The Alfa 147's long awaited replacement

VolvoMan

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/241314/

To be honest I prefer the current car. That just looks totally unremarkable and not what an Alfa should be. There are hints of everything in the design from the horrible little MiTo to the new Astra, it just looks way too derivative.

Solitaire

Bweh. I only really liked the 159 anyway :P

.Longshanks.

A really opportunity missed me thinks. A bland alfa - what next :eek:

colm_mcm

oh dear..

Dave.

I like it

bazz26

Looks like a fat Mito.

Not a fan of the new Alfa corporate face, prefered the twin headlight strip of the current Brera and 159.

mondeo

I never thought alfas would go downhill with their styling... Only alfa I really like is the 156, 159

mink_man

oh dear

T-b0n3

I just hope they sorted out their very very bad reliability problems. I had a 147 once and was not a pleasant time in my life. Well apart from when it worked even tho that was rarely.

Lex Luthor

I'd have a Bravo before one of those...that is shocking

colm_mcm

The whole thing with an Alfa is it has to be drop dead gorgeous and great to drive to justify the bad bits (which aren't that bad nowadays)

unkel

colm_mcm wrote: »

The whole thing with an Alfa is it has to be drop dead gorgeous and great to drive to justify the bad bits (which aren't that bad nowadays)

I couldn't agree more. The 159 went wrong before this 147 successor and this will go wrong too. Such a shame!

Mycroft H

Oh dear indeed

Hotwheels

Not bad at all...I'd like to see it in Red or Black, few cars look good in white...
Still prefer me 159 though...:)

VolvoMan

Hotwheels wrote: »

Not bad at all...I'd like to see it in Red or Black, few cars look good in white...

The 159 looks fantastic in white with the 'Ti' trim.

unkel

VolvoMan wrote: »

The 159 looks fantastic

The looks are good, but it's not great to drive. Why the hell would anyone buy one?

VolvoMan

unkel wrote: »

The looks are good, but it's not great to drive. Why the hell would anyone buy one?

The 159 was given a weight reduction recently of about 150kg, if anything should be at least slight better to drive now.

Anyway, some people don't go for that sort of thing. Some people will see it as being a beautiful car that also happens to be of good quality and that suits them fine. I know that I myself would trade the dynamic abilities of the E90 3 Series for a car whose looks are as good as those of the 159 any day.

pcardin

I like it and I think it looks even better in the real life. Wouldn't buy this as it is to small for me. Waiting for the new 169.

pburns

In fairness they're pretty unflattering, grainy pictures in a dreary colour (yes, I know, white was fashionable for about 5 minutes back in March 2008)

IBut...yeah...it's certainly a backwards step for Alfa and looks no more modern than the 147. It seems to me the smaller/narrower the car the less sucessful the new nose is.

I hope they realise the error of their ways and don't muck up the 159 replacement.

smash

They robbed the rear from a Scirocco!

Lex Luthor

The 159 exterior cannot be faulted but the interior lost me which is why I never bought one.

Zube

Lex Luthor wrote: »

The 159 exterior cannot be faulted

If only BMWs 3 series looked as good.

samsemtex

Hotwheels wrote: »

Not bad at all...I'd like to see it in Red or Black, few cars look good in white...
Still prefer me 159 though...:)

The 147 looked fantastic in white.


Dont like this at all. Looks crap.

unkel

Lex Luthor wrote: »

The 159 exterior cannot be faulted

But as per Colm's point - it needs to look well and drive well. The latter it doesn't. That's why they don't sell.

Gone Drinking

Oh deer

EPM

It's like an Alfa trying to be a Lancia. Bit too smooth and curvy...

samsemtex

unkel wrote: »

But as per Colm's point - it needs to look well and drive well. The latter it doesn't. That's why they don't sell.

I dont agree with that. Ive driven one and it was as good as anything else in that class.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zON4bWsl2Ek

Obviously this isnt the be all and end all as it is only a test but for a German magazine to say an Alfa is better than a BMW shows it cannot be a bad car to drive.

NewApproach

I quite like it. I know its not a typical Alfa design, but I like it all the same.

Lex Luthor

I had a 159 out as a courtesy car a few weeks back...a sportwagon aswell and it was a great drive. Even the 2.4jtd engine was superb

I would have preferred the GT/147 interior in the 159

*Tripper*

Some people just seem to have a personal vendetta against new Alfas. I have a new 159 2.2 ti and it's an absolute cracker. Looks wise it's better looking then any of its counterparts, 3 Series, A4, C Class etc. Then only other one of those I'd have is the C Class. The handling is superb(the ti spec is lowered). You can pick your line throw it into the corner and it will stick. The grip in the dry is great but it is a live wire in the wet. Keeps you on your toes though.

Also Unkel, I take you critisism of the 159 with a pinch of salt.....rover 75....my god.

VolvoMan

steve06 wrote: »

They robbed the rear from a Scirocco!

I think it's more like the new Astra than anything.

VolvoMan

unkel wrote: »

But as per Colm's point - it needs to look well and drive well. The latter it doesn't. That's why they don't sell.

The Audi A4 looks well but drives rubbish and that sells.

smcgiff

I've the 2.4 JTDM TI 159 and I think the ride is only okay - better than most, but I hoped for better.

If I keep it long enough I'll get it chipped once beyond the warranty (or maybe before!). The styling of the 147 is just Meh!

unkel

*Tripper* wrote: »

I have a new 159 2.2 ti

Is that the one with the Opel engine?

*Tripper* wrote: »

Also Unkel, I take you critisism of the 159 with a pinch of salt.....rover 75....my god.

That is was mrs unkels car. Mine's the other one in my sig

BTW I do like Alfas and I like them to do well in the market. But only if they deserve it...

VolvoMan wrote: »

The 159 was given a weight reduction recently of about 150kg, if anything should be at least slight better to drive now.

I wasn't aware of that. All the reviews I read when the 159 came out suggested the car was too heavy and slow (compared with equivalent 156s). Many people test driving the car (after owning a 156) reported same iirc. Just checking - the base diesel model only lost 45kg which resulted in tiny performance improvements.

VolvoMan wrote: »

The Audi A4 looks well but drives rubbish and that sells.

The requirements for an Alfa to sell are a bit different

VolvoMan

unkel wrote: »

Is that the one with the Opel engine?

That's one of the major downsides for me with the 159. Nearly all of the engines are GM units, with none of the likes of the Twin Spark or an actual Alfa V6. The latter is only a GM unit that has none of the soul of the original Alfa V6 and looks rubbish in comparison too.

I wasn't aware of that. All the reviews I read when the 159 came out suggested the car was too heavy and slow (compared with equivalent 156s).

Which explains why they put the range on a diet.

The requirements for an Alfa to sell are a bit different

Quite possibly, but you find nowadays few cars have it all. The 159 is finally an Alfa that is well built but has lost some of the Alfa charm in the process.

unkel

VolvoMan wrote: »

The 159 is finally an Alfa that is well built but has lost some of the Alfa charm in the process.

That sums it up well. FIAT boss Marchionne has done an incredible job getting the company back up and running again and maybe the 159 was a little bridge too far too soon. Doesn't take away from the recent FIAT success though imho.

VolvoMan

unkel wrote: »

That sums it up well. FIAT boss Marchionne has done an incredible job getting the company back up and running again and maybe the 159 was a little bridge too far too soon. Doesn't take away from the recent FIAT success though imho.

Lets hope he's not biting off more than he can chew from merging with Chrysler and going after Opel.

unkel

Yeah I'm worried about that too, but let's face it - he has already done the impossible. The man is a legend.