In recent years Alfa again gained credibility as a class-leading car manufacturer with the introduction of its
156 and
147 models.
As with the successful 156, the 147 has a long list of impressing credentials. For example the 147 was named Europe's Car of the Year in 2000.
In 2001 the sleek three-door 147 was introduced locally and last year saw the introduction of the five-door variant.
When Alfa first introduced the 147 in South Africa there were only two models in the range - a 1.6-litre manual and 2-litre Selespeed model. Unfortunately the Selespeed gearbox is disappointing and instead of being fun it is slow and lacks refinement.
With the introduction of the five-door models last year, Alfa made the 2-litre models also available with five-speed manual transmission.
Design
The 147 is a striking car and the five-door models don't downplay the good looks of the three-door version.
Our test 147 was red and, typically Alfa, it looked great in this colour. But metallic colours and even black actually do the 147's curves and sweeping lines even more justice.
The most dramatic feature of this hatchback is its curvaceous bonnet with the very prominent vertical grille. This is a retro design and reflects Alfa?s 1949 Villa d?Este coupe.
This design gives the 147 a classic but sporty look. Again Alfa succeeded (like with the 156) in designing a car that appears timeless and will still make heads turn after a couple of years.
A high waistline compliments the sexy nose and there are a lot of stylish touches, such as the aluminium front door handles. As with the 156 the rear door handles are hidden and integrated in the doorframe. Therefore the 147 five-door still have a coupe-look but it is more practical than its three-door sibling.
The 147's rear is as pleasing as the front design. The car?s hatch appears sporty and the tail lights are sexy and aggressive.
The small rear window also has the traditional Alfa lower edge ?V? design, but I must admit that rear visibility isn?t the best.
Interior
The striking and retro design is also visible in the 147's interior. The dials are hooded, and this is the classiest feature of the car?s dashboard, but although it looks very nice it is sometimes difficult to read the dials and the centre-mounted trip-computer when light reflects on it.
Our test car had a dark interior, which seems practical and had supremely supportive black leather seats. The driver's seat was also multi-adjustable.
At the launch of the 147 five-door models I saw the car with a tan interior, a colour combination which I think is actually classier and fits the Alfa image better. I won?t mention the red leather option?
An aluminium-face centre console, where the radio/CD-player and climate control is situated, brightens up the sombre interior. Overall ergonomics are good and all controls are logical and easy to operate and there are also enough stash places and cup holders.
The climate control, with individual settings for the front passengers, isn?t the most effective, and when the car has been parked in the sun the aircon struggles to cool down the interior.
The 147 also features electric windows and mirrors, a rake-and-reach adjustable steering column and central locking. There is also a long list of cabin safety equipment which includes class-leading six airbags, consisting of a steering wheel and facia-mounted driver and passenger airbags as well as side and window airbags.
There is more than enough interior space and you will find adequate shoulder, arm and legroom. Surprisingly the 147 five-door has more than enough rear legroom and it appears even more spacious than the cramped space of the benchmark VW Golf. This makes the 147 five-door a comfortable cruiser for four adults.
Its boot space is also acceptable for a hatchback and the rear seats can fold down to increase loading space.
Although the interior is different from the norm it appears fresh and is not as bland as the Golf? but the quality of the finish is still not a match for Volkswagen's. But Alfa is getting there!
Power train and performance
The car's sporty character is enhanced by a nice (and typical Alfa) engine growl which makes the engine sounds more sportier than it really is.
Under the 147's sculpted bonnet is a 2-litre power train with Alfa?s traditional twin spark feature. This engine develops 110kW at 6 300 r/min and torque is a respectable 181Nm at 3 800 r/min.
This 2-litre unit is punchy and quite willing in city traffic at low speeds, but in general there is a lack of serious power to make the 147 a real Golf GTI competitor. Then again Alfa probably kept the exhilarating performance for the GTA version which will be introduced later this year.
The manual transmission is smooth but it is sometimes difficult to find reverse gear, especially if you need it in a hurry.
Like the 156 the 147 has double wishbone front suspension and at the rear there is spring-strut units. This setup is not as sporty as expected and sometimes the 147's suspension feels rather soft for a car with sporty genes.
But the 147 has good roadholding, steering is precise and the overall ride is refined and satisfying.
The car also has excellent ABS brakes with electronic brake distribution (EBD), anti-slip regulation (ASR) and vehicle dynamic control (VDC) to keep the 147 on track.
Summary
Although the 147 still lacks the complete superiority of the VW Golf GTI in terms of quality and overall performance, it is a viable alternative. It also has more image and class than its ageing Wolfsburg rival. Furthermore it is a fun car to drive and the 147 has a sporty look and feel.
I also know that people will envy you for driving an Alfa and the 156 and 147 are the beginning of great things for the Italian marque. These cars paved the way for exciting Alfas yet to come and the forthcoming Alfa Sprint is also worth looking forward to.
But back to the 147. There is no doubt that the 147 is probably the best looking midsize hatchback on our roads, and like the 156 it will age gracefully - these Alfas are pure and natural beauties.
If you buy an Alfa you must remember that this Italian brand will spellbound you and you WILL develop a passion for the brand - ask me, my mother (previously a devoted VW fan) bought one and her 147 is for her the alpha and omega (please excuse the pun).
And I also realised that it DOES touch the emotions ? an Alfa is special.
Click here for Alfa 147 photo gallery
Competitors: VW Golf 1.8 GTI, Toyota RunX RSI, BMW 318i Compact and Audi A3 1.8T.