alfa mito

As far as special editions go, the latest from Alfa Romeo isn't really anything special. But it may be a good buy just the same, so long as you would have ordered yours within these parameters anyway, or don't mind limiting your choices.

Called the Touring Sport, the special MiTo packs in a variety of optional equipment from alloy wheels to Blue&Me infotainment system, bundled at an attractive price for British buyers. The trade-off is a limit selection: three colors (black, white or red) and two engine options (gasoline or diesel, each producing 95 horsepower). So is it special? That depends on how you look at it.

If you've ever had to bring your beloved pet to the veterinarian, you know what it must feel like to drop off the keys to your prized Italian sportscar for service at the garage. But while a pet can't be replaced, it probably eases the separation anxiety to know you're getting something special back in the meantime. That's why Alfa Romeo has prepared a special run of its stylish MiTo hatchback especially for its sister company Maserati.

The special Maserati edition MiTo features Blu Oceano paint, delectable Pelle Frau leather interior, special badging, a 170-horsepower turbocharged engine, and all the top options available in the Alfa Romeo catalog. Only 100 examples are being made and distributed to Maserati dealerships across Europe.

Ferrari recently did the same with a special-edition Fiat 500, and then turned to offer them for public consumption. Alfa and Maserati may choose to do the same, but until then, the only way to get your hands on one is to bring in a GranTurismo or Quattroporte for service.

With parent company Fiat Group's partnership with Chrysler, plans have been in motion for Alfa Romeo to finally, after years of speculation and strategizing, return to the North American market. But while the bulk of Alfa's line-up currently consists of relatively small vehicles, those that will be offered on this side of the Atlantic will be decidedly larger.

To start off, the company's smallest vehicles won't, according to the latest reports, make it to North America altogether. That includes the MiTo three-door hatchback and the Milano five-door which is slated to replace the ageing 147. The North American range is expected to start out instead with the replacements for the 159 and 166 sedans.

The current 159, as beautiful as it is, is slated to be replaced by the upcoming Giulia around 2012 as a global product that will include the North American market. Meanwhile reports indicate that Alfa Romeo could build a successor to the discontinued 166 flagship sedan on this side of the Atlantic in Ontario, Canada.

Alfa Romeo's badge has enough clout as it is. But to Alfa enthusiasts, the Quadrifoglio Verde carries even more prestige. The clover-leaf emblem symbolizes the pinnacle of the company's racing history, and is used sparringly on road cars to distinguish some of its most aggressive, performance-oriented models.

In this case, the new MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde boasts a new 170-horsepower MutliAir engine that uses the latest technologies developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies. The system optimizes airflow into the combustion chambers, thereby simultaneously improving both performance and fuel economy. The engine and new six-speed transmission are showcased in the Quadrifoglio Verde, and help the sportiest of MiTos get up to sixty in little more than seven seconds while returning an impressive 50 miles per gallon on the highway. Impressive.

To further set the Quadrifoglio Verde apart from ordinary MiTos, the special edition carries 17" wheels and trim in dark satin chrome, with an all-black interior offset by sporty white instruments. Plus, of course, the famous Quadrifoglio Verde emblem.

With the MiTo premium hatchback, Alfa Romeo started talking a lot about its DNA. And now it's talking about the brand's jeans, thanks to a new collaboration with fashion expert Louise Roe to produce a line of specially-branded ladies denim pants.

The specially-crafted garments features such uniquely Alfa Romeo touches as red stitching, embroidered serpent from the company's iconic badge and, of course, fit like a glove. Available from the initiative's website mitojeans.co.uk, the jeans are produced in strictly limited quantities and sell for £75 a pair, proceeds from which go towards a charitable research organization.

For some, Alfa Romeos are special enough as they are. But just the same, the Italian automaker has just announced a new special edition of its MiTo premium sport-hatch called the Imola edition. Named after the famous Italian racetrack, the Imola edition gets a special yellow paintjob, unique 18-inch split-three-spoke wheels hiding red brake calipers, chromed mirror housings and a special Pelle Frau leather interior with yellow accents. Unfortunately Alfa will only be making 150 examples of the special Imola edition, and they're all bound for Japan where, despite a burgeoning domestic auto industry, premium imports are all the rage.

Everyone stood up and paid attention at the Geneva auto salon this past March when Alfa Romeo took the wraps off the MiTo GTA. The lust-worthy hatchback promised all the Italian style and aggression you'd get from a Ferrari or Lamborghini in a more accessible package and finally gave the diminutive MiTo premium hatchback – Italy's answer to the Mini Cooper and styled to mimic the gorgeous Alfa 8C Competizione – the capabilities to match its styling. Although what we saw in Geneva was just a concept car, Alfa Romeo spokesmen said we'd see a production version on the road by the end of the year. Well, don't go making room in your driveway just yet. Because while Alfa Romeo is slated to finally return to the North American market as part of parent company Fiat's new partnership with Chrysler, the MiTo GTA may not make it. And not just the trip across the Atlantic either, as Alfa Romeo now says that the harsh economic circumstances mean that the project has been put on indefinite hold. Which could mean that we'll get another chance at the mean little monster when things return to normal, or it could mean we'll never see it again.

When Alfa Romeo launched the MiTo, it was clear the Italian automaker was serious about taking on the premium hatchback market in Europe, a realm until now dominated by BMW's Mini. But while the MiTo borrowed styling cues from its big brother, the 8C Competizione supercar, the small hatch lacked the performance to back up its looks. With the new MiTo GTA, Alfa looks poised to rectify the situation. Resurrecting the company's performance badge, the GTA packs a 230-horsepower turbocharged engine, packed into a compact aluminum and carbon-fiber body with attitude to spare. Although the car shown in Geneva was, strictly speaking, a concept car, Alfa says it will be putting it into production before the end of the year. In the meantime, why not have a look at the images in the gallery below.