The four-cloves leaves’ history tracked its roots since the 1923 Targa Florio race, won by the Alfa Romeo drivers.
Thanks to its race pedigree, Alfa Romeo had all the rights to claim a spot in the hot-hatch segment with a car able to smoke its tires without any problems. Maybe it wasn’t entitled to use the four-cloves badge on the MiTo, but it did it, and the result was far beyond expectations. It wasn’t just a simple badge; it was the entire car that went through serious modifications.

On the outside, the little MiTo QV, which was based on the Fiat Punto platform, featured a sportier lower apron at the front with a broad mesh grille and a pair of fog-lights. A set of aerodynamic winglets enhanced the bumper look. From its sides, the MiTo QV showed more commitment thanks to its 17” light-alloy wheels. In the back, a pair of chromed tailpipes revealed the sporty character of the MiTo QV.

Inside, the black interior respected the exterior style and, at the same time, featured a long series of developments. It was highlighted by new, molded leather steering wheels with contrasting stitching. The carmaker installed the QV logo in the instrument cluster, while the “Competizione” dashboard featured a carbon-look finish.

Under the hood, Alfa-Romeo relied on Fiat’s 1.4-liter turbocharged engine. It provided enough performance to stir the occupants and stun the audience.

Alfa Romeo introduced the most powerful version of the MiTo in 2009 under the four-cloves badge, named the Quadrifoglio Verde.
The history of that badge goes back to when Alfa Romeo raced in the 1923 Targa Florio race, with each clove of the badge corresponding to a race driver: Giulio Masetti, Ugo Sivocci, Antonio Ascari, and a bloke named Enzo Ferrari ever since all the range-topping Alfa Romeo models showed that four-cloves badge.

With the MiTo was a no different story. Even though it was based on the same platform as the cheap econobox, Fiat Grande Punto, it had what it takes to show some muscles. The car’s front resembled the 8C mid-engined car, with its deep Alfa shield placed in the middle. Maybe the triangular-shaped headlights were not the most inspired option for the Italian designers, but that didn’t matter that much. The front bumper sported a lower, wide grille that incorporated the fog lights. From its sides, the flared wheel-arches created a muscular line for the car, while in the back, dual exhaust and a roof-spoiler completed the car’s sporty image.

Inside, Alfa Romeo threw away the cheap seats from the Punto and offered an option for sport bucket seats with high bolstering and integrated headrests. Inside the instrument panel, the carmaker placed a discreet four-cloves badge between the coolant-temperature gauge and the fuel level marked “benzina”. The dashboard sported a carbon-fiber look trim, which was unique for the Quadrifoglio version.

But all the changes that make the car looks sporty couldn’t be completed without a sporty drivetrain. Under the hood, Alfa Romeo installed a 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. It produced 170 hp and transformed the small-sized vehicle into a pocket rocket. The suspension featured adaptive dampers, developed by Magneti Marelli, the same company that tweaked Ferrari’s suspension.