Review of the Alfa Romeo Brera

Overview: That the Alfa Romeo Brera is a beautiful car is undeniable, but there was a time when this car might not have existed at all. Initially it was a design concept car and it was based on the design of a Maserati but such was the public response that Alfa made the decision to produce a road car version of the Brera coupe style. It has significant similarities to the Alfa Romeo 159 including many of the components, though it is considerably sportier even in its basic formats.

Engines: There are a number of engine options. The 2.2 litre engine is fairly standard and develops 185 bhp. This will cover 0 to 62 mph in 8.5 seconds. There is also a five cylinder turbocharged diesel engine option, the 2.4JTDm. Earlier versions of this engine could deliver 200 bhp but this was later increased to 210 bhp and this has a 0 to 62 mph acceleration time of 8.0 seconds. It also has excellent torque above 2,000 rpm. There is also a 3.2-litre V6 engine that provides 260bhp and gives a 0 to 62 mph acceleration time of 6.8 seconds.

The latest addition to the engine range is a 1.75 litre TBi which delivers 200 bhp and will cover 0 to 62 mph in 7.7 seconds. This is matched to a manual six speeed gearbox and the car has a top speed of 146 mph.

Driving: The first thing you notice from the Brera is the Alfa Romeo roar. How is it that every engine they put in this car sounds great? Handling is fine, though the car is set up for comfortable cruising rather than hard driving and there is a tad too much body roll in tight bends. Certainly the car is comfortable and there is a surprising amount of space for a small coupe. There is plenty of boot space too.

Economy: The Brera is not a particularly economical car. The diesel version is the cheapest to run and can deliver 40 mpg, but the smaller petrol engines deliver under 30 mpg and the V6 around 22 mpg.