Alfa Romeo 147 Twin Spark 2005 review

Back in the early 1980s, public relations and event management was just starting to become the billion-dollar juggernaut it is now. Guess what all those bright young PR pioneers were scatting about in on their way from one city appointment to another? An Alfasud.

What a perfect choice. A hot little hatchback with a choice of engine size and road gearing depending on whether you wanted to pose or race. Almost too much street cred.

Time has moved on but Alfa Romeo is still at the forefront of design cool.

Its 147 model is the new century's Alfasud. The road presence is unmistakable, despite at least two rivals imitating elements of its styling.

Just released is an updated 147 with sharper looks, longer-travel suspension and minor mechanical tweaks. Perhaps the biggest change is the price, which has been dropped with the launch of the new car. The 147 Twin Spark now costs $35,990 in three-door form and $37,490 with five doors.

The three-door 147 Selespeed, fitted with a Formula One-derived sequential manual gearbox, is $38,990. The five-door is $40,490.

These models retain Alfa Romeo's position as a price leader in the premium Euro compact segment.

If you want a practical introduction to Italian motoring, it's hard to go past a 147.

Being the baby of the Alfa range, it is a little softer than its bigger siblings, but that's not a bad thing. It means the 147 is more practical and easier to drive.

Of course, it does have some Italian idiosyncrasies. The long front doors make access to the rear seats easier but mean a long reach over your shoulder to find the seatbelts.

Typical of Alfa, there is a fairly long reach to the driver's wheel. Also, the brake and accelerator pedals are too close together for anything other than dainty feet.

But this is a driver's car and all the foibles are forgotten when you start using it in the manner the designer intended.

The supportive driver's seat feels like it's straight out of a race car. So does the 1970cc, four-cylinder engine, which revs quickly and has quite a serious push at 5000rpm and above. It has double-overhead camshafts, 16 valves and two spark plugs per cylinder. The firm suspension has been revised for Australian conditions but it's still choppy over low-speed bumps.

However, it works well at speed and the handling is sublime when the car is pushed hard.

Alfa makes a big deal about its VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) and ASR (Anti-Slip Regulation) and so it should. This is one of the best-handling small cars on the market.

It may drive only through two wheels (the front) but you would be hard pressed to be persuaded it doesn't have all-wheel-drive.

That is because ASR allows both front wheels to spin together for a quick getaway, but stops one wheel spinning for stability. Two different control systems are activated. If you are losing traction under power, an electronic system reduces engine torque by partly closing the throttle until grip is regained.

The system works so quickly and subtlely that all you notice is a slight loss of traction before you regain drive, even if you keep pressing the accelerator hard. If only one wheel is slipping, this is automatically braked without the driver touching the brake pedal. The ASR is activated automatically when the engine is started but can be turned off manually.

So there is a fair bit of sophistication to this little Alfa. It's packed with standard features, such as curtain airbags, automatic dual-zone climate control, cruise control, eight-speaker sound system (with steering wheel controls), power windows, mirrors and locks, fog lamps and anti-skid brakes. All versions now run 17in alloy sports wheels.

The 147 has everything you want plus such quirky touches as the word "benzina" on the fuel gauge. You've got to love it.

SMALL TORQUE

Alfa Romeo 147

Price: Three-door, five-speed manual (tested) $35,990
Engine: 1970cc, 16-valve, fuel-injected, four-cylinder with variable valve timing. Max power 110kW at 6300rpm, max torque 181Nm at 3800rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual/Selespeed robotised (to act like an auto or manual), front-wheel-drive
Performance: 0-100km/h 9.3 secs. Top speed 208km/h (claimed)
Suspension: Double wishbone front and MacPherson rear with anti-roll bars
Brakes/wheels: Ventilated 284mm front discs, 251mm solid rear, electronic braking distribution and traction controls, 17in alloy wheels
Dimensions: Overall length 4223mm, width 1729mm, height 1442mm
Av fuel consumption: 9 litres/100km