Thursday 14th April 2005

Alfa's Brera breaks cover

Stunning car to get soft-top version

---

Alfa Romeo Brera

More details have emerged about Alfa's drop-dead gorgeous Brera.

While delivery dates have been confirmed as early 2006, the roadster will get a soft roof which will retract out of sight for a flat rear deck, according to a report in Auto Express. The mag notes that this should mean more boot space and better performance.

As we reported earlier, three engines will be available, a turbo-diesel and two petrol-powered units. The oil-burner is a 2.4-litre 240bhp pump while the petrol offerings consist of 185bhp 2.2-litre and 260bhp 3.2-litre units.

Diesel and top-end petrol variants will get a six-speed manual as standard, while the 2.2-litre petrol getting a more traditional five-ratio box. The 3.2 V6 model is sell for under £30,000, making it competitive with the Nissan 350Z and the Audi TT.

Apparently, work continues on a twin-turbo 300bhp+ version, aimed at the Porsche Cayman and BMW 6-Series.

• Previous story

[twin turbo]

I'll have a twin-turbo (good name!) coupe please

[Dakkon]

The first truely stunning Alfa in years, so glad they actually put it into production, just hope the sort out the turbo version as well.

[ubergreg]

I don't know which is better: the fact that the production version looks as fine as the concept, or that the hi-po versions finally get a proper (4wd) drivetrain. I really hope it drives as good as it looks.

Imagine seeing this thing filling the rear-view mirror before it snarls past. Nice one Alfa!

[dinkel]

PistonHeads said:

The 3.2 V6 model is sell for under £30,000, making it competitive with the Nissan 350Z and the Audi TT.

What you mean 'competitive' . . . Who wants a TT / 350Z then . . .

This is

http://users.skynet.be/alfaromeo/brera-2.html

Edit: I thought there were some other engine options:
"Each Brera coupe model will come standard with a Torsen-C four-wheel-drive transmission. Engines offered will be both petrol and diesel units ranging from 250 to 400 bhp:
- 3.2 V6 JTS, 270 bhp
- 3.6 V6 JTS, 310 bhp
- 4.2 V8, 400 bhp {That's the MasserRari lump I guess}
- 3.0 V6 MJet, 250 bhp - 540 Nm

The two seater Spider will be launched in spring 2006 and will be offered with an all-petrol engine line-up."

Ah, and the Spider . . .

>> Edited by dinkel on Thursday 14th April 13:18

[gofasterrosssco]

Simply stunning IMHO, but will that glass roof make it into prodution......? Would be a bit of an oven...

[stace3610]

gofasterrosssco said:

Simply stunning IMHO, but will that glass roof make it into prodution......? Would be a bit of an oven...

Can't help thinking it would be a bit of a liability in a shunt ... and think of the replacement cost for a stone chip!

Stace.

[hendry]

gofasterrosssco said:

Simply stunning IMHO, but will that glass roof make it into prodution......? Would be a bit of an oven...

Vauxhall are doing so with the Astra Sporthatch. That said, the Alfa pic on here is of the concept car, not the production car.

[Gibo993]

The silever car in the above link is the production car, a bit tamed !

[dinkel]

Gibo993 said:

The silever car in the above link is the production car, a bit tamed !

http://users.skynet.be/alfaromeo/brerafoto001.html

[NST]

240 BHP from 2.4 JTD diesel engine? that is impressive..

i thought the new 157 was getting a 200bhp 2.4 JTD.. 40bhp extra? surely that can't be right!

[havoc]

dinkel said:

What you mean 'competitive' . . . Who wants a TT / 350Z then . . .

OK, it looks , it'll probably sound

BUT...it'll be built

And is this 4wd, fwd or rwd...I heard it was going to be 4wd...meaning it'll weigh at least 1500kg, going by current competition. Which is bleedin' stupid. Whatever happened to light, agile coupe's???

I mean
- 350Z 1.56t
- RX8 1.43t
- TT V6 1.4 - 1.5t
- Brera Same again
- 330Ci 1.4 - 1.5t
- Merc Sports thingy - lighter (?) but hardly sporting

It seems to me at the moment you cannot get a good looking fast car in the £20-30k bracket that weighs in at under 1.25t without buying an Elise or similar (not practical)...or a TVR which is more expensive.

Ludicrous. Colin Chapman must be turning in his grave.

[deckster]

Gibo993 said:

The silever car in the above link is the production car, a bit tamed !

The concept was , but the reality is a little more The roofline's just a little too high, and - dare I say it - the whole thing looks like a BMW 1 series

It's nice, but I'd get a 350Z.

[cnjohnson_uk]

Have had a look on Alfa's website because I like the look of the Brera. I noticed that it says that the 159 shares the same chassis and drivetrain as the 4 x 4 Brera. So does this mean they are 4 x 4?

I would love that. A sexy 4 x4 Roadster ooooooh

[Twin Turbo]

Lower powered models will be front wheel drive, with 4x4 for the more powerful jobbies

[scoobybloke]

Lovely car - saw the prototype at Goodwood last year - simply stunning

[ed.]

NST said:

240 BHP from 2.4 JTD diesel engine? that is impressive.. i thought the new 157 was getting a 200bhp 2.4 JTD.. 40bhp extra? surely that can't be right!

impressive it is, more appealing than the petrol engines anyway (until the twin turbo that is)

[HangTen]

Dexster

Are you crazy? The One series is one of the ugliest motors on the roads bought by urbane housewives with more cash than style. The Alfa on the other hand is just gorgeous - Just what I need for my everyday ride

[deckster]

HangTen said:

Dexster Are you crazy? The One series is one of the ugliest motors on the roads bought by urbane housewives with more cash than style. The Alfa on the other hand is just gorgeous - Just what I need for my everyday ride

Take a look for yourself...





Definitely some shared DNA there. Like I said, the concept was indescribably gorgeous - the reality, rather less so

[gofasterrosssco]

Dont know where the similarities are supposed to be here?? Ok they both have (slightly) similar swage lines running front to back, vaguely similar C-pillars, but other than that pretty much totally different! I must be missing something....... Top "1" is fugly, bottom car superduper looking (IMHO).

[nickjm]

deckster said:

Definitely some shared DNA there. Like I said, the concept was indescribably gorgeous - the reality, rather less so

Hmmm, I think you could find at least ten cars that 'share the same DNA' as the 1 series. Just coz it's a hatchback it's dimensions make it look 'similar'.

I wouldn't put them on the same page IMHO. Not having a go you understand.