The revolutionary new MultiAir induction technology is the star of the Meccano-themed Alfa Romeo stand at the 63rd Frankfurt IAA this week as it makes its production debut in the MiTo which is topped off by the new Quadrifoglio Verde version.

The Alfa MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde is an exclusive version with a powerful 170 hp 1.4 MultiAir TBi which will be brought to market after the launch of the other MultiAir engines. Once a symbol of some of Alfa Romeo's sportiest cars, the “Quadrifoglio Verde” (four-leaf clover) now represents a new kind of sportiness that combines the maximum driving pleasure with improved environmental qualities. This is shown by its outstanding weight/power ratio (6.7 kg/hp), ensuring top-class agility, and an exceptional category-leading specific power of 124 hp/litre. In addition, as far as the typical reduction in emissions and fuel consumption of downsizing is concerned, the 170 hp 1.4 MultiAir TBi records 139 g/km of CO2 and 4.8 l/100 km in the extra-urban cycle: figures you might expect from an economy car rather than a compact sports car that goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just over seven seconds.

Alongside the main attraction, the rest of the Alfa Romeo range are also be on display: the MiTo, the Brera, the Spider, the 159 (saloon and Sportwagon) and the 8C Competizione Coupé and Spider supercars. The cars on display feature the latest Alfa Romeo engine technology: the revolutionary 135 hp MultiAir 1.4 TBi, the powerful 200 hp 1750 TBi and the brilliant 170 hp 2.0 JTDm.

Designed to interact with the public, the exhibition area moves away from trade show traditions in favour of a more poetic stand. At the centre of it all are children, their world and their hopes for the future; a forward-looking brand knows how important it is to listen to its customers of tomorrow. So, there is a unique setup at Frankfurt that, while retaining Alfa Romeo's classic values of design and technology, takes shape through the eyes of a child engineer building the future with a heightened sense of creativity.

Inspired by Meccano, the stand takes the form of a racetrack full of scale model cars where engineering games are combined with traditional Alfa Romeo themes such as asphalt and red paint. Huge plates of Meccano with lit-up holes - built to resemble the houses of a futuristic city - serve as a backdrop to the whole exhibition area. The scene is completed by huge mechanical lights hanging down to represent projects in the pipeline and the dreams yet to be realised by budding engineers. As a tribute to Meccano, the stand features the crane that appeared in the original 1908 set designed and patented by Frank Hornby. The innovative exhibition area is letting visitors admire the latest Alfa Romeo technology from a different perspective - a recreational and poetic dimension that looks to the future through the eyes of the next generation of Alfisti.

Alfa MiTo MultiAir

Alfa Romeo, always a byword for sophisticated engineering and high-performing engines, proudly presents the revolutionary MultiAir system, developed and patented by FPT – Fiat Powertrain Technologies. The forerunner of this revolutionary family is the MultiAir 1.4 engine, first introduced to the world on the Alfa Romeo MiTo model and offered with 3 different power levels (105 HP, 135 HP and 170 HP), all Euro 5-ready.

At the launch, the first two MultiAir power units fitted to the Alfa Romeo MiTo are the 135 HP 1.4 and the 105 HP 1.4, available in all the current range outfits. Their launch will be followed by that of the 170 HP 1.4 MultiAir Turbobenzina, which will complement the Alfa Romeo MiTo petrol engine range and be available on the brand new and unique “Quadrifoglio Verde” outfit. This broad product range will enable the MiTo to meet the needs of an increasingly extensive and smart audience, who are rewarding the Alfa Romeo mini with excellent sales results.

In detail, the 135 HP 1.4 Turbobenzina guarantees the Alfa Romeo MiTo all the performance and temperament of a sporty, well-balanced car designed for customers who are concerned about driving satisfaction and good fuel economy. The torque delivery of the 135 HP engine is optimum under all conditions and ensures outstanding pick-up performance and vigorous thrust at all speeds, marking a new benchmark in the petrol engine scenario. The new 135 HP power unit's top speed and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h are at the very top of the mini category.

This brand-new power unit, designed to work in conjunction with the Alfa DNA device, allows the excellent dynamic attributes of the Alfa MiTo to be exploited to the full. This makes long trips satisfying and comfortable but also guarantees plenty of thrills on more demanding stretches of road, the natural terrain of any Alfa Romeo, due to the well-balanced weight/power ratio and the excellent speed of response to the driver's commands. Excellent performance is combined with the quality known as respect for the environment and good fuel economy.  This excellence is reflected in particularly low CO2 emissions, equal to 129 gr/km, with a combined fuel consumption of just 5.6 litres every 100 km.

Balance and temperament are also attributes of the 105 HP 1.4 power unit. This engine takes its place in a market band central to the relevant segment, where it represents the best choice. The 105 HP MultiAir engine respects Euro 5 regulations and is up at the top of its reference market band in terms of maximum power and driving satisfaction. The 105 HP 1.4 power unit also ensures full involvement at the wheel, making the Alfa MiTo an indisputable star of town traffic, ensuring full safety and ease of driving under all conditions.

The MiTo also achieves excellent performance with its 170 HP MultiAir power unit version available in the exclusive “Quadrifoglio Verde” outfit. This marks the reappearance of one of the historical symbols most dear to Alfa aficionados throughout the world, who are passionate about the glorious past of a brand that has made a trademark out of racing and motorsport. The 170 HP 1.4  MiTo unit exemplifies a new concept of sportiness, combining superlative driving satisfaction with eco-awareness. The winning features of this car include its outstanding weight/power ratio (6.7 kg/hp), guaranteeing record-braking agility, plus an exceptional specific power of 124 hp/litre, a real first for this category. This is also the highest value ever recorded for an Alfa car, affirming the excellent engineering heritage of the Alfa Mito.

The 170 HP 1.4 MultiAir Turbobenzina, combined with a new 6-speed gearbox guaranteeing fast shifts with short travels, is an excellent example of the philosophy of downsizing: producing very hi-tech turbocharged engines to increase performance while slashing fuel consumption and emissions. The results achieved by following this strategy are interesting by any standard (139 g/km of CO2 and 4.8 l/100km over the extraurban cycle), closer to what you would expect from a mini than a sporty hatchback capable of speeding from 0 to 100 km/h in just over 7 seconds.

The Alfa Romeo MiTo “Quadrifoglio Verde” is also equipped with a new active suspension system that controls the shock absorbers to redefine the vehicle's dynamics, reduce car oscillations under all driving conditions and raise levels of safety, comfort and handling still further. The system, developed as a joint venture between Alfa Romeo and Magneti Marelli, is able to call on the extraordinary experience both companies have accrued in motorsport throughout the world.

The new MultiAir engines are built in Termoli (CB) in the FPT – Fiat Powertrain Technologies plant and designed from the development stage to further enhance the Alfa DNA selector, the device that allows the personality of the Alfa Romeo MiTo to be adapted to the driver's needs and different road conditions. The “Start&Stop” system, making its debut combined with MultiAir engines for the first time on an Alfa Romeo, temporarily turns off the engine and then restarts it (when waiting at a traffic light, for example) to guarantee reduced fuel consumption and low noise levels in the passenger compartment when the device is at work. The sound performance of the MultiAir engines can be appreciated to the full, with a sporty, unmistakeable Alfa Romeo timbre.

The introduction of the new MultiAir engines has also brought fresh colours to the MiTo, a winning model that is already sold in 34 countries throughout the world and 5 different continents. It can already be ordered in the new metallic shade Tornado Blue, which will complement the already extensive array of exterior colours. The model's level of engineering can also be appreciated due to a series of improvements that have further increased the quality of the Alfa Romeo MiTo. The improvements affect the interior finish, car outfit combinations, gear manoeuvrability due to shortening the lever to 2.5 centimetres and also the steering and suspension system, which benefits from a new setting, in addition to some changes to the braking system.

ItaliaspeedTV - Alfa MiTo MultiAir 1 / 2 / 3