2012 Geneva Motor Show – Page 4

Efficient Volvo Revolution

It would seem that Volvo is now turning to efficiency after mastering the art of safety. Preparing for the Geneva Motor Show, the company has innovated (also downsized) a great deal of its technological arsenal. Now, some of the economy figures coming from the Volvo C30, V60 Plug-in hybrid and even the latest Volvo V40 are stunning. The cars will still be safe though.

Within the Volvo fleet, overall four models will soon spew out less than 100 g/km of CO2. This spring the C30 will join the all-new V40 at 94 g/km. The other, D2 versions are the Volvo S40 and Volvo V50. They both have emissions of 99g/km. In addition, there are currently another four models with CO2 emissions below 120 g/km: the Volvo S60 (114 g/km), Volvo V60 (119 g/km), Volvo V70 (119 g/km) and Volvo S80 (119 g/km).

Later on this year Volvo will also start selling the V60 Plug-in hybrid that boasts a fuel economy of 1.9 liters/100km (49 g CO2 /km) when in Hybrid mode. Alternatively, it run on pure electricity for at least 50 km or it can utilize both engine and motor. That means a combination of power that measures up to 215+70 BHP and 440+200 Nm of torque.

“The V60 Plug-in Hybrid boosts our pole position in electrification. None of our competitors can offer customers an equally ingenious car. It elevates hybrid technology to an entirely new level,” says Stefan Jacoby. “It is the perfect choice for the uncompromising customer who wants minimum carbon dioxide emissions and maximum driving pleasure.”
“We have also established a strong partnership with Siemens in developing the next generation of pure electric cars after the Volvo C30 Electric,” continues Stefan Jacoby.

The most important car here however is the all-new V40 – Volvo’s first 5-door proper hatchback. It looks dynamic and from what we hear it is dynamic. With a D2 diesel setup, you only get 3.6 l/100 km and, as we said earlier, 94 g/km of CO2 emissions.

In 2013, Volvo is planning to launch a new 4 cylinder engine range that is based on a platform called VEA (Volvo Environmental Architecture). Both petrol and diesel engines will fall into that category and there will be something for everyone, assure us from Volvo.

“”It is time for the industry to stop counting cylinders. We will develop four-cylinder engines with higher performance than today’s six-cylinder units and lower fuel consumption than the current four-cylinder generation,” says Peter Mertens, Senior Vice President Research and Development at Volvo Car Corporation.

Source: Volvo

March 2, 2012

MTM Volkswagen T500 and Audi Q3 at Geneva

MTM are going to be at Geneva and do they have a treat for us or what? Two treats in fact. The world these days is mad about SUV’s and MTM is listening carefully. That is why at the show, the custom house will feature an MTM Q3 2.0 TFSI Quattro baby SUV and … a not-much-of-an-SUV MTM T 500 2.5 TFSI 4motion which is, and there is no other way of saying this, basically a VW T5 van. But things start looking a bit different when closing in. The company has really made an effort in bringing the sport back to utility.

Both of these MTMs are patriotically painted in bold black, red and gold and the idea is to celebrate the kickoff of the European Football Championship season – “If you want to play in the top league, you better drive in the top league”, comments the MTM owner Roland Mayer.

We do not know what exactly happens underneath the hood, but MTM say that the power in the Q3 has been pumped from 170 bhp to 310 bhp. Another claim is that it only needs 6.1 seconds to get to the 100 km/h threshold and that the top speed is just bellow 250 km/h. The company also offers some exhaust pipes and a diffuser to complement all that power. Equally impressive are the four MTM Bimoto 20″ wheels, each wrapped in a 255/35 ZR 20 tire.

The MTM T 500 2.5 TFSI 4motion gets its power from a straight five that develops 472 bhp at 6,900 rpm. Alsp, at 4,100 rpm, the unit racks up a torque of 625 Nm which calls for an overhauled transmission. Top speed stands at 280 km/h (in a van!). Some reassuring tweaks on the suspension are also provided – 6-piston calipers at the front grab hold of the giant disks whenever needed, a KW Street Comfort coilover suspension tweaked by MTM is also there to keep you on the road. As a roundup, we have four 9×20 inch MTM Bimoto rims with 275/35 ZR 20 Michelin SuperSport tires on them.

Whichever of the two you might fancy, it will be ideal for a trip to the European Football Championship. Two PSUVs suited for true football fans.

Source: MTM

March 2, 2012

Volvo V40 Premiere at 2012 Geneva Motor Show

Good news from Vovlo – the Swedish company that brings us everyday road safety and stability. At the 2012 Geneva Motor Show a new model will be revealed. Called the V40, it will be targeting a niche that goes under the category of “Premium hatchback”. What that basically means is that the V40 is expected to pock some big boy heat underneath a practical and sensible body.

When it comes to engine choice, one can go subtle and sensible. I am talking about Volvo’s first sub-100g/km CO2 diesel engine. Alternatively a turbocharged T5 unit will offer top of the range performance in terms of speed – 254hp good for a sprint from 0 to 60mph in a time of 6.7 seconds. Or anything in between will do just as fine No matter what engine and transmission, the cars will always carry a stop/start module and a brake energy recharging system.

Being Swedish, the V40 can’t roll out of the factory without ticking some safety technology features. The car is constantly aware of pedestrians and will automatically stop if it has to. The second line of pedestrian safety is the pedestrian airbag. A Lane Keeping Aid will keep you from veering in other people’s way while a City Safety low-speed collision detector will prevent bumps and crashes actually that occur within the 31mph range.

“The all-new V40 is the most intelligent and safe Volvo model so far. All its features are designed around the driver, helping him or her stay alert and well informed to avoid collisions and dangerous situations,” says Håkan Abrahamsson, Vehicle Line Director C Cars & V40 Vehicle Programme Manager. He adds: “With this class-leading safety package, including enhanced focus on pedestrian protection, the all-new V40 aims for a full star rating in the new, sharpened 2012 Euro NCAP safety tests.”

The company hopes to sell 90,000 V40 vehicles per year with as much as 85% of them going to the European markets. The debut is set for the Geneva Motor Show next week while sales are expected to start in May.

Source: Volvo

February 28, 2012

The Carlsson CK63 RS (CLS 63 AMG) at Geneva

It’s rare to see people expressing discontent from an AMG product, but just to be safe, German tuning house Carlsson have an ambitious project – The Carlsson CK63 RS. It is based on the current Mercedes-Benz CLS 63 AMG but with a bigger bite, lower ride and a dash of exclusivity. Carlsson do mean business, for a performance bundled version of the CK63 RS is set to appear to the public at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

The standard CLS 63 AMG with Performance package has a 5.5 V8 biturbo engine that feeds 557 BHP and 800 Nm of torque to the AMG Speedshift 7-speed sports gearbox. After Carlsson had finished working with it, that bar had been set even higher even higher, or so they claim – 652 BHP and one thousand Nm of torque. That is why, the Carlsson engineers also saw fit to instal an additional transmission oil cooling system. All this effort translates into a time of 4.1 seconds on the 60mph sprint. A very loud sprint if we may add. The exhaust system has been replaced by a tailor-made, multi-flow, complete stainless steel setup with downpipes, metal catalysts and front and rear silencers. Of course you can tone it down to become as silent as a gentle purr, thanks to the exhaust damper system controlled manually from the driving seat. But who would leave it like that?

Few would dare to modify the handling of a Performance package AMG but the newfound power calls for some tweaks – the front axle springs have been replaced with Carlsson springs with more progressive spring characteristics. Also as a consequence the ride is now 30 mm lower. The whole car sits on 1/10-type Carlsson wheels – 9 x 20” rims at the front and 10.5 x 20” at the back.

More personality is added when we look at the aerodynamic features of the Carlsson. A front spoiler and RS carbon spoiler lip decorate the nose while at the back we have a custom diffuser and a rear spoiler for greater downforce.

The interior of the CK63 RS can best be described as a blend of mocha-brown leather, brown Alcantara, carbon fiber, natural woods and more. The leather used is wet-dyed, providing the feeling of a fine leather glove and, because the finished product is 1/1.4 millimeters thick, it is also particularly durable. Other Carlsson highlights include the foot mats, door sill panels with blue, illuminated Carlsson lettering and door-locking pins made from polished aluminum. It’s not all upholstery though. We do not excel much in IT, but the Carlsson have fitted a ‘Viprinet Multichannel VPN Router 500’… which sounds fast. In fact it is. The company says that with this the RS will have a stable high-speed Internet connection even at high speeds.

Source: Carlsson

February 24, 2012

BMW Concept M135i

BMW will exhibit the Concept M135i at the Geneva Motor Show, next month.

The new BMW performance car features a twin-turbocharged straight six-cylinder petrol engine. It will produce more than 300PS (220 kW), which will be sent to the rear wheels. This makes the M135i a unique vehicle in its class ensuring unsurpassed driving pleasure so typical of a BMW.

But the M135i will also benefit from a new sports suspension technology that includes an M sports braking system and is perfectly adapted to match the supreme road performance. A set of 18” M light alloys with a double spoke design are fitted with low profile performance tires.

The exterior features new front apron, large air intakes, new rear apron and double tailpipe sports exhaust system in dark chrome.

Thanks to a distinctively sports-oriented appearance, the BMW Concept M135i offers attractive prospects for the further development of the BMW 1 Series model range. At the same time, a clear signal has been given for the expansion of the new product category of BMW M Performance automobiles. The BMW M Performance automobiles being presented at the Geneva Motor Show and shortly to be launched are powered by the world’s most high-performing six-cylinder diesel engine available for series production vehicles. The petrol-fuelled models in this product category will also assume a similar unique position.

The pre-series concept car BMW Concept M135i offers a fascinating outlook on a corresponding offer in the premium compact segment.

Source: BMW

February 24, 2012

Abarth at 2012 Geneva Motor Show

Abarth brand at the Geneva Motor Show is going to have spectacular presence! There will be presented some of the highly anticipated models by the brand. The all new Abarth 695 Assetto Corse is a small super-sports car designed for racing on the track, which will make its world debut at the show. In addition, the new model Abarth Punto Scorpione will also make a debut. This is a Limited Edition and is dedicated to all those who love high speed and performance. Another milestone on the “road to performance” is the new Abarth 595 which actually is a remake of the popular 595 model that Karl Abarth presented in 1963. It now carries enhanced performance features of a “basic” car, offering a power upgrade to 160 HP (118 kW) as standard. The new Abarth 595 is going to be offered in two variations: “Competizione” and “Turismo”.

First of all Abarth 695 Assetto Corse is designed for track racing and depicts the continuity of the historic 695 brand that came into being in 2009 with the 695 Tributo Ferrari. The car also appears to be a continuation of the Abarth 500 Assetto Corse. Furthermore the 695 Assetto Corse is characterised by an aggressive front decorated with a badge bearing the Abarth logo and, underneath, a broader bumper complete with aerodynamic spoiler and screen-printed grilles instead of the plastic masks of the standard version. Under the bonnet there is a 1368 cm3 turbocharged engine that delivers 205 HP (151 kW). The rear of the car features a winged spoiler, a badge bearing the Abarth logo and a twin exhaust pipe. The 695 model sits on 17″ light forged racing wheels, enriched with new floating, perforated and self-ventilated front disc brakes and perforated rear disc brakes. More importantly, there is included the Sadev sequential gearbox with a specific ratio that when combined with a metal-ceramic twin plate clutch reaches absolutely top performance in its category.The interior of the car contains all of the safety equipment required by FIA regulations, including a roll-bar welded to the body that has been further optimised to improve its torsional stiffness.

Abarth 695 Assetto Corsa — Abarth 695 Assetto Corse

The next Abarth which will be on display in Geneva is the new Punto Scorpione, which expresses the Abarth Punto’s sporting characteristics. The Limited Edition Scorpione is intended for a more mature audience that wishes to express their sporting spirit more discreetly and elegantly, but with no intention to settle for less. Only 199 examples of the model are producesed. The exterior is distinguished by a ton-sur-ton livery where the Scorpione Black of the body becomes matt on the bonnet and roof. The glossy black “passband” element stands out on the latter, with a hand-polishing treatment carried out at Abarth&C. itself, with a view to ensuring customisation with genuine craftsmanship. Moreover, it is equipped with a 1.4 MultiAir engine boosted to 180 HP (132 kW) at 5750 rpm and with a maximum torque of 270 Nm (199 lb-ft) at 2500 rpm, the Abarth Punto Scorpione reaches a top speed of more than 216 km/h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.5 seconds. The car has glossy black 18″ alloy wheels and front and rear Koni shock absorbers with FSD (Frequency Selective Dumping) valve and specially lowered springs. The exhaust pipe, oversized in the central section, is taken from the now famous “Esseesse” kit. The interior of the special Abarth Punto Scorpione features “Abarth Corsa by Sabelt” black technical fabric seats, with red and yellow stitching and matt black backrest, type-approved and lightened in keeping with the car’s sporting spirit.

Next the attention will be put on the two new models featured in the Abarth 500 Range: “Turismo” and “Competizione”. In both customisation options, the car is fitted with a 1.4 Turbo T-Jet engine whose power has been increased to a good 160 HP (118 kW) thanks to the standard engine tuning kit. The car has 4-cylinder 16-valve 1,368 cm3 engine (with fixed geometry IHI turbocharger), which delivers thrilling torque of 230 Nm (170 kW) at 3000 rpm in Sport mode, top speed of 211 km/h and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 7.4 seconds. These results are due to the overboost function, activated using the “Sport” button, which modulates control unit mapping and turbo pressure, in addition to load on the steering wheel. Yet this trademark Abarth performance accompanies fuel consumption: 6.5 l/100 km in the combined cycle. Furthermore, in the both models is included the TTC (Torque Transfer Control) device as standard, which by enhancing the transfer of drive torque to the wheels, improves the car’s road holding without compromising fun at the wheel. The vehicled is equipped as standard with Xenon headlights with dipped and driving light functions for improved light emission and excellent performance in all weather conditions. These devices deliver three times the light intensity and duration of standard halogen-lamp headlights. The “Turismo” model sits on magnesium-coloured 17″ alloy wheels with GranTurismo-inspired design, which contributes to the car’s elegance. It also comes with electrically operated manual Abarth Competizione gearbox with controls on the steering wheel as standard. The second model “Competizione”, is dedicated to more extreme sports enthusiasts, to the true “racing purists”, and for this reason it has 5-speed manual gearbox which improves personal driving style through a more direct relationship with the car. This version sits on 17″ titanium-coloured alloy wheels, with yellow Brembo brake calipers. As for the “Turismo” version, side and tailgate respectively are enhanced by the 595 and 595 “Competizione” logo, both in aluminium, just as the front bumper grille and extractor are titanium grey. How about the interior: they also have sporty and aggressive personality, thanks to the “Abarth Corsa by Sabelt” leather and leather-coloured Alcantara seats, bearing the 595 logo embroidered on the integrated headrest. At last, the gear lever knob, sill plate, pedal unit and aluminium kick plate are all decorated with the Abarth motifs. The complete style of the cars is finished with matt titanium side stripes, which also feature on the mirror covers.

Source: Abarth

February 24, 2012

Bentley Mulsanne Mulliner Driving Specification

You know the Bentley Mulsanne, right? It has been the flagship Bentley for quite a while and now we have a fresh new version. It’s called the Mulliner Driving Specification and is here to keep the things afloat. Well… it will be here actually: the debut is set for the 82^nd Geneva Motor Show.

Highlighting the spec, are four 21-inch, light aluminum alloy wheels bolted in place with titanium fasteners. The overall finish on them comes in two forms: painted or polished. Together with the 265/40 ZR21 tires, the wheels grant the Bentley an agile and dynamic stance on the road.

There are also other smallish design touches such as the wing vents that take the shape of the emblematic “Flying B” symbol. There’s also an inscription on them that reads “Mulliner”. A whole new perforation process has been developed to make the inside of the car look like a diamond patterned sofa. The gear lever holds baseball-like lather stitches on its side. There’s a grippy, ‘coined’ surface on the metal interior door handles while the pedals are made of drilled alloy only. While the upper surface of the door sills is busy reading “Mulsanne”, their sides are available to display Mulliner treadplate plaques that seal this particular Bentley as a Driving Specification.

In spite of the old-school air vent pull knobs, there is a ‘sport’ setting on the rotary switch mounted next to the gearshift selector. It is a tiny reminder that this is not a 19^th glassware cabinet but a state of the art performance saloon. We have a 505 bhp, 6.75 liter V8 monstrosity under the hood which is good for a 5.1 second 60mph sprint run and a top speed of 184 mph. That power needs management and that’s why we also have a Drive Dynamics Control system which operates the suspension and steering. Now with a ‘sport’ mode on, the Mulsanne can take bends at high-speeds without breaking your back.

Partly irrelevant to the Mulliner Driving Spec. will be the addition of bottle cooler and sunroof options within the whole Mulsanne line. The cooler is integrated into the back seats and has space for two full-sized champagne bottles in upright position. It also comes with three hand-blown champagne flutes made exclusively for Bentley by the designer David Redman. All can be cleverly concealed when not in use.

Should you ever feel claustrophobic in a Mulsanne, which is unlikely, you can opt for the tilt-opening, tinted glass sunroof. It floods the cabin with light and gives an extra dimension of space, providing additional ventilation while avoiding the security risk of open windows.

Bentley Musanne Mulliner Driving Specification (2012)

Source: Bentley

February 23, 2012

Toyota FT-BH Concept

Toyota have released some teasers about their latest concept – the FT-Bh which actually means Future Toyota B-segment hybrid. It will be an ultralight supermini, built with clever materials and run by clever technology for the greater good of society.

It is said to weigh no more than 800 kg yet it will be a 5-door. So that leaves around 50 kg for all the other parts (Im not much good at maths). Anyway. One would expect it to be green considering the lightness and the hybrid genes inside and one would be right – 50% less CO2 emissions than a modern 5-door counterpart.

The FT-Bh will also make use of some industry friendly materials for its made. In other words, no animal lives will be sacrificed for the interior, no mahogany will be lacquered for the panels and no liquid gold paint will be wasted on the brake calipers. In fact even the drivetrain will be optimized, or more accurately – downsized.

The FT-Bh is scheduled for a reveal at the 82^nd Geneva Motor Show on the 6^th of March, early in the morning.

Source: Toyota

February 23, 2012

Ford Tourneo Custom Concept to debut at 2012 Geneva Motor Show

Ford Tourneo Custom Concept will be previewed for the first time in the world at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in March. It will bring more dynamism, new level of energy and style. Tourneo Custom Concept has a dramatic new look that will appeal to customers seeking style, functionality and space. In addition, the Tourneo Custom Concept features a wide variety of exciting new features that give the vehicle strong car-like appeal. For example, the vehicle includes all-new interior design with driver-focused cockpit, a luxurious, fully trimmed cabin which has the ambience and high-quality materials of a modern multi-seat saloon car. The concept vehicle also features a number of smart innovations including multi-adjustable and removable rear seating, advanced SYNC voice-activated, in-car connectivity system and the latest Ford low-CO2 ECOnetic Technologies.

Moreover, the new Ford Tourneo Custom Concept carries an advanced, streamlined appearance with sportier stance, bold rising shoulder line and flush glazing. The Signature Kinetic Design features help give the Tourneo Custom Concept its unique character, including the bold trapezoidal grille, strong and muscular shoulder line, prominent wheel lips and window lines with the distinctive kick at the rear. Furthermore, additional improvements are delivered by number of stylish details from the chrome grille surround and striking LED lighting on the front-end, to the dynamic looks of the 18-inch alloy wheels. The interior is all-new. Moreover, it is luxurious and car-like. The stylish instrument panel is orientated around the driver, and features technologies which are closely-related to those in Ford’s car range. The interior follows the same Kinetic Design approach as well. Passengers in the rear are surrounded by space and luxury, with a fully-trimmed cabin that incorporates bold Kinetic Design detailing on the side panels which are linked to the graphical themes from the front. Additionally, the rear seats carry completely new design, and can be easily folded into multiple configurations, or even removed completely. This unique luxurious and spacious feel of the interior is further improved by an exclusive two-tone color scheme, featuring hand-stitched leather seats with attractive cloth inserts.

Some smart and innovative features included on the Ford Tourneo Custom Concept are: ECOnetic Technologies – Ford’s advanced low-CO2 features including Auto-Start-Stop and Smart Regenerative Charging; SYNC voice-activated, in-car connectivity system – enables mobile phones and music players to be connected to the vehicle, and controlled using voice control; Emergency Assistance – enabled by SYNC, assisting occupants to contact the Emergency Services in the event of an accident, providing vehicle location information; Advanced restraint system – including driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags; Rear-view camera – integrated into the rear view mirror; Lane Departure Warning and Driver Alert.

Furthermore the new concept vehicle offers outstanding performance and fuel economy. It is powered by a further improved 155 PS (114 kW) version of Ford’s 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine family. The Tourneo Custom Concept is based on a new Ford global platform. The aim of the new design philosophy is to deliver deliver car-like dynamics, including agile, responsive handling, enhanced ride comfort and reduced noise-levels.

The Tourneo Custom Concept is a forerunner of the arrival of a completely new generation of Ford commercial vehicles, which full range of models will be revealed during 2012. The new family range will be powered by enhanced versions of the new 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine and has Auto-Stop-Start technology fitted as standard. In this way Ford is targeting best-in-class fuel economy. Three power ratings will be available: 100 PS (74 kW), 125 PS (92 kW) and 155 PS (114 kW). All versions are paired with a six-speed manual transmission and feature front-wheel drive.

Source: Ford

February 22, 2012

Maserati GranTurismo Sport Premiere at Geneva

Maserati plan to make a premiere of their new GranTurismo Sport at the 82^nd Geneva Motor Show this year. It will be a replacement for the current GranTurismo S. The thing is, the company wants us to think it’s new but what we actually have here is a restyled interior, a new bumper and a revisited engine.

Supposedly the new front bumper “optimizes” airflow even further by scooping larger amounts of air to cool the brakes and engine. The front lights employ a new style and house DRL LED lights to keep up with the competition while the taillights are a but faded. Interior changes have also been made – redesigned seats and a sporty steering wheel. We just hope that by sporty they mean less buttons and controls and more.. well.. steering wheel.

Most probably the most meaningful update is that of the 4.7l V8 which now develops 10 more (460 bhp) horsepower. It’s not groundbreaking but one can never have enough, right?

Source: Maserati

February 22, 2012

GTA Spano Ready to Go

The Spanish company GTA Motor hasn’t got much street cars to offer. Yet, it will again take part in the 82^nd edition of the Geneva Motor Show with the GTA Spano. This time, they say that the car is production ready and will be availble to customers late this year.

Only 99 models will be produced so expect highest levels of exclusivity. It will have its own V10 8.3 liter engine which develops the claimed 820 hp and 980 Nm of torque. A time for 0 to 100 km/h sprints – 2.9, Top speed – 350 km/h or so they say. The chassis is a carbon fiber/titanium/Kevlar mix which sounds really light … and expensive as well.

And if the engine is not a party piece enough, there’s also an innovative panoramic roof with integrated lighting and an opaqueness system. All very interesting stuff. Excited about the show now?

Source: GTA Motor

February 22, 2012

Alfa Romeo at Geneva

Alfa Romeo might not have much cars to show on the 2012 Geneva Auto Show (they have only two production vehicles at the moment) but they are betting on technology and choice. There will be four Giulietta models and three Mitto cars taking the stand. Some of them will feature the Fiat group 0.9 TwinAir Turbo “International engine of the year 2011”, many will be coupled with the Alfa TCT (double clutched transmission) and will also feature Distinctive and Quadrifoglio Verde trim levels.

Alfa Giulietta

Thanks to the TCT feature, a 1.4 TB MultiAir 170 HP Giulietta has the best efficiency-performance ratio in its category. It is basically a twin clutch automatic gearbox setup which allows downshifting or upshifting with either a gear lever or paddles behind the wheel. On top of that, one can further optimize the Giulietta’s road manners with Alfa’s DNA dynamic selector – a master switch of all the systems in the car. Have it on Dynamic and get ready to cut some apexes with vigor. Normal mode on the other hand provides you with an everyday driving set up and All-weather mode is for rainy or snowy surfaces with poor grip. Despite being capable of reaching 100km/h in 7.7 seconds, the Giulietta TCT MultiAir returns 5.2 l/100km in the combined cycle and emits 121 g/km of CO2

Props also go to another Giulietta TCT which harbors a 170 HP 2.0 JTDM diesel engine. It does the 100km/h sprint in 7.9 seconds but offers even more economy – 4.5 l/100 km and 119 g/km of carbon dioxide emissions. To prove highlight the role of the TCT in these figures, Alfa say that the same car with a manual does 4.7 l/100 km and 125 g/km.

A somewhat less powerful 120 HP Giulietta Distinctive 1.4 Turbo will also be present to restore equilibrium after the fury that will be the fourth Giulietta – 235 HP 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde. That flagship trooper can shred its own tires with 340 Nm of torque as early as 1,900 rpm.

Alfa Mitto

The Mitto niche will be represented by three member – the 0.9 TwinAir Turbo that has only two cylinders yet delivers a maximum of 85 HP at 5,500 rpm and a torque of 145 Nm at 2,000 rpm. Basically this drivetrain, thanks to its cleverness, is capable of producing more torque and be cleaner and less thirstier than any other engine rated with that same power. This little bumble bee also comes with the Alfa DNA system and a Stop & Start function which helps with the urban frugality.

The not-so-conscious about fuel economy can find paradise somewhere else. Why not start with the Mitto Quadrifoglio Verde with Alfa Active Suspension? It is all very complicated underneath – The suspension interacts with the braking system and steering to obtain more effective control of the dynamics of the vehicle or in other words it is a damn good fun this car. Only Alfas capable putting a smile on one’s face go under the Quadrifoglio Verde name. Noticeable differences from a stock model hide in and out. For example the rear-view mirror covers, the headlight and light cluster frames and the handles come with an exclusive satinised chrome material; a new sporty seat with a central part made of Alcantara. Things on the options list include 18” alloy wheels and sporty Sabelt seats with carbon fiber woven backrests.

Under the hood, a 170 HP 1.4 MultiAir Turbo works its magic while we need to remember that this is the light and nimble Mitto we are talking about – 6.7 kg per a single horsepower, 0 to 100 km/h is done in just over 7 seconds.

Last but not least, there will be a Mitto fitted with the same TCT equipment that comes with the Giulietta models. The engine is still 1.4 but with reduced power output and a Stop & Start system – a well rounded mid-range car with some extraordinary technology inside.

Source: Alfa Romeo

February 22, 2012

Tag: 2012 Geneva Motor Show