Alfa Romeo introduced the MiTo alfa romeo

First seen in the UK in November 2010, Audi branch back out into the supermini class with the fantastic A1 after ditching the A2 in 2005 due to low sales. This was a surprise as the A2 was a great little car which won critical acclaim but failed to win over buyers. Whether it was the price or not hasn't seemed to affect Audis' pricing as list prices are still high for this segment. The best way to get one is some form of car finance.

Production of the A1 is at the Audi factory in Vorst in Belgium. It has the same platform as used in the SEAT Ibiza Mk4 and the VW Polo Mk5 from the same family group. However, the competition is stiff. The A1 needs to compete with the Mini and the Alfa Romeo Mito, both good looking cars with credentials to back them up, and the Mini especially having a large, loyal fan base. Audi are putting out some quality cars nowadays, this A1 is no exception and has managed to scoop The What Car? Car of the Year Award for 2011. Not a bad start!

There are four engines to choose from, with a new electric one coming soon.

- 1.2 TFSi with 85bhp and 118lb-ft of torque.
- 1.4 TFSi with 120bhp and 148lb-ft of torque.
- 1.4 TFSi with 182bhp and 184lb-ft of torque.
- 1.6 TDi diesel with 104bhp adn 184lb-ft of torque.

2012 ALFA ROMEO MITO

Alfa Romeo introduced the MiTo in 2008; it is a supermini that competes with the likes of Audi's new A1 and the Mini. The little three door hatchback is front wheel drive, just like most of its competitors, resulting in an exciting and lively driving experience.

The name MiTo is an abbreviation of the cities Milano (Milan) and Torino (Turin), it was designed in Milan and was assembled in the Torino; the name is also a play on the Italian word "mito," meaning "myth" or "legend."

Like most new Alfa Romeos the MiTo comes with "Alfa DNA" which is a system that lets the driver choose between different drive settings; Dynamic, Normal, and All-Weather. The selected setting changes the behaviour of the engine, the braking, steering, suspension and gearbox. The MiTo also features a Q2 electronic differential on the front wheels, this system allows for faster and tighter cornering without any loss of traction.

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The A1's cabin is by far the best in its class, better than many other cars in higher classes. A lot of the parts are shared with its more expensive bigger brothers, and the quality shows.

With this economy and this level of refinement, especially in a small car, factor in the Audi's legendary build quality and desirability and you get an extremely sought after second hand car. All this keeps residual forecast levels high meaning you can get excellent value if you choose to lease an Audi A1.