2007 Alfa Romeo GT Reviews

So you, the driver, can choose who sits in the remaining seat. No kids in the back jabbing each other with their elbows, staring at the floor so they turn green with car sickness or whine about not be

The Italian is a bit too costly, but it does the rest of the job.It is a two-plus-two coupe with an emphasis on style. It has a two-litre engine that's not too wild and it's good to drive.The GT is doing the same sort of job as the Celica: setting a style and direction, luring customers into showrooms and getting people to think about a brand even when they are not shopping for a car.I have driven the GT before with the high-performance V6 engine, so I was keen to see how it goes with a two-litre JTS engine and the semi-automatic gearbox system called Selespeed.Most buyers in Australia are going the Selespeed way and, even though I've had dramas with it, I have heard plenty about improvements.The gearbox is a full manual but with a sequential shift system that takes over the clutch work and decisions on shifts when you use it as an automatic.The driver can always override the system with a flick of the steering-wheel paddles or by bumping the gear lever. And the latest software forces the car to hold a gear through to redline when it previously upshifted on its own.Selespeed was developed for the Ferrari F355 to turn a manual gearbox into an automatic for city work and for customers who don't want to shift all their gears all the time. It was lumpy at first but is much better now."Eighty per cent of Alfa Romeo sales in Australia are with Selespeed. It is fitted to all our models except the luxury 166," Alfa Australia spokesman Edward Rowe says. "Australia vies with Japan as the No 1 Selespeed market. GT sales are doing 12 to 20 cars a month, depending on supply, and 70 per cent are the JTS with Selespeed."But Australia is still tiny business for Alfa. Sales are less than 1 per cent of annual production. The GT is part of a style revolution at Alfa Romeo and has taken over from the very old GTV. It shares its basic mechanical package with the 156 Sportwagon, but the great-looking coupe body is new.The JTS Selespeed model is $64,950 and the engine is a hi-tech hummer, producing 121kW of power but with lean-burn technology and direct injection to boost its all-round efficiency.Alfa says it sprints to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and has fuel economy better than 7 litres/100km in European trials. There are other benefits, including the full luxury package from the GT V6 for $15,000 less. Only four or five buyers a month are going for the V6.ON THE ROADYOU can't question the looks of the Alfa GT. It turns lots of heads.The GT has a fantastic shape, with all the traditional Alfa triggers, from the bold grille and bodywork that looks best in classic red to tan leather seats and a dashboard with two big dials to monitor the essentials.The ride and handling is good, too, and the two-litre JTS engine in my test car was suitably responsive and light on the pumps.It's not the quickest thing around, but it is quite swift – and the overall economy during my test drive of 9.8 litres/100km is good on a car that likes to be driven.The JTS engine is very responsive and it has a typically Alfa note, but it isn't quite as charismatic as the V6.I also enjoyed all the equipment, particularly the sound system and the shape of the seats, and the price is pretty good for what you get. It's not nearly as affordable as a Celica, but you wouldn't really expect it to be.

The Italian is a bit too costly, but it does the rest of the job.It is a two-plus-two coupe with an emphasis on style. It has a 2.0-litre engine that's not too wild and it's good to drive.The GT is doing the same sort of job as the Celica: setting a style and direction, luring customers into showrooms, and getting people to think about a brand even when they are not shopping for a car.We have driven the GT before with the high-performance V6 engine, so we are keen to see how it goes with a 2.0-litre JTS engine and the semi-automatic gearbox system called Selespeed.Most buyers in Australia are going the Selespeed way and, even though we've had dramas with it, we have heard plenty about improvements.The gearbox is a full manual but with a sequential shift system that takes over the clutch work and decisions on shifts when you use it as an automatic.The driver can always override the system with a flick of the steering-wheel paddles or by bumping the gearlever.And the latest software forces the car to hold a gear through to redline when it previously upshifted on its own.Selespeed was developed for the Ferrari F355 to turn a manual gearbox into an automatic for city work and for customers who don't want to shift all their gears all the time. It was lumpy at first, but is much better now."Eighty per cent of Alfa Romeo sales in Australia are with Selespeed. It is fitted to all our models except the luxury 166," Alfa Australia spokesman Edward Rowe says."Australia vies with Japan as the No.1 Selespeed market. GT sales are doing 12-20 cars a month, depending on supply, and 70 per cent are the JTS with Selespeed."But Australia is still tiny business for Alfa. Sales are less than one per cent of annual production.The GT is part of a style revolution at Alfa Romeo and has taken over from the very old GTV (above right). It shares its basic mechanical package with the 156 Sportwagon, but the great-looking coupe body is new.The JTS Selespeed model is $64,950 and the engine is a hi-tech hummer, producing 121kW but with lean-burn technology and direct injection to boost its all-round efficiency.Alfa says it sprints to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and has fuel economy better than 7 litres/100km in European trials.For customers, there are other benefits, including the full luxury package from the GT V6 for $15,000 less. Only four or five people a month are going for the V6.The JTS Selespeed comes with airconditioning and leather seats, CD sound, anti-skid brakes and traction control, airbags and all the rest of the fruit, so Alfa hasn't done a wind-down on the deal.The only obvious mechanical change is to 16-inch alloy wheels, which the company says is a choice for comfort over maximum cornering grip.ON THE ROADYou cannot question the looks of the Alfa GT. It turns lots of heads.The GT has a fantastic shape with all the traditional Alfa triggers, from the bold grille and bodywork that looks best in racer red to tan leather seats and a dashboard with two big dials to monitor the essentials.The ride and handling is good, too, and the 2.0-litre JTS engine in our test car was suitably responsive and light on the pumps.It's not the quickest thing around, but it is quite swift and overall economy of 9.8 litres/100km is good on a car that likes to be driven. The JTS engine is very responsive and it has a typically Alfa note, but it isn't quite as charismatic as the V6.We also enjoyed all the equipment, particularly the sound system and the shape of the seats, and the price is pretty good for what you get. It's not nearly as affordable as a Celica, but you wouldn't really expect it to be.But then the Cars Guide team splits on the GT, mostly over the Selespeed transmission.The older and gentler drivers were reasonably happy and liked the chance for some Formula One-style paddle action. But others hated the slow-paced city changes, the conflict between the driver's brain and the computer brain, and the need to worry constantly about little things such as the clutch take-up on hills – the car will roll backwards if you're not careful – and selection of reverse.The gearbox did baulk a couple of times during forwards-to-backwards shifts during parking, and that worries us.In a real manual you would jiggle the clutch to get going, but the Alfa needs a shutdown and restart, like rebooting a computer.So the message to shoppers is to try before you buy.Moving away from the gearbox, the GT JTS is a little lighter and easier to handle than the V6 car.The GT fights a range of coupes if you look at the price, but it's nowhere near as sporty as a Nissan 350Z or Mazda RX-8 and it doesn't have the same bragging rights as a Benz or BMW coupe.Which puts it into the middle ground, where it needs to be assessed on its own as much as up against its rivals.It scores top points for looks and equipment, pretty well for the engine and solidly for value.The Alfa GT is one of the best-looking cars in the country, but it still won't be first choice for people who really need a Celica.THE BOTTOM LINETHE GT is a great looker from a classic brand, but the Selespeed car still doesn't drive as nicely as we would like. Alfa is giving people a manual with an auto change, but the move now is to automatics with manual response, so it is driving against the traffic.

But that's the story with the Alfa Romeo GT in its two-litre JTS variant when compared with its V6-engined $79,990 sibling.What's the difference? The V6 rockets to 100km/h two seconds faster, has 55kW and 94Nm more oomph, and a six-speed manual gearbox. Oh, and a few nicer interior touches.The budget-priced — well, in relative terms — four-cylinder is still no slouch off the mark. In Australia, where there are few opportunities to drive with vigour, the smaller model starts to make a lot more sense.Add to that the lower fuel consumption, which is considerably more frugal than the V6, and downsizing never looked more painless.Typifying Italian style, the GT comes in a slinky two-door body with seating for four adults at a pinch, two adults and two children at best. The boot access is via a long hatch with extra storage available by flipping down the split rear seats. Nothing remarkable there.That aside, the cabin gives some idea of why the "cheaper" GT is still a pricey $65,000 machine.Comprehensive instrumentation, albeit set in a bit of a mish-mash dashboard, combines with high-quality leather upholstery.The cabin is predominantly black plastic and leather which, combined with the red paint of the body, is the mandatory livery for a fast car.Impressive though the interior is, it's the mechanical components that reflect the Alfa's heart and its esteemed racing history.There's even a sticker on the inside of the windscreen asking the new owner for some consideration for the low-mileage engine to build up to peak performance — which I read after my test run.It didn't seem to matter. The GT JTS — those three letters indicated a lean-burn engine system — delivered an excellent blend of low-speed punch and top-end urge.The cheaper GT comes only with a Selespeed semi-manual gearbox with gearchanges made either by a 100mm floor-shifter or paddles on the steering wheel.Alfa's initial attempts at the Selespeed some years ago were less than successful. The latest- generation gearbox is smoother, changes more quickly and doesn't make many mistakes. It has five gears, but I think the engine would prefer six.Change up by momentarily lifting your foot off the accelerator and clicking the right-hand steering wheel lever. Downchanges, complete with an automatic mid-change "blip", are via the left-hand lever.In other surprising changes for the better, the driving position is better suited to the Australian physique. Early Alfas required long arms and short legs to comfortably operate the controls.Get comfortable and find a quiet, curvy road and the GT immediately shows why it's an Alfa and why it's not cheap.Despite its front-drive platform, it has virtually no understeer and will bite hard into the corners.The back follows through without trying to let go, and the steering weight is near perfect.In the debit column is the GT's woefully expansive turning circle, and niggly things like the warning chime when the ignition key is withdrawn. It sounds like a dying pigeon.But it remains a sensual driving experience that also just happens to look pretty hot.

And if you like cars, it's also very much about the motoring experience. Sometimes in such special places, a special kind of car can add immeasurably to the enjoyment.A car such as the Alfa Romeo GT, the quintessential "little Italian job", which seems to demand the wearing of the polo neck sweater, the gold jewellery and the three-day stubble.What a neat thing it is. In the two-litre JTS Selespeed test model, the temptation is to find a quiet stretch of road somewhere and let it stretch its legs – it's a car that dedicated "drivers" will really enjoy.For the DOHC engine seems to spin very freely, producing a most authoritative treble note from the oversized exhaust.But if you're in the market for a sports "cross" – the sort of car which will whiz you around for a bit of excitement when the mood takes you, but double effectively as a versatile family shuttle – look elsewhere.The Alfa GT feels very much the serious sports car, doing its best work when the revs are up rather than crawling around the suburbs or stuck in traffic.The five-speed Selespeed transmission, which functions best as a clutchless manual, does have a "city" mode where all the thinking is done for you, but timing the changes yourself makes for a far more satisfying drive. And the car steers – and stops – with marvellous sure-footedness, with none of the old-fashioned understeer, which used to be associated with front-wheel drive configurations. So there's a great deal to enjoy about the GT JTS.Inside, the finish is superb, with even the scuff plates polished to a reflective finish. The beautifully trimmed seats hug you tight around the ribs and the ride is firm but comfortable.And everything that should be adjustable, is. The seating position is infinitely adjustable, the wheel position is exactly right and everything comes to hand naturally.And earlier comments notwithstanding, there is leg room enough in the back to make for a relatively comfortable ride for rear seat passengers, so long as they are not too lanky.The car is also crammed with a range of nifty features. The trip computer tells you everything you need to know – and more – about how far you've been, how far you've got to go, how much fuel you've used, etc etc.And for that trip to Thredbo, the front seats are heated to take the chill out of your spine after a hard day on the piste.The outside mirrors are also heated, so fogging up is not a problem, and there are washers for the headlights.As you would expect, it's got cruise control, climate control, the mandatory six stacker, central locking, and airbags everywhere.According to the technical specifications, the two-litre version will consume just 8.7L/100km, which averages the urban cycle (12.3/100km) and the economical rural cycle (6.8L/100km), so fuelling the little Italian rocket won't require an overdraft.And for those who are impressed by such stats, the blurb states the car will propel you from 0km/h to 100km/h in 8.7 sec.So yes, a whole lot to like. And not much to dislike. But one thing. The sound system is probably terrific, but unless your girlfriend is an audio engineer, you might run into a snag getting the thing actually turned on.Changing modes, selection stations, activating the CD – an hour or two with the operator's manual would probably offer solutions to all those problems, but does it have to be so complicated? And another picky thing – the wing mirrors provide a good rear vision but they seem too big and too high, cutting the forward line of sight, particularly in right hand turns.Tiny little things. All in all, the Alfa Romeo GT JTS Selespeed is a very cool conveyance.

Hurrying is something this car does well. Plant your foot and the engine note, always a friendly burble, moves up the scale to a full-blown snarl as the Italian coupe scoots forward.This is what motoring in the new Alfa Romeo GT is all about. It not only looks like a sports car, but goes like one. If there's a gap in the traffic, it will get there, sweetly, neatly.Oh, there are times when you curse the GT – try it on a bumpy road, try doing a U-turn in a narrow street – but when the conditions are right, it can be a seductive thing indeed.For one thing, there is the way it looks, slinky enough to turn heads wherever it goes.And there is the way it drives. Strong acceleration, with grip and steering to match, all coming together to allow it to zoom along in a hearty fashion.The feedback through the wheel – and the seat of your pants – is spot-on. The engine responds with delightful eagerness, the brakes are strong, every gear engages with snick-snick precision.For some reason – perhaps it's that long, low snout and aggressive grille – I kept imagining it as a shark cruising through a school of little fish. That's how you feel behind the wheel of the GT.Trouble is, the daydream takes a severe dent when you attempt a U-turn. The turning circle is an inconveniently large 12.1m, bigger than even a Mitsubishi Pajero 4WD's.There is also the way that, at suburban speeds, it feels every lump and bump in the bitumen, so much that you wonder if it is deliberately seeking them out.On the open road, corrugations and ripples make the GT feel jittery and jiggly, taking the edge off what otherwise would be an exhilarating driving experience.Your passenger tries to adjust the radio volume but the car is bumping around, so it switches from AM to FM instead . . . and getting back to AM proves to be a real challenge. So give the fiddly radio buttons a demerit mark, too.Obviously the GT subscribes to the theory that sports cars do not need to be too sensible.The speedometer goes to 300km/h, but the only numbers in the legal zone are 30, 60, 90 – smaller increments are marked by black stripes on a dark background, which require a long, hard stare to see whether you're going 80km/h or 100km/h, say. Trouble is, by the time you've read the speedo, a police camera could have taken your picture.Don't get a blowout far from help, because there is no spare tyre. Not even a spacesaver, just a blow-up kit to re-inflate a flat tyre and seal a puncture.Thank goodness the car is fitted with reverse parking sensors, because rearward vision is limited by a small window and high tail.One final gripe: The accelerator and brake pedals are close together, and almost the same height, so newcomer drivers need to be careful where they put their right foot.Ah, but coupes are all about emotion. Owning one is a heart-over-the-head thing. Here, the GT has the looks and, well, the sheer presence, to get away with sins which would be unforgivable in a $19,990 hatchback.No matter if cars like this are less practical, and more expensive, than their sedan brothers. They're designed to lift the spirit, thanks to the way they look, the way they drive. For some people, emotion will win and a sports car like this will be a pure joy on wheels.However, Mazda's RX-8 proves that an agile sportster can also have decent rear-seat access; Nissan's 350Z shows how a supple ride need not get in the way of pinpoint-accurate steering and a tenacious level of grip.To be fair, for a coupe, visibility to the sides is excellent. The central pillar is thin and well back, the rear windows are a decent size.The GT also earns high marks in the convenience department for its boot, surprisingly roomy for a compact coupe – especially after you see how the big Monaro's luggage space has shrunk with its latest makeover.There are other handy points, such as the split-fold rear seat, the radio which automatically adjusts its volume to suit the car's speed, even a pop-out cupholder in the dashboard...in a fully-fledged sports car, no less.Mere trifles, though, compared with the joy of launching the GT when your passenger tells you to hurry up.

But there's more to the GT than that. It has a potent 3.2-litre V6 driving the front wheels, stunning looks and plenty of luxury features to keep buyers forking out a cool 80 grand happy.Naturally, the GT is right up there in the handling department and it has plenty of street appeal if the number of gawking onlookers is an indication. Fabulous performance from strident-sounding 176kW/300Nm V6 lifted from the GTA twins – 147 and 156.Engine is as good to look at as it sounds – worthy of at least an hour's rave at at barbie, then go and open the bonnet. Oooh, ahhh.Surprisingly economical considering available performance. 0-100kmh in low sixes.Drinks premium unleaded only.Six speed manual transmission suits power and torque capturing everything the engine delivers. But tricky shift fourth to fifth.Atrocious turning circle, just like the GTA twins. When will Alfa learn people drive these cars in shopping centre carparks as well as long and winding roads.Handling is in top shelf, sticks like glue, steers like a racing kart, brakes like it has a parachute back there.No torque steer to speak of and feels neutral when pushed really hard.Ride is firm, jiggles on bumpy roads but not that hard as to rattle your brains.Xenon headlights jiggle in tune with the suspen- sion on bumpy roads. Must be annoying for oncoming drivers.Sexy looking 17in alloys look the part, comp- lement stunning shetmetal,particularly at the rear. Grrrowwwl.Comfortable interior will take four adults in individual bucket seats. Access to the rear is tight but once there, it's luxury plus.Driving position is good with multi-adjustable steering wheel and well bolstered seats that also have the right amount of adjustment and padding. Choice leather, sporty dash layout, impressive sound system.Car appears to be well built with smooth paint and tight fit and finish. No rattles or squeaks, solid feel on the road.Weighty at 1410kg – crammed with luxury and safety equipment.

The 8c Competizione is a motor-show concept car that cost about $3 million to design and built, and that means – even if it were for sale – it is well beyond anything you would call a budget.But there is an Alfa that is available and rates highly on the get-me-one-right-now scale.The Alfa Romeo GT is a two-door coupe that is taking the fight up to the benchmark Mazda RX-8 and Nissan 350Z.It isn't cheap, but $80,000 is relatively affordable for people who want a fun car with flair.The 8c Competizione will make its first appearance at the Sydney motor show next month but the GT is available everywhere.The GT is a two-door coupe shaped in the latest Alfa style, which means a chunky nose with a prominent grille, but it tapers away to a cute tail with rounded haunches.It is a 2-plus-2 body, with plenty of space in the front but a slightly cramped cabin for people in the back.The mechanical package is familiar: a 3.2-litre V6 with 176kW of power, fully independent suspension with anti-skid four-wheel disc brakes and a six-speed manual gearbox.The $79,990 price buys luxury, from Bose CD sound and alloy wheels to tan leather trim, cruise control, xenon headlamps, remote central locking and a trip computer. It is just what you'd expect in the class, and all done with Italian style.The GT slots in close to the top of the Alfa Romeo range for '04, well beyond the aged GTV coupe but short of the 166 flagship sedan.Its appeal is obvious, because the shape and rocking V6 and tan leather and driving joy are all traditional Alfa enticements."Few cars can offer the complete emotional experience supplied by the Alfa Romeo GT," Alfa Romeo Australia general manager Kevin Wall says.ON THE ROADFIRST impressions count – and the GT makes a stunning impact. It is a great-looking car that tells you from the get-go it is sporty, rorty and Italian.Turn the key, fire the classic V6 engine, and the impression gets stronger.The GT is a car that wants to be driven, and driven fairly hard, to give its best.Still, it's just as good making an impact and it will do the job on Lygon or Chapel streets with equal success.The GT is a long way down the road from Alfa's old GTV, and not just in the switch from angular lines to curvy panels. It is more complete, more enjoyable and has fewer flaws.Rear vision is just plain awful – which is why it has rear parking radar – and the six-speed manual can be a pest at times, with the shift into six a real pain. But there is not much else to complain about.The "eyebrows" below the low-rider front spoiler do drag a bit too much and the turning circle is so wide you need tugs for parking.The car is much more enjoyable than Alfa's GTA, which was too demanding and too raunchy.The GT gets along nicely, with plenty of torque and a top-end rush, and the gearbox has well-chosen ratios for straight-line sprints and fun in curves.Fuel consumption isn't great, averaging 14.7 litres/100km during our test, but it gets a lot better on highways or when you resist the temptations.Alfa has also done a great job of tuning the traction control, making the front-drive GT lively without electronic intrusion over the slightest slip or patch of gravel.The ride is firm but still compliant for a sports car, it takes curves with no fuss, and the steering has good feedback.The seats are very comfortable, and the boot is huge. We liked the trip computer and cruise control, but the xenon headlamps don't run to high beam.The $80,000 bottom line puts it above its obvious sports car rivals and closer to the BMW 3-Series coupe. It means it cannot be assessed just as a sports car.THE BOTTOM LINETHE Alfa range is getting better all the time and the GT is a car with substance to match its style.

ALFA Romeo's GT maintains the Italian company's commitment to style. There is substance here, too, but it is the style which catches the attention and sets this two-door Alfa apart from the small clutch of hot hatches and WRXs in the premium end of the sub-$100,000 sports market.The coupe was designed by Bertone. It is a fine sculpture with a mix of muscle and heritage, a swoop to the nose leading to that classic grille, a sharp-edged rib down the side, and a well-rounded rear.The GT is instantly recognisable as an Alfa Romeo, a close relative of the 147 and a distant relative of classics back to the Guilia Sprint GT of the early 1960s.As with most from this famous stable, the GT's style will last well into the 21st century; simple and uncluttered, the lines spell a Zegna-suited sports machine, a fine-tuned machine with breeding.All this fine Italian style, plus the engineering, arrives with a $79,990 price tag.That price, maybe too rich for some blood, is reasonable for a European coupe with class and 176kW arriving at 6200rpm.That's a little less than the same 3.2 litre V6 produces for the Alfa Romeo 147 GTA, here there's been a little detuning to give the GT a different character.The 147 GTA is for the boy and girl racers; the Alfa GT more for the sporting tourers, perhaps a little wiser in the ways of the back roads.It has a softer nature, this coupe. It is not to be underestimated but the ride, the general demeanour is not quite as aggressive as that of the Alfa 147 GTA, one of the hottest of hot hatches this season.The GT's steering is just as sharp, the trade-off again is a decent-sized turning circle at 12.1m, but the front end is a little softer, a little less kart-like.This helps give the GT a more relaxed attitude. The 147 GTA is always wanting to slip the leash, the Alfa GT is just as happy to settle back into a fast clip. The coupe most appreciates the open road.It is easy enough to run around town but the snug cabin, hip-hugging seats and that engine bark are more suited to a quiet highway, best with a few twists and turns.As a runaround, that stylish Alfa crouch allows good room for two up front, a little room for smaller occupants in the back. Rear seat leg room is reasonable, headroom is at a premium.Fuel consumption through the traffic runs about 17-18 litres/100km; on an open road cruise that drops to 9 litres/100km.This is where the people see the charm and class of the Alfa's road presence but it's out of town where the Alfa GT earns its money.There is decent grip (and less front-wheel fightback than the 147) and always that quick and sharp turn-in.Like the best of its breed, the GT also enjoys a run through the gears, that lusty V6 singing and the kilometres disappearing.The factory reckons it shifts from standstill to 100km/h in.6.7 seconds and covers a standing kilometre in 26 seconds. Top speed is 243km/h and there is little doubt the GT would remain as composed, as unruffled as it sits at 110km/h.Ride comfort is generally good, there is a fair amount of compliance and that front end is better behaved over the jiggles than the Alfa GTV; nastier and rougher bitumen still needs to be treated with care.The Alfa GT is a smart and quick tourer, a fine piece of machinery for running from A to B in comfort and safety with a large helping of driving pleasure.The very able chassis is backed here by electronic stability and traction controls, ABS brakes and brake assist for those four big disc brakes, ventilated at the front.Front, side plus curtain airbags, a Bose sound system with CD (stacker in the boot) and MP3 player, heated leather seats and trip computer help fill out cabin comforts and occupant safety.This Alfa Romeo GT is a very complete, very pretty and very satisfying machine.

Apologies to the great one for borrowing his one liner, but it pretty well describes my drive impressions of Alfa Romeo's new GT, launched on July 1.Nearly 400km across a spectrum of driving environment – from peak hour Sydney harbour bridge commuting to Hunter Valley back road scratching to Newcastle Expressway cruising – provided a spirited search into the soul of Alfa's latest offering.The punt north from Wiseman's Ferry to Cessnock particularly reinforced the GT's road holding prowess.Pushed h-a-r-d through corners, with the 3.2-litre V6 on full song around 6000rpm in second or third gear, you could be forgiven for thinking that this was more than a front wheel drive vehicle.The Alfa exuded such dynamic grip at all four points of road contact, that it seemed to be driving as much from the rear.No doubt this is helped by electronic traction and stability control systems that get the power to the ground and keep it there.What with the stiff suspension (it is a GT), you felt every pot hole, but the car still tracked true and held its line with sure footed confidence.The GT essentially wears the same suspension set- up as the 147 GTA with double wishbone front and MacPherson struts at the rear.A longer (50mm) wheel base than the GTA could well assist with making the GT the great handler that it is. Kerb weight is 1410kg.But there's more to the GT than impressive handling and road holding.The free-revving V6 is as found in the 156 sedan and 147 GTA hot hatch, save for a mild detune which drops it about 8kW from GTA spec to 176kW at 6200rpm, with maximum torque of 300Nm kicking in at 4800rpm.The six-speed manual gearbox is sportily spaced with short, positive throws to bring the best out in the engine and gives the maker's claims of 0-100 km/h in just 6.3 seconds credence. Sorry, no auto is available.The GT stops as well as it goes courtesy of ABS anti-lock brakes bolstered by emergency brake assist to maximise retardation.Refilling the fuel tank is not on a motoring writer's job description, so we will have to accept Alfa's claims of 12.4l/100km (combined cycle).Put the car's swoopy styling down to input from coach builder Bertone, designer of the original 1954 Giulietta Sprint which, it could be argued, kick started the gran turismo (GT) concept.The GT will carry four people, although head room was a problem for a colleague who tried out the rear seats. But then he was a taller than average 185cm (6'2").In keeping with the svelte Italian styling, the interior is well finished in tan and black leather tones and creature comforts and entertainment include a Bose/Bosch MP3-CD capable hi-fi, dual-zone automatic climate control system, trip computer and xenon headlights.There is also cruise control, multifunction (and multilingual) information display, rear parking sensors, rain-sensing wipers, remote central locking and remote-control operation of the boot.If the worse comes to the worst, occupants are well protected by six airbags – two in the front, two front side and two window curtain type – front and rear anti-submarining seats, inertia-reel seat belt pretensioner and load limiter and a fire protection system that prevents fuel loss on impact, in a roll-over or in damage to the fuel lines.Distributor Ateco expects to sell "perhaps 150" GTs a year locally.The RRP of $79,990 puts it up against BMW's 3 Series coupe, Mercedes-Benz Sports Coupe, Audi TT, Nissan 350Z, Mazda RX-8 and Chrysler Crossfire.Exalted company. But the Alfa Romeo GT more than deserves comparison – and a test drive.