Frankfurt show: Alfa updates Mito, Giulietta

ITALIAN brand Alfa Romeo will highlight changes to its small car line-up at this year’s Frankfurt motor show, confirming updates for its Giulietta and Mito models.

Both models benefit from new or updated powertrains, cabin upgrades and slight cosmetic work. Alfa’s Australian arm has confirmed the refreshed Mito will arrive in local showrooms in quarter one next year, with the Giulietta to follow by Q2.

Alfa’s top-selling model in Australia, the Giulietta, will be the first model from the Fiat-owned brand powered by the new, more efficient 2.0-litre JTDM 2 turbo-diesel engine.

With 110kW/380Nm, the new unit uses a small turbocharger to deliver what Alfa says is the highest torque output in the segment.

Improvements have been made to the Euro 5 common-rail injection system to reduce noise and particulate and nitrogen oxide emissions.

The Giulietta receives some very minor cosmetic alterations including a slightly modified grille and a chrome-plated frame around the fog lights.

There are three new alloy wheel designs and a selection of new body colours to choose from, including bronze, blue and pearl white.

Updates to the cabin include a new door panel and grab handle as well as new inserts for the centre console and dash.

All variants come with new seats and a variety of trim options, while the sporty Quadrifoglio Verde features black leather and Alcantara sports seats with contrasting stitching and the Alfa logo embossed on the backrest.

A new three-spoke steering wheel that Alfa says references its iconic grille features aluminium inserts and, depending an the variant, black, white and red stitching.

Alfa’s Mito premium light-hatch offering also receives a modified grille with chrome surround and a new grey tone added to the colour palette, while four new upholstery combinations and an updated dashboard design make up the changes in the cabin.

The Mito features an updated version of the Fiat Chrysler Group’s much-loved two-cylinder 0.9-litre TwinAir petrol engine that is found under the bonnet of a number of models, including the petite Fiat 500.

In the 2014 Mito, the TwinAir produces a punchier 72kW/145Nm when matched with a six-speed manual gearbox and consumes 4.2 litres of fuel per 100 kilometres on the European combined cycle, while emitting just 99 grams of CO2 per kilometre.

The updated Mito is already on sale in Europe where it is available with a choice of two turbo-diesel or five petrol engines.

Alfa Romeo’s Uconnect multimedia system with either a 5.0 or 6.5-inch touchscreen will be available in the Giulietta and includes sat-nav, voice command, DAB digital radio, Bluetooth and USB and auxiliary ports.

The Mito also gets Uconnect with a 5.0-inch touchscreen, and is available with or without integrated sat-nav, developed by TomTom.

Full specification and pricing details will be confirmed closer to the launch of both models.

Alfa Romeo introduced a new base-model Giulietta in May this year, effectively bringing the entry price for its premium hatch down by $5000 to $25,000 drive-away.

This was on top of price reductions for both the Mito and Giulietta back in February, with variants cut by up to $7890.

The price reductions and an increased marketing presence has helped boost sales, with the Giulietta up by 173 per cent to the end of August this year with 1096 units sold, while the Mito has experienced a 126 per cent rise over the same period last year.

Along with its updated passenger car range, the Italian brand will also show its highly anticipated lightweight 4C coupe at the Frankfurt show next week.