So, I traveled to Rome this weekend and spent it with a supermodel.  Unfortunately my digital camera’s memory got corrupted so I have no actual pictures of this, so you’ll have to settle for file footage.  When I say supermodel, I mean the new Alfa Romeo Mito.  In the car world, an Alfa is about the closest thing to a supermodel that us mere mortals can drive.  So, I try to keep my car reviews relevant, and Chrysler this week announced a strategic partnership with Fiat, and Fiat owns Alfa, so this car may be found in the US sometime in 2011 as a 2012 model.

So, onto the car, I arrived at Leonardo da Vinci airport at 0:30 and the rental agency I reserved a car from was closed, so I was completely ecstatic that not only did Avis have a car, but it was an Alfa, and red to boot.  So I get into the car and and immediately i am amazed how it just eats things.  My and my colleague’s suitcases easily fit in the trunk and we both hopped in and i had legroom to spare and never did our shoulders touch.  This is Alfa’s smallest car and from the front seat it didn’t feel like it.  There was also room in the back, although I wouldn’t want to be back there.  I’m a pretty big guy, and even in my car in the US, a Mazda 3 Hatch, the central console cuts into my leg, in this car nothing at all.

The dash was covered in a red carbon fibre effect, which suited the candy apple red exterior.  It was all finished off with charcoal seats with black trim and an embossed Alfa emblem.  The ergonomics were spot on, meeting my earlier test of being able to change the radio station while driving at 70 mph.  The six speed box was mushy, but the gate was evident enough that I didn’t pull the wrong gear and the clutch was light with lots of play to allow revving the pint sized engine (okay, a little over 3 pints sized) on takeoff.  So we get onto the motorway into town and it has decent power as the GPS yelled at me for speeding, 150 kph in an 120, holy crap I just did the conversion and that’s 93 mph….oops.  So, it drove fine to the hotel and I parked it.  The next day I drove into town and it performed fine.  On Sunday however, it started to act like a supermodel.  It started whining “I’m bored” or at least in car speak because it developed an awful rattle coming from the engine that sounded like a bearing but it would settle out once revved.  This is with less than 10,000 km on the dial, which is quite bad.

Fuel consumption was supermodel like as well, high octane required but not a lot of it, I filled up for under 20 euros which is good.  So, my advice is if this car makes it to the US, pass on it.  However, if its tarted up slutty cousin the Fiat 500 arrives, go with it.  Sure, it won’t be as pretty as the Alfa, but it is still quite cute, and it will save you on food, handbags, and spa days…err I mean gas, tires, and maintenance.  Ciao for now, I leave you pictures of my hotel room bidet.