2009 Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde Photos, engines & full specs

Alfa Romeo injected some of its DNA into the mundane platform of a Fiat Grande Punto, and the result was the pocket-rocket 2009 MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (four-cloves).

While this unusual nameplate might not mean anything to anyone, it means a lot for Alfa Romeo fans, or the “alfisti,” as they are called. The four-clove badge was initially painted on the four race cars driven by Giulio Masetti, Ugo Sivocci, Antonio Ascari, and Enzo Ferrari. Yes, it is the same Ferrari who later created the magnificent supercar manufacturing company. This badge was used on many other sporty vehicles built by Alfa Romeo, and it represented the most potent version of a car model in the automaker’s lineup. The MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde was no exception since the Italian engineers managed to create a hot hatch for the masses. For that, they took a small-sized engine, turbocharged it, and dropped it inside the engine bay of a MiTo. But that was just part of the transformation.

The car’s exterior was radically enhanced. At the front, the tri-lobo (three lobes) fascia featured the center-mounted Alfa Shield flanked at the bottom by a pair of horizontal air intakes. There, the automaker introduced the round fog lamps, while above, it placed the Xenon headlamps inside the triangular-shaped headlights.

From its profile, the MiTo QV screamed for attention with its enlarged front and rear fenders. In addition, Alfa Romeo installed aerodynamically profiled side sills. A set of 17-inch wheels with a unique design for this version was also included in the process. At the back, to complete the racy look of the supermini hatchback, the automaker installed a roof spoiler, while on the lower side, underneath the bumper, it placed a twin exhaust with chromed tips. Like its non-QV sibling, this much more potent version of the MiTo was available exclusively as a three-door hatchback.

But Alfa Romeo didn’t want to leave the cabin untouched by race-inspired details. As a result, the dashboard and the door cards were adorned with carbon-fiber trims. However, the most eye-catching element was the sports seats with integrated headrests. These featured high-bolstered areas to keep their occupants in place during high-speed cornering maneuvers. Alfa Romeo also offered an option for a mix of Alcantara/leather upholstery. Fronting the driver was the same binocular-styled instrument cluster filled with the large dials of the speedometer and tachometer. Between them, the automaker installed a TFT display that showed data from the car’s onboard computer. On the center console, drivers found the gear stick and the button for the DNA system that controlled suspension, brakes, and engine management. In the back, besides the upholstery, nothing got changed.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo installed a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine, which was previously used for the 150 PS (144 HP) version. From this four-pot powerplant, Alfa Romeo engineers squeezed 170 PS (168 hp), which were sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox. The adaptive suspension was made by Magneti Marelli, which turned the small-sized mundane vehicle into a legit canyon carver.