The Italian company is making a big deal about the Brera being a genuine four-seater. When I crawled into the back for a go, though, I felt like that fat guy who got crushed to death behind the wheel of Steven King's satanic Christine. No matter; it's what's up front that counts, and this car has curves in all the right places. The dashboard and center console wrap around you like the cockpit of a fighter aircraft, and the sunken dials and aluminum fascia give it an expensive, handcrafted feel, as does the optional, full-length tinted glass roof panel on the Sky View model. It makes a BMW 3-Series interior seems bland and mass-produced. The seats could be more supportive, but the driving position itself is classic coupe-nice and low. You can disregard all the stories you've heard about wonky fit and finish too.
The Brera is a new breed of Alfa, a car with grace and character, like all Italian pin-ups. But one whose beauty hopefully won't fade so quickly with age.
2007 Alfa Romeo Brera 3.2 V6
Base Price: $39,900 (est.)
Drivetrain
Transverse front engine, all-wheel drive
Engine
3.2-liter V6, dohc, four valves per cylinder, JTS direct injection
Transmission
Six-speed manual
Suspension
Independent double wishbones with double swinging arm and anti-roll bar with spherical couplings front, multi-link independent rear with transverse blade
Brakes
ABS, four-piston aluminum front calipers w/ 13-inch ventilated discs, floating rear calipers w/ 11.5-inch ventilated discs
Dimensions
Length x Width x Height (in.): 173 x 72 x 54
Wheelbase: 99 in.
Curb Weight: 3,593 lb
Performance
Peak Power: 260 bhp @ 6200 rpm
Peak Torque: 237 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
0-62 mph: 6.8 sec.
Top Speed: 149 mph
We spoke to Alfa's CEO, Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, and asked about the company's plans to return to the United States. In his own words:
"There has been a lot of talk of a return to North America within the company over the last few years. It's something that we know we have to do soon. And the Brera and forthcoming Spider version are the cars to do it with, no question.
"The brand is known almost exclusively for its sports cars in the United States, so it wouldn't make sense to enter the market with a saloon or an MPV. Maybe once we've re-established ourselves as a premium sporting brand over there then other types of models can be introduced. All future Alfas will be engineered to meet U.S. crash legislation.
"As for when, I can't give you an exact date because none has been set. But we're talking a couple of years, not decades. The models are there and ready to go, it's just a question of finalizing a means of selling them and providing the right level of after-sales support. It's important that we do this right."