Some cars look fast even when they're standing still. The 2002 Alfa Romeo Brera concept was one of those cars. It's been a long time since the Italian manufacturer has built a car with the engineering quality required to back up its pin-up looks, however. So it was with some degree of skepticism that we travelled to Italy to put the production coupe through its paces on road and track.
Boy, did that skepticism prove unfounded. And it's partly thanks to GM. So eager was the American manufacturing giant to escape its buyout commitment that it threw $2 billion and exclusive rights to the new Premium Platform to Fiat. Developed specifically to meet U.S. crash protection legislation (it was originally going to form the basis of a new Saab range), this platform handed Alfa Romeo something it's been seeking for a long time: A means of returning to North America.
The Brera and the forthcoming Spider convertible will be the first Alfas we see over here, most likely during 2007 (see sidebar). What a way to make an entrance. The Brera coupe is stunning-a svelte, sophisticated piece of automotive art in an industry where aggression increasingly seems to take precedence over beauty.
European buyers will be able to choose between 2.2-liter four-cylinder and 3.2-liter V6 petrol engines, as well as a 2.4-liter diesel powerplant. It's the six-cylinder that's likely to form the basis of Alfa's attack on the U.S. market, though. Built by GM subsidiary Holden in Australia, the 3.2-liter six develops a chunky 260 bhp at 6200 rpm and 237 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm.
Alfa quotes a zero to 62 mph time of 6.8 seconds. Not too shabby, but not that quick either. Ignore that number-this car feels a lot quicker than that in real life. This new 24-valve JTS engine is every bit as sweet as the old 3.0-liter in the GTV. The power delivery is perfect, meaty enough to cruise along at 1500 rpm in fourth gear, flexible in the mid-range and smooth and hard-hitting near the 7000 rpm limiter. It's an engine you rev just to hear its cultured growl; think Pavarotti on anabolic steroids and you won't be far off.
Unlike the smaller-engine Breras, the V6 features a twin-differential, all-wheel-drive system called Q4. In normal conditions it's biased to the rear, feeding 57% of the torque to the back wheels. But when the road demands it, the system can deliver up to 72% to the front or 78 to the rear. It works completely unobtrusively. You don't get the sensation that the hot potato of torque is being tossed around from axle to axle below you-just great all-wheel traction that helps throw you out of bends that much quicker. Especially in the wet.
Not that the Brera strictly needs four-wheel drive. The front wishbone, multi-link rear suspension layout is a tried-and-tested one, and combines with the inherent stiffness of the shortened 159 platform to generate real grip and poise. It rides too. The rear suspension can get caught napping over particularly violent potholes-it could do with a touch more wheel travel-but that knife-edge between a smooth ride and a flat cornering attitude is one the Alfa walks with ease.
What's more, there's a real sense of interaction between car and driver. The hydraulically assisted steering (just 2.2 turns lock-to-lock) feels sharp and consistent, and the chassis' natural tendency to understeer at the (extremely high) limit is one that's easily cancelled out with a lift off the throttle. The Brera can't be steered from the rear end like a BMW 330Ci, nor does it have as much steering tactility. But it's a good deal more fun to hustle down a back road than an Audi TT. The rumored 400-bhp GTA version should be even more so.
Then there are the brakes. The flagship V6 gets uprated Brembo calipers and ventilated discs, and they're among the best you'll find fitted to any sport coupe. As we found out at Alfa's test facility in Balocco, Italy, they're more than up to the task of hauling the car down from its 149-mph top speed.