some good looking sexy Italian competition soon!

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The MINI John Cooper Works will have a new rival come the Geneva show this March in the form of this hot little Italian number, the Alfa Romeo Mito. The Mito will receive a new top of the line variant called the Alfa Romeo Mito GTA and it will be powered by the 1.8 liter T-JET engine from the Fiat Bravo. Autocar claims the engine will be tuned to put out 240 horsepower, which looks likely as a nice and punchy 180 has been demonstrated by a smaller 1.4 liter engine used in the Fiat Grande Punto Abarth Essesse. Even the 1.4 liter in the Marangoni M430 Mito has 220hp. The Mito will get a Q2 differential at the front to reign all the torque in, since it is a front wheel drive vehicle. Power to weight ratio will also be helped by lightweight materials exclusive to the GTA like carbon fiber and aluminium.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

This is the Marangoni M430 Alfa Romeo Mi.To. First the bad, this car is just pure risotto, which is a completely random term that I’m going to use for an Italian ricer car. Overdone bodykit, glaring two-tone paint, random decals, scissor doors, huge 18 inch wheels with red tyres for red burn-out smoke – you name it, it’s got it! And what’s M430 supposed to mean anyway, a homage to the Ferrari F430?

But what’s hot is what’s under the hood. The standard 150hp output of the 1.4 liter turbocharged T-JET engine under the Alfa Romeo Mi.To’s engine hood has been boosted to a Golf GTI-beating 220 horsepower! This is a tiny 1.4 liter engine that actually makes more power than the 4.0 liter V6 in the new Ford Mustang.

We can actually buy a car that has this engine in Malaysia, the Fiat Bravo GT. This should really tickle the interest of Bravo GT owners, a potential 220hp plus a manual transmission would be really fun.

Look after the jump for a high-res gallery of the M430.

PHOTO GALLERY: Marangoni M430 Alfa Romeo Mi.To
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Instead, Bond goes on to drive a few SUVs from the Ford group of marques, though the makers did try to “balance” them out with a fuel efficient small car.

Let’s have a look at the cars of the Quantum Solace.

Aston Martin DBS

The Aston Martin DBS replaces the Vanquish V12 as the new flagship of the marque. The GT is powered by a 6.0 liter V12 engine producing 510 horsepower at 6,500rpm and 569Nm of torque at 5,750rpm. It also had carbon ceramic disc brakes, which is a first for a road-going Aston Martin.

Everyone probably looked forward to seeing this in action the most. It’s expected really, since the DBS is pure Aston Martin design language, which is possibly the sexiest of all with all the right curves and lines in all the right places. Plus the DBS was also first revealed to the public in Casino Royale (though they were actually reskinned DB9s), and only made a public physical appearance a year later at Pebble Beach 2007.

The vehicles in the Bond movie is probably a deal with Ford, so I suspect the Aston Martin DBS got KO-ed so early because Aston Martin is no longer part of the Ford group. The movie opens with a car chase scene with plenty of flying bullets, and Bond in the DBS is being chased by delicious-looking Alfa 159s. The 159s end up getting wrecked of course, that’s not even a spoiler as it’s so predictable.

Alfa Romeo 159

While we have to be content here with Sime Darby Auto Connexxion still flogging the 156 (though the 159 is promised soon), its successor has been on sale since 2005, long enough for the producers of Quantum of Solace to buy a few and destroy them in a heated car chase scene in Italy.

The 159 is available in both front wheel drive and Q4 all-wheel drive configuration, with the top of the line being the JTS Q4 powered by a 3.2 liter V6 engine putting out 260 PS at 6,200rpm and 322Nm of torque, though most Europeans may opt for the 2.4 JTDM turbodiesel with 210 PS and 400Nm of torque instead.

Jaguar Daimler Double-Six

Villain Dominic Greene (apparently inspired by Nicolas Sarkozy and Tony Blair) sometimes rides in a big Daimler Double-Six whenever he’s bored of his silent hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Greene Planet for a “Greener” planet, he says?

Range Rover Sport

This is one of the two SUVs featured in the movie, but this one’s powered by a regular combustion engine, and a powerful one at that. The Range Rover Sport isn’t just a Range Rover with a powerful engine, its actually a completely different and smaller vehicle based on the Discovery.

It’s powered by a 390 PS 4.2 liter Jaguar V8 supercharged engine, though a normally aspirated version was also previous available but since dropped due to lack of popularity. It’s also rather infamous – it seems that it was made a target of Greenpeace protests in 2005 because it was such an inefficient vehicle.

The Range Rover is piloted by a certain “Miss Fields” and later by Bond.

Ford Ka

The Ford Ka is the Bond Girl’s car. Olga Kurylenko plays Camille, the leading lady picks Bond up in her golden Ford Ka – who wants to bet a special edition will be sold by Ford in a similiar golden paint in a movie tie-up? A similiar scene is repeated later in a classic Volkswagen Beetle… I’m pretty sure Volkswagen didn’t pay for that!

The Ka is even smaller than the Ford Fiesta and in its original iteration it was truly low-cost in the sense that Ford even resorted to using a 1.3 liter Ford Kent pushrod engine under its hood. The new Ka has Italian origins – its based on Fiat Panda/500 underpinings and uses modern petrol and diesel engines.

Volvo S40

Bond drives a Volvo S40 rental car in Austria. The facelifted Volvo S40 was recently launched in Malaysia in locally assembled form and offers European premium motoring at a price of under RM200,000. Though it’s one size smaller, those considering Japanese 2.4 liter D-segment cars but don’t really need the space should consider it.

Ford Edge powered by Hydrogen

The Ford Edge is a crossover SUV but no real hydrogen-powered version of it currently exists, though Ford has announced a “HySeries Drive” version that combines electric drive powered by either an on-board hydrogen fuel cell or lithium ion batteries that have plug-in charging capabilities.

In the movie, the Edge is part of a fleet of green vehicles owned by the villain’s company Greene Planet. Bond ends up driving one of these, and this just so happens to take place in a desert where the fuel cell’s pure water exhaust would be most appreciated.

So what’s your favourite vehicle in the movie, and what did you think of the movie? My favourite is of course the Aston Martin DBS and I didn’t think any of the other cars had very much of a stage presence except for the Range Rover Sport.

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

PHOTO GALLERY: Aston Martin DBS
Click thumbnails to view high resolution photo

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The little Alfa Romeo 147 was one of the most fun cars I’ve test driven. There was just something about the way Alfa Romeo made its inline-4 engine sound so good, the way the Selespeed automated manual transmission managed the throttle blipping on downshifts and how it slammed the clutch when you want the quickest upshifts possible. But it is getting a little long in the tooth now, being first introduced in the year 2000 and facelifted in late 2004 for a sleeker look.

The first images of the 147’s successor has made its way onto the internet. This Italian baby is based on the same chassis as the new Fiat Bravo and Lancia Delta. The Alfa Romeo 149 features a nice blend of curves and aggressiveness, with a front end that reminds you of the MiTo and a lovely rear end that features an integrated diffuser design. The images above show conventional door handles for the rear doors, so it means the 149 loses the 147’s “hidden” handles.

You can expect the 149 to most likely share the Bravo and Delta’s engine options, which means a range that includes a few Fiat diesels ranging from 105 PS to 190 PS (twin-turbo Multijet) and the 1.4 liter T-JET turbocharged small engine producing up to 150 PS and 230Nm of torque. It will be curious to see if there will still be a GTA version and if yes, what it will be powered by.

Source

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Guangzhou Automobile will be developing a new large sedan using the platform of the Alfa Romeo 166, fully licensed and paid for of course.

The 166 has just been discontinued in spring last year, and rumours are that its replacement could return to a rear wheel drive format.

The 166 was a front engined front wheel drive car with double wishbones at the front and a multi-link setup at the rear. The Guangzhou Automobile car to be based on its platform will be styled by Bertone.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Autodelta has unveiled a tuned up version of the Alfa Romeo 159 2.2 JTS sporting a Rotrex C30-74 supercharger that boosts the car’s power from a quick 185 horses to a rapid 245 horsepower, and torque up from 230Nm to 290Nm. The following are the technical enhancements that Autodelta has given the 159 2.2 JTS, turning it into what it calls the Autodelta 159 J4 2.2 C:

• Intercooled Rotrex C30-75 supercharger running at 0.65 bar boost
• New aluminium intake manifold to replace the plastic OEM manifold to handle the supercharger’s boost level, with improved reduced volume design.
• New ECU featuring improved variator control strategy for intake and exhaust valves improved to suit supercharger.
• NGK Iridium IX spark plugs
• Mechanical LSD to reign in all 245 horsepower going to the front wheels
• New fully adjustable (ride height and bound/rebound adjustment) suspension with retuned damper and spring rates
• Upgrade perforated brake discs on front and rear, and new brake pads with special compounds that allow higher operation temperature
• Quad tail pipe Autodelta exhaust system
• Lightweight 19 inch OZ Wheels Botticelli HLT alloys with Dunlop SP Sport Maxx GT tyres in 245/35 ZR19 size
• Overall car with additional equipment is 5kg lighter than stock 159 2.2 JTS

View more high resolution photos after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The Cloverleaf badge is making a re-entry into the Alfa Romeo line-up with the Alfa GT Cloverleaf Series, but this time the badge means nothing more than a couple of unique aesthetic enhancements.

The Alfa GT Cloverleaf Series is available as a 1.8TS, 2.0 JTS, and in both 150hp and 170hp 1.9 JTDM turbodiesel form. The “Cloverleaf Series” name means the cars get 18 inch double spoke alloys, satin-effect front grille and door mirrors as well as brake calipers that are painted red. The Cloverleaf badge is put on the bootlid, but the 170hp turbodiesel model gets an additional badge in a white triangle above the front wheel arch. The 170hp turbodiesel model also gets Alfa’s Q2 LSD as well as a sport button that can select between two different accelerator pedal response patterns – one more sedate and another sharper and sportier.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Alfa Romeo has released a whole photo gallery of the new Bravo-based Alfa Romeo Mi.To. We’ve already seen most of the Mi.To’s angles in the previously released motion footage of it, but after the jump you will find some nicely done still images including some of the Mi.To posing with its larger sibling, the Alfa 8C Competizione.

The MiTo is 4,060mm long, 1,440mm high and 1,720mm wide. The baseline MiTo is revealed to have a 1.4 liter engine producing 78 horsepower at 6,00rpm and 125Nm of torque at 4,250rpm. A T-JET engine similiar to the one in the Bravo GT produces 155 horsepower and 206Nm of torque from 2,000rpm, with another 24Nm available via a Sports switch labelled Alfa DNA. The only turbodiesel variant for now is a 1.6 liter JTDM engine producing 120hp and a massive 280Nm of torque at 1,500rpm which goes on up to 320Nm at 1,750rpm.

These are the initial launch engines and Alfa Romeo promises more powerful engines later in the product timeline, which will feature technologies like the Multiair electronically controlled variable valve lift system and a twin clutch system that Alfa dubs the DDCT.

The compact car features a rather advanced feature usually found in cars higher up the segments. The feature is part of the Vehicle Dynamic Control system and is called Dynamic Steering Torque, or DST. DST applies slight torque to the steering to suggest the correct manoeuvre to the driver in situations like oversteer, or in situations where grip is different on the two sides of the axle.

Related Posts:
Initial details and specifications of the Alfa Romeo Mi.To

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Alfa Romeo UK has unveiled a special 500 unit run of the Alfa Romeo Brera called the Alfa Romeo Brera S. The Brera S gets a specially Prodrive-tuned suspension using Eibach coils, Bilstein shocks, and aluminium components. The suspension also lowers the car by 10mm. It also gets lightweight 19 inch wheels inspired from the alloys on the Alfa 8C Competizione, and hollow anti-roll bars.

The engines in the Brera S range put out the same power as the normal Brera, but the other improvements will make the driving experience very different. For one, the weight reduction in various components like the suspension system shaves off between 35kg to 100kg depending on model, with the 260hp 3.2 liter V6 model losing the most weight. The other would be better handling thanks to the Prodrive-developed suspension.

More photos of the Alfa Romeo Brera S after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Alfa Romeo conducted a poll for the public to pick the new Alfa Romeo MiTo’s new logo, much like the earlier poll which allowed the public to pick a name for the car. The result is the logo you see above, though there’s really no certainty if this poll has any effect on what the actual logo will look like at all.

The previous name poll had resulted in Furiosa being the top pick, but the final MiTo name wasn’t even in the choice of names to pick at all!

I’d put my money on a logo that looks something more like number 3 or 4. Such a logo would also look better on the passenger-side dashboard of the car.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Alfa Romeo’s promotional video for the upcoming new Alfa Romeo Mi.To hatchback shows us someone playing what looks like a racing simulation game, picking to race the Mi.To and then going ahead to pick his course, weather and etc.

The Mi.To in this video has camouflage all over it, with only the headlamps and tail lamps exposed. We cannot even see what the dash looks like, although we get to see the driver steer and shift, because even that has camo wrapped around it.

Watch the video after the jump.

VIDEO: Alfa Romeo Mi.To Game Promo

Related Posts:
Alfa Romeo Mi.To – new baby Alfa hatch (with video)

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Alfa Romeo has revealed three teaser images of their new B-segment hatchback, recently christened the Alfa Romeo Mi.To. Not Junior, not Furiosa. The name Mi.To is short for Milano and Torino (Milan and Turin), cities which host the Alfa Romeo and Fiat headquarters respectively.

The Alfa Romeo Mi.To will be 4060mm long, 1720mm wide and 1440mm tall. Under its hood will be the same family of Fiat engines ranging from 90 horses up to 155 horses, and all petrol and diesel variants will be force inducted. What’s new would be a new range of dual clutch transmissions, replacing the trademark Selespeed.

It will be equipped with a system Alfa calls DNA – Dynamic, Normal and All-Weather. DNA settings will adjust the responsiveness of the throttle, steering, brakes and gear shifts for sporty, city or slippery roads.

Two more photos and a video after the jump.

VIDEO: Alfa Romeo Mi.To

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The open top version of the sexy Alfa 8C Competizione, the Alfa 8C Spider will be unveiled at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show. It will be powered by the same 4.7 liter V8 producing 450 horsepower at 7,000rpm and 480Nm of torque at 4,750rpm with a redline of 7,500rpm. This engine is mated to a 6-speed transaxle robotized clutch gearbox with an LSD differential.

The Alfa 8C Spider’s roof is constructed from two layers of fabric, and goes up and down automatically with a touch of a button on the dashboard. Like the Alfa 8C Competizione, the Alfa 8C Spider will be available in a limited run of 500 units.

More photos after the jump.


Click to enlarge

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© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

One company that is very happy about all of this is Fiat, who has a close relationship with Tata. Tata uses Fiat turbodiesel engines in their cars, and the two companies have a partnership worth Rs 4000 crore (3.3 billion ringgit) in India.

Fiat says this will most likely allow the Italian company to get access to Jaguar’s technologies. It is particularly interested in Jaguar’s rear wheel drive platform as well as Land Rover’s four-wheel drive technology. Yup, you guessed right – the first model from the Fiat group to benefit from this is most likely the new flagship Alfa Romeo 169, which Fiat plans to develop as a rear wheel drive car.

Related Posts:
Ford may forgo retained stake in Jaguar and Land Rover

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

While we are on the subject of Alfa replacements, what about the Alfa Romeo 166’s replacement? The new Alfa Romeo 169 is known as the Progetto 941 internally, and it is set to ride on a derivative of the next generation Maserati Quattroporte E/F platform.

This means rear wheel drive. It also means a longtitudinal engine layout, something not seen on Alfa Romeos since the 145 Boxer and 146 Boxer. Engines are expected to be exclusively V6 and V8 (for a GTA variant) engines with Uniair/Multiair technology, with transaxle gearboxes to help the car achieve a close to 49:51 weight distribution.

Sources reveal the V6 engine will be lifted from a new family of Alfa Romeo V6 engines, not an upgraded GTA engine. It will most likely have JTS lean burn direct injection engine heads and twin turbochargers.

Styling will most likely be inspired by the year 2004 Alfa Romeo Visconti Concept styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro. The Visconti was based on the Alfa Romeo Premium platform which underpins the current Alfa Romeo 159, but has its wheelbase lengthened by 20mm.

The 169 was to originally use this platform, but later it was decided that the Quattroporte E/F platform was a better idea. Under the concept’s hood is the first sighting of the new V6 engine family – a 3.2 V6 twinturbocharged JTS direct injection engine to make 405hp and 680Nm of torque.

More photos of the concept after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

UPDATE: The new Alfa Romeo baby hatch will be called the Alfa Romeo Mi.To – click for more info!

The latest car manufacturer to enter the fray of creating small cars to compete against the BMW MINI Cooper is Alfa Romeo. Internally, this new car is known as the 955. The new car will share a platform with the Fiat Grande Punto, and will offer technologies like SDC active suspension where various settings can be set via a Ferrari-like steering wheel switch, and an engine with an electronically controlled hydraulic valve actuation (similiar to VVTi-E) combined with a throttle-less intake called the Multiair engine.

Multiair engine options will include a 105 hp 1.4 liter normally aspirated unit, two 1.4 liter JTB turbos making 135hp and 180hp, a 1.8 liter JTB making 230 horsepower, and two diesels – a 120hp 1.6 liter JTDm and a 150 horsepower 1.6 liter JTTDm. These engines will be mated to either a 6-speed manual or a Selespeed automated manual.

Following the footsteps of Volkswagen which used a public voting system to name its new Tiguan SUV, Alfa Romeo had a public vote to let the public choose the name of the new car. Choices included Agea, Enos, Everson, Fira, Furiosa, Milo, Mod, Nevo, Solea, Sparvo, Velvetta and Ventura, and the winner turned out to the name Furiosa.

So there you have it. The Alfa Romeo Furiosa. There are currently two camps on where this will fit in the Alfa Romeo model line up – some say it is a smaller model than the 147 replacement (previously to be called the 149, should be a proper word-based name now), and everyone else says this is the new 147 replacement. But looking at segments, the 147 replacement should be based on a platform similiar to the Bravo (C-segment) instead of the Grande Punto (B-segment), so I tend to agree with the smaller-than-147/149 camp.

One more sketch after the jump.

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© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The Alfa Romeo 159 has been graced with the famous TI badge. TI stands for Turismo Internazionale and both the sedan and Sportwagon 159 variants will have this new trim level in their range.

The Alfa 159 TI is enhanced with a unique body kit, lowered sports suspension, 19-inch alloy wheels, red Brembo brake callipers all-round, and chrome effect door mirrors and exhaust tailpipe. On the inside, there is an electrically adjustable and heated leather front sports seats, new sports dials, aluminium sports pedals, kick plates, trim inserts, a leather-clad sports steering wheel and gear knob.

Two petrol units and one diesel unit are available – petrol variants include a 2.2 JTS inline-4 and a 3.2 JTS V6 while the sporty oil burner is a 2.4 JTDM. These engines can be mated to either manual or QTRONIC automatic gearboxes.

Alfa’s Q4 all-wheel-drive system is standard on the 3.2 V6 engine option, but can be specified for the 2.4 JDTM as well, while the 2.2 JTS petrol is front wheel drive only.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

The new premises will be open 8.00 am to 5.30 pm on weekdays, 8.30 am to 2.30 pm on Saturdays and by appointment on Sundays. The relocation is welcome, as it brings Auto Italia closer to its customer base and target market. Glenmerie can be considered pretty far for someone to travel.

“Our service centre will have the best equipment and specialised tools while our parts centre remains the most comprehensive in the country with more than 2,000 original line items to cater to most Alfa Romeos in Malaysia. We are looking to grow the service centre throughput now that it is more accessible than ever,” said Auto Italia General Manager Lim Boon Leong.

For directions to Auto Italias new premises in Petaling Jaya, please call 03-5569 8800.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Oh my, it seems that Proton has infected it’s old partner Mitsubishi with the Alfadana disease. Mitsubishi’s latest Lancer bears quite a significant similarity to the sexy Alfa Romeo 159 doesn’t it? What do you think?

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.

Novitec tunes up the Alfa Romeo 159, but strangely it is not the petrol version that is tweaked by the diesel! The 2.4 liter 20 valve turbodiesel has it’s power upped from 200 horses to 229 horses via Novitec’s Powerrail III system and a Novitec stainless steel twin tailpipe exhaust system. As for the bodykit, you get Novitec front skirting, side skirts, and a Novitec rear spoiler. The suspension system is a Novitec stainless steel sports suspension system that is height and hardness adjustable. The Novitec 159 rides on Novitec N9 multi-piece 20 inch wheels wrapped with Pirelli 255/30/R20 tyres.

This is not the most powerful 159 in the range – a stock 3.2 V6 petrol variant makes a very nice 240bhp. Alfa Romeo’s trademark has always been some of the best sounding inline-4 and V6 engines around, and it is not easy to get an inline-4 to sound nice. I wonder how a diesel Alfa engine sounds like.

BTW, anyone notice how the latest Mitsubishi Lancer reminds you so much of this car? But then again, it could be just me. *shrugs*

More photos after the jump.

© 2009 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Sun, 22 Nov 09 13:11:36 +0800.