Mamma Mia! Brera is so sexy

Dec 29 2008 Alistair Coull & Val Jessop

ALFA Romeos have always been sexy cars. For sheer beauty, few rivals have ever come anywhere close to setting the senses reeling like the good lookers from Milan.

The Brera has certainly always been a 'looker' although she was also a little bit overweight. Because of that, it wasn't the sharpest driving machine around. Until now - and the arrival of the slimmed down Brera S.

Alfa enlisted the aid of Oxfordshire-based Prodrive to work out the fitness regime which has resulted in the Brera being transformed from being nothing special into something we Brits can truly enjoy on our uniquely demanding roads.

To improve body control they've fitted a 50% harder suspension and lowered it by 10mm all round. Geometry changes have brought the previous wooden steering to life.

Meanwhile, 35kg has been shaved off the Brera kerb weight, the majority of which is down to the gorgeous competition-inspired alloy wheels.

The test car was powered by Alfa's 185bhp 2.2-litre petrol engine which has been left alone - if there's one thing Alfa can do well it's engines. The exhausts have been tinkered with - but only to make the most of their raspy notes.

In the distant past, Alfa's reliability was in question but all that's changed and in recent years the models have proved to be totally trustworthy.

Everything fits beautifully, the paintwork is mirror smooth and the whole car looks tough and solid.

Inside the cabin the carbon-fibre effect finish on the centre console and dashboard looks snazzy and should stand the test of time.

The Brera is fitted with all the safety features you'd expect - seven airbags as standard, plus an optional knee bag.

Stability control, which comes with a hill-holder device, is also standard. Tyre pressure monitors are also fitted and, under heavy impact, the pedals are designed to collapse.

An economy car the Brera S is not. It manages 30mpg in the combined cycle. On the open road it will reach 38mpg, but if you want fun in this car, it won't be cheap, with return figures in the lower twenties.

Carbon emissions and tax bandings are quite high - 218g/km and Band F.

- Alistair Coull

IF I HAD a car wish-list for Christmas, this little beauty would definitely be on it. Liveried in racing red - or, rather, Alfa Red - the Italian stunner is just the kind of sporty automobile to crank up the festive spirit.

The Alfa Romeo Brera Coupé S arrived for the run-up to the festivities, but was then cruelly spirited away - after its week 'Up North' - back to the Alfa Santa Grotto.

But, at least I can mull over the memories of the sexy sports coupé and be thankful that its jaunt across the 'mountain motorway' into Pennine country, and coast-to-coast from Merseyside to Hull, was done in milder temperatures than the sub-zero temperatures earlier in the month.

Virtually ice-free roads and a snow-free M62 meant that the Brera Coupé was able to flex its muscles, as well as exhibit impressive agility on the straight and narrow, and along slalom courses in the Welsh hills worthy of a competition rally route.

The Brera's sprint of 0-62mph in 8.6 seconds isn't ultra-fast, but it's sufficient to open the adrenaline valves and quicken the pulse.

Again, its 139mph top speed may be beaten by immediate rivals, but the journey there - and driver involvement - is what counts so much with this car.

There's lots of intelligent feedback to the steering wheel and the Brera's grip is ultra-impressive.

The only time the 2.2-litre unit appeared to falter was in recovering dying revs when encountering unexpectedly sharp uphill gradients. Then you had to dig deep into the transmission and coax the 185bhp engine to a decent response.

Otherwise, the coupé's performance was confidence-inspiring and provided a huge dollop of exhilaration.

The Brera name is borrowed from a wealthy suburb of Milan and sets the scene for auto-exclusivity.The coupé's elegant profile alone, courtesy of styling and design supremos Giugario and Pininfarina, ensures it's in a class of its own.

The Brera, which replaces the GTV at the top of the Alfa range, gives an inspired performance and you always feel in control, even when the car is put under duress. There's not a hint of drama, no matter how hard you push the coupé, and it remains amazingly even-tempered and composed at all times.

It has dazzling cornering ability and the input from British performance specialists, Prodrive, means that it is finely tuned to suit roads in the UK.

The 'S' stands for Special, and the Brera is.

It delivers not the best top speed or best acceleration in this segment, but it delivers fun and excitement in one of the best-looking coupés in this or any price range.

It is immaculately packaged inside, too, though the satinised adornments in one or two places could have been a bit more substantial.

Otherwise the interior has the wow factor, cloaked in luxurious leather and with the front seats offering sporting, wrap-around support.

Standard equipment includes dual zone climate control, VDC, seven airbags, while SV Trim, panoramic roof, leather, 17-inch alloys and fold-flat electric mirrors are optional extras.

- Val Jessop

FAST FACTS

Alfa Romeo Brera 2.2 JTS

Price : £23,417

Mechanical : 185bhp, 2,198cc, 4cyl petrol engine driving front wheels via 6spd manual gearbox

Max speed : 139mph

0-62mph : 8.6 secs

Combined mpg : 30.6

Insurance group : 15

CO2 emissions : 218g/km

BiK rating : 30%

Warranty : 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 8yrs anti-rust