Italian influences can be found in many of motorsport’s most memorable and enduring performances. Whether it’s Fangio and Wimille dominating the immediate post-war years in Alfa Romeos, Moss and Behra battling against the odds in Maseratis, Villeneuve and Schumacher’s towering achievements in F1 Ferraris, or Toivonen and Kankkunen surging through the forests in Lancias they all shared in Italy’s glory.

Goodwood Festival of Speed founder, Lord March says: ‘It will be fabulous to have so many great cars and drivers here at Goodwood to celebrate our Italian-flavoured Viva Veloce! theme for 2010. I look forward with much anticipation to seeing some of the greatest drivers, riders and machines in action.’

Running alongside the 2010 Festival central theme, Goodwood will also celebrate 60 years of the Formula One World Championship, with a gathering of cars and drivers that have shaped the history of motor sport’s most glamorous series.

The provisional date for next year’s Festival of Speed is 2-4 July 2010.

Goodwood 2010 Festival of Speed – ‘Viva Veloce! – The Passion for Speed’ is a post from: Reviews 4 Cars

A contemporary and innovative design, with a name redolent of history, the choice of Mi.To has great evocative resonance for Alfa Romeo, since it was chosen as a sign of a deep-seated link between the past and future of the brand: between Milan, the city of design that brought the car’s style into being, and Turin, which will be responsible for its industrial production. This decision highlights the brand’s strong desire to consolidate its Milanese roots.

The Mi.To is the first new Alfa Romeo to be built since the 8C Competizione, Alfa Romeo’s icon of style and technology, from which it borrows certain characteristic traits: the particular shape of the frameless side windows, the distinctive frontal treatment, the shape of the headlights and the LED tail lights. The headlights and tail lights represent a distinctive personalised feature: the front and rear lighting surrounds exhibit different forms of material processing and colours, which will allow customers to create an ultra-stylish ‘eye-liner’ effect that underscores the car’s style and assertiveness.

The highly ‘personal’ dashboard and seats ensure that the interior represents the ultimate expression of Italian style: welcoming yet sporty, with top-quality materials and close attention to detail; all wrapped in a compact and dynamic shape – Mi.To is 4.06 metres long, 1.44 metres high and 1.72 metres wide.

Performance and technology must always be top-of-the-range in an Alfa Romeo. As with all the brand’s models, the Mi.To is able to appeal to the most demanding customers with its exciting driveability, a factor which is determined in part by Alfa’s new DNA system.  This driver-operated system acts directly on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox, allowing three different vehicle behaviour modes based on the driving style best suited to the situation or the customer’s wishes: sporting (Dynamic), town driving (Normal), maximum safety even in difficult grip conditions (All-Weather). Mi.To is the first car in its segment to offer such innovative technological content.

Strong performance is guaranteed by a turbocharged range of petrol and diesel engines spanning 90-155bhp, with the range due to be extended by higher powered versions.

Performance and handling have been developed and optimised to offer maximum driving satisfaction in complete safety. The Mi.To offers a true Alfa Romeo sporting set-up, featuring contractive suspensions – standard on all specifications and engines – that minimise roll and offer maximum active, passive and preventive safety. Alfa Romeo’s specially developed VDC stability system is fitted as standard, and the vehicle structure is already designed to obtain a top Euro ncap crash safety rating in the future.

The Alfa Mi.To will be introduced to the international press during June and will then be gradually introduced from July in all the major markets.  The new car is expected to go on sale in the UK early next year.

Alfa Romeo Mi.To: World Premiere is a post from: Reviews 4 Cars