Share

Alfa's Giulia capacity JCW eater

With a forced-induction 1750cc engine (recalling legendary Alfa engine numbers form the past) and no limited-slip differential, the forthcoming 172kW Mito GTA should be anything but staid.
With a forced-induction 1750cc engine (recalling legendary Alfa engine numbers form the past) and no limited-slip differential, the forthcoming 172kW Mito GTA should be anything but staid.
Alfa-Romeo has announced its Mito GTA superhatch will be on display during the second week of March at the Geneva motor show.

Despite parent company Fiat engaged in talks with Chrysler concerning a merger, Alfa-Romeo is solely focussed on taking top honours in the hot hatch race with the diminutive, yet stylish, pocket rocket.

Engine capacity revival

Set to compete with the Mini JCW range (yet undercut it on price) the Mito GTA will feature a 1.75l, turbocharged engine good for 172kW. Alfa will be at pains to point out this is a 1.75l engine (we're not allowed to round off the capacity to 1.8l as usual) in an attempt to rehash fond memories of the 1750 moniker from the legendary Giulia and Giuliettas of the 1960s.

Exotic materials (aluminium and carbon-fibre) should abound in the construction of the GTA, essentially to keep the car’s weight as trim as possible.

No LSD

Lately Alfa hot hatches have been a tad overweight – primarily due to the oversized V6 engines powering them – and suffered in ultimate performance terms. With a powerful yet light engine and contemporary material design elements to keep the GTA as lean as possible, Alfa expect the quickest Mito to be edging for line honours in class.

In the much the same vein as the Mini JCW, Mito front-wheel drive power delivery will be assisted by electronic means, instead of purely mechanical limited-slip differential technology. This is a shame considering how well Alfa’s GT range limited slip differentials work. The Alfa Q2 front-wheel drive torque vectoring system will have the task of quelling waywardness under power.

Handling needs to be on par with the Mini JWC and consequently coil-over springs and McPherson struts up front should render neat turn-in behaviour. At the rear though, assembly friendly (not to mention cost-effective) torsion-beam suspension should yield plenty of three-wheeled cornering antics.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE