Alfa Romeo Focuses on the Giulietta and 2011MY MiTo at the Geneva Show

The Fiat Group will have a particularly strong presence at the Geneva Motor Show this year, as it’s planning to reveal a bevy of new models and concept cars. Alfa Romeo’s offering at the Swiss salon will be centered on the Giulietta compact and 2011MY MiTo subcompact models, with two of each scheduled to go on display. And for those of you wondering, Alfa's press release made no mention of the rumored concept sports coupe based on the underpinnings of the KTM X-Bow.

First up is the 170HP Giulietta Distinctive fitted with a 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to the Alfa TCT dual-clutch automatic transmission and a Start-Stop system, which returns 5.2 lt/100 km (45.2 US mpg) on the combined cycle. The show car is customized with a Sport Pack package that includes 18-inch alloys (17” wheels also available), side skirts, seats clad in fabric-leather upholstery, aluminum inserts, metallic headlight frames and dark interior.

The standard equipment list includes the Alfa DNA dynamic vehicle control system with a Q2 electronic differential, VDC with ASR and Hill Holder, six airbags, front seatbelts with dual pre-tensioner and front anti-whiplash headrests.

The second Giulietta to go on display is the range-topping Quadrifoglio Verde 1750 TBi with a Rosso Competizione paintjob, powered by a direct-injection and turbocharged 1.8-liter four-pot with 235HP and 340 Nm (251 lb-ft) of peak torque. Only available with this engine, the Quadrifoglio Verde trim level comes with 17-inch rims (18-inch wheels are optional), more powerful brakes and a sporty interior, with fabric-leather seats.

Both Giuliettas feature the Blue&Me-TomTom system that allows owners to operate the telephone, sound system, navigation and other driving aids through one, 6.5-inch color touch-screen.

The Italian automaker’s stand will feature the 2011MY MiTo subcompact as well, which goes on sale in April. The refreshed model gets a new choice of exterior colors and interior fabrics, plus an extended list of optional equipment and a revised Quadrifoglio version powered by a 170HP four-cylinder engine.

To make it more appealing, the 2011MY MiTo Quadrifoglio comes with a new surround under the Alfa badge, modified Quadrifoglio Verde logos and chrome mirror housings, door handles and headlight/taillight frames. The optional 18-inch wheels round up the exterior changes.

Inside, the sportiest MiTo comes with the Sabelt sport seats (also an optional item) wrapped in an Alcantara-fabric combination, black color scheme and green-white seams found on the seats, steering wheel, hand brake lever and gear shifter knob.

By Csaba Daradics

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Alfa Romeo UK Adds New Diesel with 140HP and 62.8 MPG to Giulietta Lineup

A newly developed 2.0-liter JTDM engine has made its way under the hood of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in the UK. The four-cylinder turbocharged diesel unit, which delivers 140HP at 4,000 rpm and 320Nm of peak torque in 'Normal' mode and 350Nm in 'Dynamic' mode, gets the latest generation JTDM-2 MultiJet Common Rail system that is already present on the 105HP 1.6 JTDM-2 and the 170HP 2.0 JTDM-2 engines.

Alfa Romeo says that with this diesel engine, the Giulietta can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 9 seconds en route to a top speed of 127 mph (204 km/h), while returning a combined fuel consumption of 62.8 mpg UK (52.3 mpg US or 4.5 lt/100km) with CO2 emissions of 119g/km.

The new engine is Euro 5 compliant and is equipped with DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and Start&Stop as standard.

On-the-road prices for the Giulietta 2.0 JTDM-2 in the UK are set at £20,144.47 for the Lusso model and £21,444.47 for the better equipped Veloce.

_______________________________SPECS_______________________________

Euro NCAP's Best and Worst Performers of 2010

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which is similar to the American IIHS testing regimen, has released a list with the safest car in each vehicle category and the two worst performers overall of 2010. The cars that attained the coveted five star rating and achieved the highest overall score in their respective segment are:

------ Executive category: BMW 5 Series
------ Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
------ Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
------ Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
------ Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

On the other side of the fence are two models that achieved the poorest results of 2010. These are the Citroen Nemo with three stars and China's Landwind CV9 that received only two stars.

The European body noted that the cars in the top list "accomplished a high combined score based on the scores in each of the individual four areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment, while notably exceeding the thresholds for a 5 star overall rating". Along with the five top achievers, Euro NCAP said that the Suzuki Swift, Kia Venga, BMW X1, VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra, Citroen C4 all exceeded the 80% mark in overall score putting them on the runner-up list for the safest cars of 2010.

Commenting on the results, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: “Every year, car manufacturers constantly work to innovate and make their cars better and safer for the driver, whatever the size of the vehicle. The presence in these categories of high performing 5 star cars demonstrates car manufacturers’ commitment to safety for all sizes of vehicles.”

In early 2009, Euro NCAP implemented tougher crash testing procedures that make it more difficult for vehicles to receive a five-star rating. Last year, the European body crash tested a total of twenty-nine vehicles from numerous categories, of which 65 per cent reached the five star rating, compared to 90% in 2009.

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________

Marangoni's Green-Footed Alfa Romeo Giulietta G430 iMove with 286HP

Italian tire manufacturer Marangoni has teamed up with tuning firm TRC Italia to create a demo version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1750 Quadrifoglio Verde () and showcase a new series of eco-friendly tires which will soon enter the market.

Dubbed the Giulietta G430 iMove, the demo car is fitted with special tires sized 235/35 R19 tires boasting a fluorescent, green pigment, which glows in the dark. The compound is rich in silica content and other materials, minimizing rolling resistance and, thus, improving fuel consumption. The car rides on 19-inch Barracuda Karizzma wheels, painted in a contrasting black tone.

Like Marangoni's previous demo car, the Alfa Romeo MiTo M430, the G430’s exterior makeover was also inspired by the Ferrari F430. The front bumper has two enormous F430-like air intakes channeling airflow to the brakes, while at the rear we can find a carbon fiber diffuser. Lowered side skirts and a discrete roof spoiler complete the aero kit.

Under the bonnet, a new bearing-mounted turbocharger boosts the four-cylinder unit's output to 286 hp, an increase of 51hp over the standard model.

Engineers also lowered the car by 4 cm (1.6 inches) and fitted KW threaded strut housings that allow multiple height adjustments and shock absorber calibration. The standard brakes were ditched in favor of 330 mm 10-pot Tarox B360 composite disks.

Inside, golf apparel provider Conte of Florence used a combination of leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber, with the seats and door panels trimmed in a quilted theme that evokes Scotland’s golfing tradition. The only problem is that the G430 doesn’t seem like your ideal golfer’s car and there’s not much space left in the boot because of the Segway. But, hey, I guess times are changing and the two-wheel EV could make your life much more easier on the golf course.

TRC Italia said it will offer all components designed for the Giulietta G430 iMove, starting from next year.

The Giulietta G430 iMove will be officially unveiled at Bologna Motor Show in Italy this week.

By Csaba daradics

_______________________________GALLERY_______________________________