A whiff of the old magic
After so many decades of poor, patchy and often pathetic product, we should have all long since forgotten that there was a time when Alfa Romeo was the envy of the automotive world. There are many middle-aged car enthusiasts who cannot remember the launch of the last all-new, world-beating Alfa Romeo. I know, I’m one of them.
And yet, somewhat astonishingly, we still care about Alfa Romeo. There is an entire army of enthusiasts still looking for that excuse to opt out of BMW ownership, walk past the Audi showroom and into the arms of a proper Italian thoroughbred. All they need is the right car.
If looks and build quality were the only arbiters, I’d say this new Brera was it. Its aim is to build on the reputation of the new and reasonably impressive 159 saloon by using its raw material but turning it to a more sporting end. It’s shorter than the 159, stiffer and more rakish. It goes on sale with a 2.2 litre four-cylinder petrol engine, a 2.4 litre five-cylinder diesel and a 3.2 litre V6 motor next spring, with prices ranging from about £25,000 for the 185bhp 2.2 to around £30,000 for the 260bhp V6.
Full review here