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2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo MultiAir

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The Italian automaker Alfa Romeo has just unveiled the new revolutionary MultiAir system, that is being made available for the first time on the compact MiTo hatchback. The new 1.4 Liter MultiAir engine will be available at the vehicle’s launch and will come in two different versions: the first is a 135 HP 1.4 Liter variant as well as a more economical 105 HP version. The MultiAir MiTo will also be offered in a high performance 170 HP MultiAir Turbobenzina offering later on this year.

Compared to the conventional gas burning engine of the same displacement, FPT guarantees that the MultiAir system will increase power up to 10% and torque another 15%; as well as a significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions, both up to 10%. At the same time particulate contamination is reduced by as much as 40% while NOx is reduced by up to 60%.

The MultiAir system eliminates the need for a throttle body and allows the engineers infinite control over the valves that bring fresh air into the combustion chamber. The design places the lobes for both intake and exhaust on the same camshaft. The exhaust operates as it would in a convention four stroke internal combustion engine, but the third bump actuates a roller rocker arm attached to the MultiAir setup which is then electronically controlled to open and close the intake valve by the flow of pressurized engine oil. As befits a flag-bearer for the downsizing concept, the MultiAir is a versatile system that is easily applicable to all petrol engines that may potentially be developed for diesel engines in the future.

Press release after the jump.

Press release

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 Euro5-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.