Thursday 5th April 2018

Alfa 147 Ducati Corse: Spotted

One of the last 147s made is certainly one of the most interesting, and especially so at £4k...

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Alright, hands up: PH may have been featuring one too many exotics in this slot recently. And while we all like a bit of automotive day dreaming from time to time, those more attainable classified picks can be of greater of interest. Exactly because they are attainable, and could be yours, and anything that belongs to you immediately has some significance attached to it. Lotto-win supercars, for all their virtues, do not.

Even when considering something more everyday though, we do like to look at more intriguing options than the norm - consider it the PH way. Hence this Alfa 147 JTDm Ducati Corse, currently owned and being sold by PHer James Dealtry Smith. Because even if you do need something for dull journeys, it needn't be a dull car.

The Ducati Corse was a limited run of 200 cars produced right at the end of the 147 production run (see the 58-plate on James's car), adding some Ducati embellishments to the JTDm diesel model. Don't forget that by this time the 147 diesel was producing 170hp and using the Q2 limited-slip differential that was denied to the GTA. Even 10 years later there aren't diesel hatches with locking differentials in them, and a Golf GTD only has an additional 14hp. Add in the fact a 147 must surely be lighter and you're left with a car that will still feel brisk today.

It still looks good today as well, the 147 cutting a dash that eludes many similar cars launched at the turn of the century - see Peugeot 307, for example. When you consider the 147 was probably being designed 20 years ago, the way it has aged really is remarkable. Despite this particular Ducati Corse having covered 90,000 miles, the exterior seems to be holding up well, although the advert does mention some road rash to the front end.

Our Alfa owning PHer bought the car from a fellow member of the Alfa Owner community - keep up at the back - which means this 147 should have been very well cared for over the past few years. It's had a cambelt change less than a year ago, was serviced in December and also has a clutch that's less than 18 months old. Whether you're looking at a million-pound supercar or a diesel commuter tool, seeing it's been cared for is always a good sign.

So what we have is an Alfa Romeo that's rare, stylish and plenty fast enough for most. With Bluetooth for music and calls it shouldn't feel to technologically outdated, either. And what else might you have instead - a Golf? The 147 isn't perfect, but of course those flaws that made it difficult to recommend as a new purchase are less critical when it's a secondhand buy. No, it won't become as covetable as a GTA - of course it won't. Instead the Ducati Corse should offer something a bit different for your everyday errands, without being so quirky as to be annoying. And fortune favours the brave, doesn't it?

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SPECIFICATION - ALFA ROMEO 147 DUCATI CORSE

Engine: 1,900cc, four-cyl turbodiesel
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 170@3,750rpm
Torque (lb ft): 243@2,000rpm
MPG: 47.9 (NEDC combined)
CO2: 157g/km
Recorded mileage: 92,000
Year registered: 2009
Price new: £17,495
Yours for: £4,200

See the original advert here.

[JMF894]

Would make a good daily hack. I'm running a 2004 M Sport 320cd for all my commuting and the rwd makes it interesting. Pretty sure a previous owner has mapped it too as it is far too lively for 150bhp. My previous commuter was a mk2 Leon FR 170pd with btcc kit. Reminds me of this DC. Walter de Silva............................

[paulw76]

Nice looking car and with 170hp, I imagine will shift ok too. £4k seems a tad steep though, esp with 90k on the clock. Just my tuppence worth

[James Junior]

Spent a bit of time in and around Alfas around ten years back. I had a GT JTD that was pretty rapid and good to drive. It was also very frugal and seemed to run on fresh air. I remember the Ducatti Corse 147s being released and had a good look at one. It was nice inside and I think they look great, apart from the arch-gap like many Alfas of this vintage. Never drove one however.

Totally agree that the 147 in general has aged very gracefully. I still think even the early cars look fresh when you see them out on the road.

[unsprung]

paulw76 said:

Nice looking car and with 170hp, I imagine will shift ok too.

Various sources quote around 1300kg, so could be sprightly.

Handsome fascia and the wheels are perfect for that body.

[Mike1990]

Quite like these, and it still looks good all these years later.

Always wish they’d kept the GTA going when they facelifted the 147.

[jamies30]

Had one of these back in ‘08 - really enjoyable, uncomplicated little car. The 147 platform was desperately long in the tooth by then, but that didn’t make it any less fun.

This was when we picked it up, don’t think it was ever this clean again...

[Zedboy]

Good looking, sensible and fun daily. Clip 20% off the asking, snap up and treasure!

[SturdyHSV]

Ex has one of these, the 'Competizione' that mainly had squidgier seats and some different wheels, it's an 07 and has only just ticked over 50k miles and feels appropriately solid.

Steering is the standard Alfa sharp, ride is firm for its time but compared to now, probably not that unusual...

To my eyes it's a remarkably good looking hatchback that still looks stylish despite the age, a nice one in red with tan leather on the right wheels would make a good fun commuter, the JTDm is a pretty trustworthy engine I believe?

£4k seems reasonable enough for a DC, they do look good in the metal, I imagine 90k isn't that unusual, especially on the diesel.

[dunnoreally]

Even if you just call it £4,000 for a nine-year old diesel hatch with 90k on the clock, that's hardly horrendous value if it's in good nick. Can't say it sets my pulse racing particularly, but it'd still make a nice left-field commuter that probably wouldn't cost too much to run.

[QuattroDave]

We had the lowly 120bhp 1.9jtd lusso version of these. Absolute hoot of a car. Stubbornly refused to do UNDER 45mpg and on a few runs topped 60mpg.

Bought ours with a shonky gear change but £2.50 on some new top hat bushes and a fair bit of knuckle skin the gear changes were silky smooth again (common fault!)

My dads wife loved the look of the car so much that they bought one too, a 58 plate ducati corse in white. They kept it for about a year and when it was time to sell we bought it off of them.

Running the lusso and ducati corse side by side for about 6 weeks both my wife and I came to the same bizarre conclusion The 120bhp lusso was far more fun to drive. Maybe it was the added body roll or the fact you could wring the car and not be doing silly speeds coupled the nice light fabric interior but we ended up selling the DC and keeping the lusso.

We kept the lusso as a 'spare' car when I moved to an RS6 (then A8) and wife to a 330d. Of all the cars it was that Alfa that never missed a beat and came to save me from Audi woes more than a few times1

[ZX10R NIN]

I've always felt that the 147 has been a bit underrated & the facelift model is a looker.

[sandys]

Used to track a tuned Alfa GT JTD which I added the Q2, it had quite surprising ability, surprising to others anyway when they'd come and have a chat about the V6 that they thought had just passed them on track to discover it was a diesel, happy days.

[anonymous-user]

I looked at these before settling on a Toyota Auris SR180. 2.2 litre, diesel with 180hp and 295lbs torque in a hatchback, easily tuned to 200hp. Use it as a runabout and it’s an amusing way to make progress. Goes really well. Ignore the horror stories of blown head gaskets, most are fine.

[Al U]

This looks pretty nice everywhere, apart from the dash. Particularly in front of the passenger. Reminds me of a MK4 fiesta.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/hrexplorer/120510195...

[Glasgowrob]

great cars and the engines are spot on (same as the much maligned Vectra C and astra 1.9 CDTI.

[JD66]

I was looking at one of these a couple of weeks ago for 2.5k on ebay with 100k on the clock. Seemed like a bit of a bargain as I was after a runaround after the rot and a couple of other issues have sadly finally got to the point of return on my 03 plate focus.

In the end though I realised I was getting rid of the focus so I could get something more reliable and with a 166 3.0 v6 as well that costs a fortune to run, I couldn't justify having 2 alfas.

Edited by JD66 on Sunday 8th April 02:01

Edited by JD66 on Sunday 8th April 02:02

Edited by JD66 on Sunday 8th April 11:17

[paulw76]

[quote=Glasgowrob]great cars and the engines are spot on (same as the much maligned Vectra C and astra 1.9 CDTI.

Did 150k miles in my Vectra cdti without issues and that was running 200hp for about 60k of those miles, they are cracking engines if you keep up to the servicing

[dinkel]

ZX10R NIN said:

I've always felt that the 147 has been a bit underrated & the facelift model is a looker.

TS 2.0 2007 here: great car.

[Vitorio]

dinkel said:

ZX10R NIN said:

I've always felt that the 147 has been a bit underrated & the facelift model is a looker.

TS 2.0 2007 here: great car.

2002 TS 1.6 (the base 105 model), can confirm, awesome car, still going strong at 130K

[dinkel]

150 k kms here. Took the car to Midi Pyrenees last summer: 2 adults, 2 teens and luggage on a 1200 kms journey.