The World Rally Championship...
The World Rally Championship is set for a shake-up at the end of this season. Not only is the calendar undergoing significant revisions – including the addition of a round in Ireland – but there will be a new points set-up and the contro÷versial ‘Super Rally’ system is to be axed.
We thought the Marangoni...
We thought the Marangoni MiTo M430 was as wild as Alfa Romeoò€™s new baby could get. But bosses in Italy have revealed that a high-performance MiTo GTA will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March ò€“ and itò€™s targeting the MINI JCW.
While the car the newcomer replaces ò€“ the 147 GTA ò€“ was powered by a thirsty 3.2-litre V6, the MiTo gets a 1.8-litre turbo. This will deliver 240bhp ò€“ thatò€™s 32bhp up on the hot MINI, plus 20bhp more than the 1.4-litre M430 (driven in Issue 1,046).
Yet despite all that shove, Alfa has resisted fitting four-wheel drive, as it wants to keep the weight down. Instead, the firmò€™s Q2 electronic differential will provide optimum traction. Elsewhere, carbon fibre and aluminium are used to shave off every last kilo, boosting the carò€™s pace and handling, while beefy arches and a bodykit add muscle. Prices start at Ò£19,000.