Which Brera should I get?

[Visionist]

I'm in the market for my second car. Priorities:

• Pretty

• Unusual

• Nice place to sit when stuck in traffic

• Sounds good

So here in Italy I have a relatively decent choice of Breras, an unusual car even here. A flawed car in many ways. A GT makes a lot more sense.

To hell with that.

So should I get the full fat V6 or the geeky 1.7 Turbo? The latter will drink less, definitely a plus point, and cost less to tax. Insurance will be the same and maintenance on a turbo is probably just as costly as the V6's pointless AWD. The 1.7 supposedly rides and turns in better, but lets not kid ourselves; both cars will be more than a little uncomfortable on these extensively potholed cobblestone roads. This 'aint Monza.

The V6 is surely gonna sound better.

Choices I've narrowed it down to:

http://annunci.quattroruote.it/annuncio/alfa-romeo...

http://www.autoscout24.com/Details.aspx?id=251594932&cd=635413705170000000&asrc=st

The Tan leather is simply irresistable, but so is the panorama roof on the other one...

Edited by Visionist on Monday 28th July 14:31

[kambites]

The newer GM V6 doesn't sound particularly special; nothing like the old Busso.

Personally, I also think the Brera is dog-ugly, so I'd go for the GT (sorry, not helpful).

[Visionist]

Unfortunately it was UK exclusive (and limited to 500 units). I've had a look on Pistonheads out of curisosity; it isn't cheap.

It has the lovely leather dash but no sunroof...

Oh wow look at this.

http://www.autoscout24.eu/Details.aspx?id=213706676&cd=635307419780000000&asrc=st

Definitely above my purchase budget, and it's gonna suck up every last penny I have to own.

Erm... help me out lads... try to talk me out of it

[Baryonyx]

kambites said:

Personally, I also think the Brera is dog-ugly, so I'd go for the GT (sorry, not helpful).

It's definitely not a cohesive package. Some angles, like the rear 3/4 with the right wheels look good, but it'll always be spoiled by that disaster of a front end.

One much like this, in silver, often parks in the free car park at the far end of the my village and looks quite good, if you don't look at the front.

[Visionist]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

V6.

The GM V6 doesnt 'sing' out of the box, but that can be changed.

What's the best complete system which sounds great and still looks somewhat standard? Seen a few exhausts which stick out too much and look naff.

[Escy]

I think the front end is it's strongest feature and the rear end lets it down.

[kambites]

Escy said:

I think the front end is it's strongest feature and the rear end lets it down.

I think they both work, just not on the same car.

[BarbaricAvatar]

The concept version (one wishes):


Makes the production car look flabby.

[Chris Type R]

I know the chap who I bought my V6 GT from didn't get on with the Brera V6 and ended up with a porker of some sort.

[carinaman]

kambites said:

Personally, I also think the Brera is dog-ugly, so I'd go for the GT (sorry, not helpful).

Didn't CAR Magazine's GBU when it made a return call it 'A true Alfa'?

[Atmospheric]

2.2 Prodrive for the best drive I think. Other than that, V6 with the rev limit in 1st gear removed.

[r11co]

More cramped, less balanced, worse engines and IMO not as good looking as the GT.

Why?

Part of the reason the Brera died prematurely was because it was in so many ways an inferior car to what it was intended to replace.

Edited by r11co on Tuesday 29th July 09:07

[decadent]

I like it from all angles I would go for the V6. Shame it's not the Busso but it's got to be better than a 1.7 turbo for refinement + noise?

I fancy an Alfa myself. GTV or GT, Brera out of my budget as a second car.

[StentGTA]

Personally I think the Brera looks fantastic, if a little dynamically flawed, but aren't all alfa's our of the box?

If you're not interested in the 4wd thing then go for a V6 prodrive. The combination of 6 cylinders (even if it doesn't sound as good as the busso) and better handling, exhaust and a bit of exclusivity would swing it for me.

[Squadrone Rosso]

We run a V6 GT & a V6 Brera. The Brera is a much nicer car overall. People who spout off about the engine etc have never owned one and a 10 min test drive won't give you the answer either.

Also remember that the V6 S was supposed to be Q4 until Alfa realised they had a field full of poverty spec FWD V6 cars that they insisted get upgraded.

[jamieboy]

Squadrone Rosso said:

Also remember that the V6 S was supposed to be Q4 until Alfa realised they had a field full of poverty spec FWD V6 cars that they insisted get upgraded.

Surprised by that, if it's correct. The 'S' cars were based on the lighter "facelift" cars, and the lighter cars were only in production for a couple of months before the S came out - surely they hadn't built up a big stockpile so quickly?

[Squadrone Rosso]

jamieboy said:

Surprised by that, if it's correct. The 'S' cars were based on the lighter "facelift" cars, and the lighter cars were only in production for a couple of months before the S came out - surely they hadn't built up a big stockpile so quickly?

It was spin. The project lead is a pal. Alfa pulled the FWD card at the last minute. All the cars were converted by Falon at Portbury Docks.

My first Brera was a phase 2 lightened car. The main reason I went for an older car was the new seats killed me but in truth, the 06 car also drives & handles way better than the 09 car too

[jamiebae]

kapiteinlangzaam said:

r11co said:

More cramped, less balanced, worse engines and IMO not as good looking as the GT.

Why?

Part of the reason the Brera died prematurely was because it was in so many ways an inferior car to what it was intended to replace.

Edited by r11co on Tuesday 29th July 09:07

The Brera died because the whole platform died, incl. the 159 on which it was based.

This. Fiat did a deal with the Italian government that they would build the next gen Panda in Italy not Poland so needed to refit the Alfa plant in Naples so they had somewhere ready. As a result the 159 and Brera were prematurely axed to make way.

[jamieboy]

Sure, I know the story. But the S bits were bolted onto the fairly-recently-launched lighter cars, weren't they. Just seems a short time to build up fields of cars they wanted rid of.

[Squadrone Rosso]

They weren't selling the non SV FWD cars. These formed the basis behind the conversions.