The Alfa Romeo MiTo (internal designation Type 955) was produced from 2008 to 2020, with 293,428 units manufactured at the Fiat Mirafiori factory in Turin. The car was designed by Juan Manuel Diaz at Centro Stile Alfa Romeo. Its name is a portmanteau of Milano, where it was designed, and Torino, where it was built — and also means "myth" or "legend" in Italian. The MiTo is a three-door hatchback with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout, sharing its platform with the Fiat Grande Punto. The car received a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating in 2008. A successor model, the Alfa Romeo Junior, arrived in 2024.
The Quadrifoglio Verde variant was first presented at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. It is powered by a 1.4-litre (1,368 cc) MultiAir turbocharged inline-four engine producing 170 PS (125 kW) at 5,500 rpm and 250 N⋅m of torque at 2,500 rpm. Specific output at launch was 124 PS per litre — the highest figure in the European supermini segment at the time. Drive goes to the front wheels through a six-speed C635 close-ratio gearbox developed by FPT, with an optional TCT dual-clutch transmission available from 2014. The QV accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds with the manual gearbox, or 7.3 seconds with the TCT. Top speed is 219 km/h.
Braking is handled by 305 mm ventilated front discs. The car runs on 18-inch alloy wheels with revised suspension geometry and steering tuned for the performance variant. Optional Sabelt carbon-fibre bucket seats were offered as part of a track-oriented interior package. An electronic Q2 limited-slip differential acts on the front axle in the car's Dynamic mode, managing torque distribution under hard cornering — an unusual feature at this price and size category.
All MiTo models, including the QV, are equipped with Alfa Romeo's "Alfa DNA" driver mode selector. The system allows the driver to choose between Dynamic, Normal, and All-Weather modes and adjusts engine mapping, brake response, steering weight, suspension damping behaviour, and gearbox shift characteristics according to the selected mode. In Dynamic mode the Q2 differential is engaged and cornering response is sharpened. The DNA system was one of the earliest multi-parameter configurable driving mode systems offered on a mainstream European hatchback.
Several limited edition versions of the MiTo QV were produced during its lifecycle. The QV101 was a run of 101 units marking Alfa Romeo's 101st anniversary. The MiTo SBK was produced in 200 units as a tie-in with the Superbike World Championship. Maserati also received 100 MiTo units as courtesy cars in a special arrangement. A MiTo GTA concept powered by a 240 PS 1.8-litre turbocharged engine was displayed, though it did not enter production.
The QV designation was renamed Veloce with the 2016 facelift. The Quadrifoglio Verde badge has since been applied to Alfa Romeo's highest-performance road cars, including the Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio, making the MiTo QV one of the earliest modern applications of this performance sub-brand.
In Assetto Corsa the MiTo QV presents a handling challenge distinct from the rear-wheel-drive machinery that makes up the majority of the simulation's roster. The combination of front-wheel drive, a short wheelbase, a torquey turbocharged engine, and the Q2 differential behaviour demands careful throttle management through corners to manage understeer and exploit the limited-slip system's effect on traction. The car's accessible power output makes it a useful tool for developing front-wheel-drive technique. Its inclusion reflects Kunos Simulazioni's practice of licensing a broad spectrum of Alfa Romeo models — from road hatchbacks to track-only racers — to represent the manufacturer's range within the simulation.
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