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MiTo is toe - hold for growth in UK by Alfa Romeo
publication date: Jan 24, 2009
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author/source: David Miles
On sale
in the UK from 24 January Alfa Romeo's sporty ‘supermini' could double the
brand's overall UK sales this year according to managing director Christopher
Nicoll.
Introducing the new MiTo to UK motoring journalists this
week Nicoll really didn't want to predict how many of these new compact
three-door hatchbacks they could sell given the state of the new car market.
|  | When pushed for an answer he said the sales target has to be 5,000 units as a
minimum for this year. The overall Alfa Romeo line-up, now with MiTo in it,
should obtain 10,000 UK sales in 2009, nearly double that of 2008.
Nicoll said, "We cannot sustain our business in the UK on
the current 5,000 sales a year so we must grow. MiTo is a step towards this."
He added, "The moment is right to
introduce a new sporty compact to the ‘supermini' sector, the largest sales
sector in the UK market. It's cool, young drivers will relish the choice and
excitement that this new model, which is a real driver's car, brings to the
market. Keen pricing starting at £10,745,
Alfa's evocative motorsport heritage and the MiTo's good looks inspired by our
new 8C Competizione supercar mark it out as a genuine contender within this
competitive sector."
Alfa Romeo is aiming the new MiTo squarely at the British
built Mini and the Italian newcomer can be bought for around a £1,000 less,
like-for-like, they say. Alfa wish to emulate the niche ‘must have' appeal and
desirability the Mini brand has, or at least had, until the collapse of the
market. Alfa also see the new Ford Fiesta, VW Polo, Toyota Yaris, Peugeot 207
and Vauxhall Corsa as competitors with the Toyota iQ joining the fray soon.
Nicoll said, "Residual values are a key
issue for monthly finance rates in today's market and a big issue for the whole
industry. We stayed away from discounting our cars last year to boost sales
because discounting harms residual values. The predicted 48% retained value for
the MiTo over the usual 36 months/60,000 miles period is the best in this
class. It means we can offer a retail buyer a PCP finance scheme with headline
monthly payments from £189."
In addition to new products fit for purpose in a changed new
car market, Christopher Nicoll said, "People want to buy our cars but they want
answers to issues concerning product quality and customer service from the UK
dealer network. Over the last three years we have addressed those problems and
we are comfortable with where we are now.
"The MiTo is the right
proposition for today's market and over 70% of our UK dealer network has been
changed - the problem is fixed. We had 80 dealers which we reduced to 35 and we
now have 49 which are still too few for the number of new cars we want to sell.
In addition to the MiTo we will be introducing the new 147 range next. I expect
to have 60 dealers in place by 2010 but this is no mass dealer recruitment
drive underway."
Alfa Romeo UK says the MiTo, which takes its name from
Milano (Mi) where the car was designed and Torino (To) where it is built, will
appeal to a new audience of customer, sub 35 years with an equal split between
female and male buyers.
However business car user-choosers down-sizing will also be
important new customers. There are five engine options, three petrol which will
take 70% of sales and two diesel units. There is the choice of three trim and
equipment levels, Turismo, Lusso - the expected best seller, and Veloce. The MiTo has achieved a 5-Star Euro NCAP
safety rating. | FIRST
IMPRESSIONS
The new
Alfa Romeo MiTo three-door supermini is inspired by Alfa's £130,000, 8C Competizione supercar and which is
sold out until 2010.
The MiTo goes on sale in the UK from 24 January and it is
designed to appeal to a young, image conscious audience, many who know little,
or perhaps even care, about Alfa's past sporting heritage. |  | The British built Mini is the targeted competition although
other superminis such as the new Fiesta, the Corsa and Yaris will be a threat
to cost conscious younger buyers. Fiat's chic 500 and the Smart might be
smaller but for the young fashion and brand aware buyers, they will also be
competitors.
Alfa Romeo UK point out that younger people buy desirable
brands hence their efforts to remind today's generation that Alfa was once a
force to be reckoned with in the motorsport world, 11 Mille Miglia wins starting in 1928 and
some of the greatest post and pre-war stylish grand prix cars. Some of us young
at heart older people remember the
Alfasuds of the 1970/80's, great to drive but real ‘rot-boxes' and of course
there have been product quality and dealer service issues in more recent
years. Alfa's management say all that is
fixed - the problems have gone away.
MiTo is the most important car for most people Alfa has
launched since the days of the Alfasud. With an expected 5,000 registrations in
the UK this year, MiTo will double the total annual Alfa
Romeo sales in this country.
So expect to see the MiTo, which takes its name from Milano
(Mi) where it was designed and Torino (Ti) where it is built, widely advertised
on television, in the print media, cinemas and even local radio. The
worldwide-web is a core marketing medium so look for the innovative marketing
tools that will bring the MiTo experience to you and will perhaps stir up the
brain cells into remembering when Alfa Romeo was a great sporting brand.But heritage doesn't always matter so much for many younger
buyer, sub 35 years say Alfa, in a tough financial market. Image and style at
affordable prices are today's requirements. On that front the three-door MiTo
sporty hatchback scores heavily. The
image and styling are certainly very different from anything else in its
‘supermini' class and before you ask no five-door model is coming. MiTo is sporty
three-door only with prices starting at £10,745 for the entry level 1.4, 95bhp,
Turismo, rising to £14,745 for the top of the range 1.4 TB 155bhp Veloce.
There are three levels of trim and equipment Turismo, Lusso
the main seller and Veloce but be aware, as with Mini, there are lots of extra
cost options that will push the real price much higher- £16,000 plus will be no
problem for the shopaholic.
There is a choice of five engine, three petrol 1.4 95bhp,
1.4TB (turbocharged) 120bhp and 1.4TB 155bhp units and two turbodiesel, 1.3JTDm
90bhp and 1.6JTDm 120bhp. Seventy per
cent of sales will be for petrol versions to retail customers. Diesel versions
will be mainly taken up by business car user-chooser drivers - those
down-sizing but not wanting to go into a ‘seen everywhere' hatchback.
The top variant will be the 1.4TB 120bhp Lusso with 21% of
sales followed by the 1.4TB 155bhp Lusso with 14% and them the same engine with
Veloce specification taking 13% of the MiTo market. The best selling diesel
version will be the 1.6JTDm 120bhp in Lusso specification, user friendly for
benefit-in-kind company car tax.
It was a bit unfortunate at press launch that the main
selling engine and specification combination MiTo was not yet available. But we
did get to grips with the 1.4TB 155bhp petrol version in Veloce trim and the
1.6JDTm 120bhp turbodiesel also in Veloce guise.
| For most people a fuel efficient petrol engine will be best
and my test car returned 37.1mpg against the official 43.5mpg figure.
The
diesel returned 46.8mpg against the official 58.9mpg.
My choice of these two
engines is the petrol version, its quieter and very swift, 134mph with 0-62mph
taking just 8.0 seconds. |  | | The three-door body is not that short in length, it's just
over 4.0-metres, longer than all Minis and roomier than the Mini Hatch. There
is plenty of space in the front but the rear leg and headroom is limited and
access to the rear seats is difficult. |
" The new face of Alfa is very striking and it is one of those designs Alfa
hope more people will love than hate. It certainly has the ‘wow' factor, it is
different and now that Minis are commonplace and the Fiat 500 too small, the
MiTo is a real option."
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A very odd factor for a supposedly versatile three- door hatchback
is that if you want the rear seats to fold down, that folding function is an
extra cost option at £440. Leave the
rear seats in position and the boot space is 270-litre. Front and side visibility is good; however
the small rear side windows restrict the view outside for rear passengers, and
the driver when reversing. The quality off the interior is first class and it
looks sporty.
All models have electric windows, air conditioning,
carbon-fibre look dashboard, front, side, window and driver's knee airbags,
electric power steering, electrically operated and heated door mirrors, LED
rear lights and the new Alfa D.N.A, vehicle dynamics control system.
THE D.N.A function has a badly sited three position switch
out of the driver's safe line of vision. In Dynamic mode the throttle responses
are quicker, steering sharper and handling more direct. In Normal mode - well
things are normal and in All Weather mode the engine provides a more gentle
response.
The driving is generally sporty but it copes with posing or
cruising if that's your style. On the open road it is neat, compact and agile
with loads of grip. The suspension is certainly on the firm side and
repercussions of hitting large potholes are felt within the car.
On smoother ‘A' roads or motorways the ride is hushed and
very comfortable. One of the MiTo's greatest strengths is the fact that it is
not just another city or commuting car, it can easily be used for longer
journeys, day in and day out and given your taste, you can ‘cut-a-dash' as you go. You will be noticed. |
| MILESTONES | Alfa Romeo Mito1.4TB 155bhp Veloce £14,745
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Engine/transmission: 1.4-litre, turbocharged petrol, 155bhp,
230Nm of torque from 3,000rpm, 6-speed manual with electronic differential and
Vehicle
Dynamic control (ESP type)
Performance: 134mph, 0-62mph 8.0-seconds,
43.5mpg, (37.1mpg actual)
CO2 153g/km Band D VED £145 now (£150 from
April) BIK
tax 18%.
Insurance group: 10.
For: Alfa
8C supercar styling, fun to drive, agile handling, sporty interior design,
comfortable ride on motorways.
Against: Costly
- you can buy a new VW Golf 3/5-door 1.4 TSI for less money, harsh ride at
times on poorer roads, cramped rear space, lack of rear visibility, no split
folding rear seat as standard, badly positioned D.N.A performance control
switch.
©DAVID MILES |
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