The European market is lucky enough to have the handsome, trendy little Italian hatchback, the Mito. However, the sensible little Stellantis hatch was shelved after a lack of interest in three-door cars. There is hope, though. As the company electrifies, Alfa Romeo’s CEO recently announced that the Mito will probably return and will become an EV.
What is an Alfa Romeo Mito?
Initially released in 2008, the Mito is a three-door (two doors and a hatchback) compact car only available in select markets. ‘Mito’ was a portmanteau for the famed Milan and Torino regions where Alfa Romeo designed and built the supermini cars. According to Autocar, the car presented a “stylish alternative to the Fiat 500 and Mini [Cooper].” Stylish the little hatchback was, with oblong, sloping headlights and a triangular grille. The Mito was an unmistakable little Alfa Romeo.
In the face of declining interest in the three-door hatchback concept, Alfa Romeo discontinued the little hatchback in 2019. The then CEO Roberta Zerbi attributed the lack of interest to the growing popularity of five-door (four doors and a hatchback) applications. It is only recently that the European market started buzzing with rumors of the little car’s return in EV form.
The Mito is dead, long live the Mito
Autocar reports that Alfa Romeo parent company Stellantis has hinted at the return of a “supermini” hatchback to fill the gap that the Mito left in the Alfa Romeo lineup. The new Mito will likely utilize one of two possible platforms available to Stellantis. The first is similar to the popular hatchback, the Fiat 500. However, Autocar reports that the new Mito will likely use the architecture of vehicles like the Vauxhall Corsa-e or the Peugeot e-208. In addition to a shared parent company, the Corsa-e or e-208 option is a likelihood given similarities in proportions to what the next all-electric supermini might look like.
Why electrify the next little hatchback?
The upcoming supermini will undoubtedly be electric-only considering that Stellantis is intent on electrifying across the board soon, says Autocar. Additionally, based on the unpopularity of the three-door application, the next Mito will likely be a five-door application. Alfa Romeo’s United Kingdom regional boss also stated that sales may have been better if the Mito were available in a five-door platform. He then went on to say that the company has a history of producing compact, sports-oriented cars. The regional boss’ sentiment is a nod to what will likely be the next Mito.
What is next for Alfa Romeo?
Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Phillipe Imparato recently announced that the Italian manufacturer will change its direction. Additionally, Imparato said that the company is preparing to ramp up production over the next few years. Furthermore, Jean-Phillipe Imparato announced that Milan and Torino will release a new car every year until 2030.
Perhaps the most anticipated and exciting prospect is the potential return of the GTV coupe. The GTV-6 was a two-door pseudo-hot hatch with a smooth-running V6, albeit it wasn’t famous for reliability. The return of both the Mito and GTV is an exciting prospect.
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