After the various leaks and, 'are they? aren't they?' photos being bandied around, Alfa has finally announced that a high performance version of the MiTo called the GTA will be the star of their stand in
Geneva. However, the show car has been lumbered with the 'concept' tag.
Following the long tradition of Alfa Romeo GTA models, the MiTo GTA has undergone a major weight loss programme with liberal use of carbon fibre in the body including the roof, and aluminium in the chassis, suspension and brakes. This has not only reduced the overall weight but also substantially lowered the car's centre of gravity.
Power comes from an all-new 1.7-litre petrol engine that has loads of technical goodies such as direct injection, variable valve timing and state-of-the-art turbo technology to pump out a startling 240bhp.
The GTA is 20mm lower than the standard car, which has meant something of a re-think on under-floor aerodynamics, plus the suspension has been reworked with different geometry settings on the front and new bushes at the rear. Not only that, but the suspension has also gone all 'active' with an advanced damper control set up borrowed from Maserati. The system works to counteract weight transfer by stiffening the rear and also interacts with the brakes and steering to keep the chassis as flat as possible to improve handling and ride comfort.
Sadly no word on when we are likely to see the production-ready MiTo GTA in a showroom.
Richard Bott - 27 Feb 2009