Alfa Romeo GT 2004 Review

What we liked
>> Refined comfort and styling
>> Serious performance
>> True coupe

Not so much
>> No auto option
>> No spare tyre
>> Price compared to rivals

OVERVIEW
Alfa Romeo is a company renowned for turning out stunning coupes with breathtaking looks and performance to match. The latest model, the new Alfa Romeo GT, is no exception. Of all the car companies readied to the task of producing pretty sports coupes, Alfa Romeo has the advantage of its long-term partnership with Italian glamour house Bertone.

The company certainly makes the most of this and its badge cachet, so if you're concerned with looks and labels the GT will make the perfect accessory. The company says it sets a "new standard for automotive beauty" and with Alfa Romeo's larger, more prominent grille design, GT owners aren't likely to blend into the coupe crowd.

FEATURES
The GT's coupe styling hasn't hindered cabin comfort, maintaining room for four passengers along with its sporty, compact dimensions. The GT stands out from a few market rivals on this point, offering more function than Nissan 350Z's two-seater design and accommodating one extra passenger than Mazda's RX8.

The GT is also impressively powerful -- 176kW at 6200rpm -- making the coupe-cum-clan-carrier a serious daily driver. The trip will be comfortable, too, with no shortage of hand-crafted fine-grained Italian leather for the seats and interior.

Alfa Romeo's "new interpretation" of its own motif translates to bolder styling, in both the badge and grille which are larger. The front-end features side air-intakes while the striking styling for the rear incorporates wrap-around tail lights that will be commonplace in Alfa Romeo's model range.

COMFORT
The GT isn't lacking in creature comforts, with dual-zone climate control, parking sensors and heated leather seats as standard-fit inclusions, to name a few. Alfa Romeo's multi-function, multi-lingual display allows access for driver information such as odometer readings, exterior temperature, radio and mobile phone.

An eight-speaker Bose Hi-Fi system with subwoofer is coupled with a 10-stack CD player, all controlled via buttons on the leather-wrapped steering wheel. The GT gets cruise control standard and central locking with remote control for access to doors and boot.

SAFETY
Alfa Romeo has made sure the GT meets the latest, highest safety levels claiming extensive research was performed at its Fiat Auto Safety Centre. Alfa Romeo also claims that the GT is one of "the safest cars in its segment", getting front, side and window airbags and electronic stability control which Alfa calls VDC: Vehicle Dynamic Control, with an emergency brake assist device. VDC is permanently engaged, but will cut in when car stability is at risk, and works with the ABS, engine management unit and automatic transmission unit. The GT also features telescopic steering column, strengthened passenger cell and a fire prevention system.

MECHANICAL
The Alfa GT gets the same successful under-bonnet formula as the 156 and 147: the 3.2-litre V6 rated at 176kW of power and 300Nm torque for the GT, and mated to a six-speed manual transmission. There is no automatic equivalent available.

The GT gets double-wishbone front suspension and MacPherson struts at the rear, complemented by Magneti Marelli's suspension that includes a front system (right and left side and front crossmember assembly) and a rear system (axle and wheel unit components). The GT got its pick of Magneti Marelli's goodies, including its Selespeed power-assisted steering system, first seen on the 156.

COMPETITORS
The Alfa Romeo GT is up against the BMW 3 Series coupe, the 320Ci which also has five seats, but is nearly $10,000 more expensive. Audi's TT can be got for around the same price as the GT, but is offered with the option of a six-speed automatic. The Mercedes-Benz CLK is more expensive (starting at $92,600 for the five-speed auto Elegance), but also has the option of an automatic transmission.

Japanese counterparts include Nissan 350Z and Mazda RX-8, but they are a lot cheaper. Holden's own Monaro is also worth considering, but doesn't have the European good looks of the Alfa, or a rev-happy six cylinder engine.