While on a drive, I spotted this distinctive shape of a car that has always intrigued me whether it will be perceived in future times as a true classic Alfa, “worthy” of owning. I mean, at least from conversations I’ve had with local Alfisti, the 159 (which just happens to be passing us in this photo) is held very highly in the community, especially with the right drive-train. And it’s beautiful, one of the best modern sedan Alfa designs. But the Brera?
On paper, it should be even more desirable than the 159, with which it shares a platform and many components. After all, the Brera started out its life as a concept car derivative and was shaped as a big, majestic coupe, thus ticking the right check-boxes.
But a design that looks good on a concept car can get a bit lost in translation to a production car. The front is an almost 159 copycat (which is fine), but the rear end looks a bit… heavy, maybe bulbous. Dare I call it fat?
However, you can’t say it’s ugly and anyway, that’s only half the story; As gorgeous as it may have looked, the Brera never delivered in the handling department. It had too much body roll, and would not react well to swift direction changes. You might accept this in a “normal” car, but it’s not what you’d expect in an Alfa, much less a sporty one.
I had a chance to see this a few years back, when I visited a handling course which, on the day, hosted Alfas & Abarths. There were two Breras there:
Yes, they looked lovely. But out on track…:
Well, you see what I mean. If I recall correctly, the rival Audi TT was much more agile. And it’s not that the Brera undercut the TT’s price by much- it wasn’t cheap by any means, well not here in Israel.
Maybe the best testament to this post is the driver of the Brera in the video. It was an elderly woman, one that would be better placed in a Merc or a Lexus. I dare not say elderly women should not enjoy driving their Alfas, but that’s just it; In my eyes, Alfas are meant to be driven hard, not toyed around with. There are much better German alternatives on the market.
So, is this the first Alfa that’s meant to look good above all, and make concessions otherwise? I don’t know.
I’m far from a cheerleader of the Italian car design or something, but I think the Brera is easily one of the most beautiful cars of the last 10 or 20 years. Design-wise, there’s nothing I would change on this car, it’s simply beautiful the way it is, and I think it will only get better as the time passes.
I like this 159 front-end design a lot better than this strange ugly thing they put on the front-end of this new batch of Alfa, like de Giulia and the SUV.
One thing that really bothers me on the Brera and 159 is the engine.
Doesn’t matter how capable the GM High Feature V6 is or how much the Alfa’s engineers changed it to turn it on the Alfa JTS, it’s still doesn’t sound and look nowhere as beautiful as a true Alfa V6 engine.
Thing that bothered me on the one Brera (always thought was a dumb name) I’ve ever driven (or been in), a rental car, was the indistinct and disconnected feeling electric steering system. Otherwise I have no other objectionable memories of it for the short distances I drove it in the German Autobahn.
Those steering systems are a definite retrograde step in most modern cars, it is one feature I hate on my Mazda 3 and apparently you cannot adjust it even if you get into the computer (my dealer’s mechanic tried on his 6 – it that tells you something when Mazda personnel are not happy with it).
You captured bother there. I love the 159
For a moment, I feel like “The Graduate” Dustin Hoffman driving an Alfa with the song “Mrs. Robinson” playing on the radio or being in a car-chase scene of a remake of some 1970s Italian Eurocrime movie like this one from “Roma Violenta” (1975) starring the late Maurizio Merli driving an Alfa where the bad guys drive a BMW. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4VPtagL1BY
Great looking cars Alfas but if want steering response and pin sharp handling try shopping at the Citroen/Peugeot store they do it better.
Seriously? Is that a joke?
He’s right on Peugeots of the 80s early 90s (drive 205 GTI or a 405 MI). Then they had a very long streak of ugly cars with imprecise handling; I believe the current cars are returning to the old mold.
The common view is that the GM V6 was heavy and lacked the throttle response of the old Alfa V6 – it might have served Holdens and Chevrolets well, but in an Alfa… Nope. In fact, my friendly neighborhood Alfa Romeo specialist considers the 2.2 JTD diesel (available here in the EU from new) a BETTER engine for that car, more agile and responsive and not that much slower (or just as fast, with a chip upgrade). The plus point is that you can pick those relatively cheaply here in Austria, and I suppose in 20 years time it will be seen as a classic collectible of sorts. Incidentally, Alfa was never known for its bigger coupes, and the 60s 2000s and 2600s had a similar image to the Brera when new (nice and comfy in a straight line, but not overly sporty in the Alfa tradition).
Gorgeous cars. Shame the handling wasn’t up to snuff, but I’d imagine you can fix that in the aftermarket? (Much more palatable once the car has a few years on it and you’re not voiding warranties.)