Mito (Type 955) 2008 - Current

The Collezione was launched on mainland Europe as the ‘Racer’, inspired by timeless classical design which, according to Alfa Romeo, is a perfect example of twenty-first-century design inspired by the past. 

Each car has a unique set of features only found on the Collezione or Racer models.  The exterior features a bronze finish to the alloys and wing mirror covers, whilst the interior of this model is something a little special.  Featuring a cloth and brown faux leather upholstery with Alfa Romeo script on the headrests and carpets, brown faux leather door panels and matching brown stitching to the gear gaitor, handbrake and steering wheel, the Collezione feels very different to any other MiTo. 

And the MiTo I had unearthed, a 140bhp 1.4 Turbo TCT, is also fitted with scarce grey Brembo 305mm front calipers as opposed to the standard red, a 5” uConnect DAB NAV with inbuilt TomTom, plus tinted rear windows.

There are only approximately 220 Colleziones in the UK, split roughly 50/50 with half being the 0.9 TwinAir and half being the 1.4 Turbo. 

The Collezione was available in one of five colours:

• Black
• Biancospino White
• Ardesia Grey
• Matte Magnesio Grey or
• Techno Grey 

Techno Grey is the colour of my Collezione (which looks a lot like silver). 

Colleziones in the UK are typically seen in Black, Biancospino or Ardesia Grey, with only a tiny number in Matte or Techno. 

Indeed, the volume of any MiTo in the UK finished in Techno Grey (okay, ‘silver’) is extremely small, so a Techno Collezione is a rare thing indeed – perhaps numbering in single figures in this country.

And so it was in November 2022 that I took delivery of an extremely low mileage, Techno Grey MiTo Collezione 1.4 from, of all places, Drive Vauxhall in Aldershot, Hampshire. 

The previous elderly owner had almost tearfully part-exchanged the hardly-used MiTo towards a new Corsa, declaring the MiTo to be ‘too powerful’.  Quite right.

As I thanked the team at Drive, put my new MiTo into Dynamic and set off from Aldershot for my drive home, I immediately knew I had made the right decision. 

 I have driven a lot of MiTos including a brand new one, and this one felt like it just left the factory.  It was tight and punchy.  The gear-changes were accurate and the steering was precise. 

Registered in November 2017 and barely run in, the car had already been serviced five times by Alfa Romeo dealers.  This was a well-cared-for car.  Meticulously maintained and, I sensed, loved.

For the whole journey home, and every journey since, I have loved being in the new Collezione.  It is a fabulous car and it is everything an Alfa Romeo should be.  With just the right number of doors.

The MiTo Collezione is now my go-to car for all travel and attending AROC events.

The car has been at various National Alfa Days, MITCARs, South West and Southern Alfa Day as well as Spring Alfa Day and Auto Italia events at Brooklands.

And of course is a regular at the MiTo Register annual gatherings at Curborough Sprint Course, on or around 19th June each year to celebrate the official launch anniversary in 2008 at Castello Sforzesco, Milan.

The car now has approaching 50,000 miles on it so it is not pristine, but it's definitely a nice presentable car to represent the MiTo at events. 

And it sits nicely alongside my Scuderia MiTo car when they are in the same location together (logistics permitting!).  You can read about the Scuderia MiTo car at this link.