On a notoriously crappy section of road outside Durban called the M13, a new sign has been erected it reads, ‘We Value You’, squint and below it you’ll be able to make out ‘Arrive Alive’. Yep, from the same people who brought you ‘Speed Kills’ (and we all know how well that has worked – what about unroadworthy scrapheap’s littering our roads and blatant disregard for traffic rules etc) we now have a marketing ploy aimed at values.

I’m sorry who ‘Values’ me? The government, the Arrive Alive campaigners, SANRAL (South African National Road Agency Limited), who? I understand it about as much as those irritating SANRAL radio adverts with the bloke with the posh English accent going on about, ‘Have you ever wondered’ and ‘Why we shouldn’t take our families to the seaside by giant catapult’ Yes because giant catapults aren’t safe and our national roads are? Try telling that to the family members of the 1050 people who lost their lives on our national roads this festive season. ‘We Value You’….ppffft, yeah right!

Speaking of ‘Value’, in motoring terms it’s quite a subjective word. In a new car you might look for value for money or bang-for-buck value, maybe fuel efficiency values concern you more, what about a car that has major heading turning values. Is there a car that could satisfy all these, probably not, but the Alfa Romeo Mi-To, might just though?

Famous Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson said you can’t be a true car fan unless you have owned an Alfa Romeo. Personally having not ever owned one (I would really like to though) I reserve judgment as to the actual ownership experience. But the way the name effortlessly rolls off your tongue or be it there rich racing pedigree, or the sheer beauty of some of their past creations like the 8C 2900B Touring Spider of 1937 or the Giuletta of 1954 and more recently the Brera and 8C Competizione, or their collaboration with famous design houses like Bertone, Giorgetto Giugiaro, Zagato and Pininfarina, like all classic Italian carmakers, there is an alluring and quite evil charm when one thinks of Alfa Romeo.

Pronounced ‘Me-Toe’, a marriage of two areas in Italy, Milan where it was designed and Turin where it will be built, this ‘baby’ Alfa will take the fight directly to like’s of the Mini Cooper and Fiats adorable new 500.

In a segment where the more money you fork out, the less car you actually get, the Mi-To at R245 200 sits comfortably in-between Fiat’s 500 (R197 600) and Mini’s Cooper S (R271 350).

In typical bright Alfa red paintwork, the Mi-To will definitely turn heads, available exclusively in three door configuration, this chunky and cheeky little Italian oozes design flair and exclusivity, two hallmarks of classic Italian design. The front end will definitely ruffle a few tail feathers and divide opinion with its large bug-eyed headlights and imposing ‘trefoil’ grille. The rear with its singular round light clusters with chrome surrounds is simple yet classy.

The interior, combines plush leather seats with a stylish and tasteful center console design, quality soft-feel plastics are combined with chrome accents in a way only the Italians can. The Alfa Romeo Mi-To comes pretty well specced, suffice to say you won’t want for much, although there is still a fairly long options list for well heeled and deep pocketed, where money is simply no object. Unlike Fiat’s 500 which is small and cute and rather slow, the Mi-TO has the go to match the show, but won’t bother a Mini Cooper S in robot to robot dash. The little 1.4 Turbo is no drunkard though sipping unleaded at a claimed 6.5l/100km in the combined cycle.

So it ticks all the ‘Value’ boxes then, it’s a major head turner, it’s pretty quick, it won’t drain a tank of unleaded in a day and it undercuts the Mini by twenty six grand.