ALFA Romeo has dug deep into its sporting heritage to gain inspiration for its forthcoming Mi.To, which promises to offer a new generation of Alfa aficionados its most compact sporty car to date.

The three-door Mi.To is the first new Alfa Romeo to be built since the style setting 8C Competizione, from which it borrows certain characteristic traits such as: the particular shape of the frameless side windows, the distinctive deep Alfa shield nose sloping bonnet frontal treatment, the raised shape of the round headlights and the large LED tail lights.

While attention will be focused on the top end performers, the hatch model will initially have a selection of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines spanning 90bhp to 155bhp - higher powered versions (possibly badged as the GTA) will be added at a later stage including one reputed to have close on 200bhp.

Added to this will be a number of driver-operated system which will act directly on the engine, brakes, steering, suspension and gearbox, allowing three different vehicle behaviour modes based on the driving style best suited to the situation or the customer's wishes.

These will include sporting (Dynamic), town driving (Normal) and maximum safety in difficult grip conditions (All-Weather). Mi.To will be the first car in its segment to offer such innovative technological content. Alfa Romeo's specially-developed VDC stability system is fitted as standard, and the vehicle structure is already designed to obtain a top Euro NCAP crash safety rating in the future.

The Alfa Mi.To. which becomes the spiritual successor to the Alfasud, will be on sale in Europe from July and come to the UK early next year with prices expected to start at around £12,000.

For those wondering about the name it comes from a combination of Milan (Milano), the city where it was designed and Turin (Torino) where it will be built.