I always wanted an Alfa Romeo 159 so when I came into a bit of money I thought I'd go for it and get one. But then I saw that Alfa Romeo had released a concept car called the Brera and I thought "even better!". This is like a 159 but it just looks that bit more stylish and cool.
It has really nice low seats which make it feel that bit sportier. It also has an adjustable steering wheel which is a nice touch. I love the dashboard - all the dials are set in a really interesting sort of retro fashion which appeals to me (although some people have admitted they don't like it much!). Unfortunately if you turn around it's quite difficult to see out the back because the view is blocked by a pillar.
The most beautiful thing is how the Brera drives. The engine growls aggressively and the gears shift up fluidly. The brakes are precision perfect and my model has eight (yes EIGHT) airbags. I really can't recommend this beauty strongly enough.
Owning an Alfa Romeo is great; you get to pose, look cool and drive sexy every single day. What's not to love? Sure, the insurance is a bit dear, but for the most part, it's like driving a moving sign saying you're single and available. It's brilliant!
The plus points to this car have to start with the way the thing looks. The Brera 3.2 V6 JTS is one of the most beautiful cars ever made, and that's probably the main reason why I bought one.
Inside, it's like an Italian coffee bar; super stylish and super cool. Whoever sits in the Brera, they always comment on just how amazing it is - and I love it.
The engine is a 3.2 litre V6 which is just lovely. It might not be the most powerful car in the sector, but it's more than enough for me and it sounds bloody brilliant, too!
On one hand, the Alfa Brera is an incredible car. It is easily one of the best looking cars ever made - few cars even come close. And for a 30k sports car, it's a bit of a bargain for all that style. But on the other hand, it isn't as well made as its rivals and it is seriously underpowered.
So it is hard to draw a conclusion. I'd say I enjoy owning the Brera. Sure, it could do with some more power, but other cars could do with some more style. So its swings and roundabouts really.
If you're in the market for a stylish coupe, then you can't do any better than the Brera. It is the definitive Italian sports car.
Before I start this I'd like to say the Alfa Brera isn't perfect. It's flawed, has many issues and could be vastly improved, but one thing that stops me from swapping it for something else - the looks. Just look at it. Without question the aesthetics are the main selling point for the Brera. It's easily one of the best looking cars ever made.
Ok, to the faults: it doesn't handle as well as over coupes - thanks to its front-wheel drive chassis - it doesn't like petrol as it vomits it out everytime I get in the car and it's not as reliable as a modern Alfa should be.
Aside from the above - and the high running costs - the Alfa Romeo Brera is just a fantastic motor. For anyone who likes to look cool rather than drive like Lewis Hamilton, the Brera is probably the perfect candidate.
Sean.
My Alfa Romeo Brera is a really great looking car. I love what Alfa Romeo do with the headlights - it's a sort of risky and unique design but I think it works really well. It's kind of sexy looking. I don't think many women drive them but I don't really care - I can afford it and I like it!
I own the 3.2 v6 model which is at the top of the range and features some very complicated four-wheel drive business which feels very interesting indeed. Driving the Alfa Brera feels like you are controlling something really quite powerful. I've never owned a sports car before so I don't really know how it compares but rest assured it is fast.
The most striking aspect of the Alfa Romeo Brera is its pure Italian finesse and class. The interiors are simply gorgeous. It's like a Rolex watch or an Armani suit or something and simply knowing that I own it makes me feel good. A beautiful car.
I've had a few Alfas and frankly the Brera feels like a bit of a runt among them. It's a good car alright, but you don't buy Alfa for just good. Plus it's had just too many repairs needing, really annoying. The seat belt and driver seat seem poorly fitted, I've had 3 AA callouts in a year with intake problems and other engine bother, as well as one really significant breakdown which required a lot of work by Alfa. Maybe this was just a bad day on the production line but it doesn't look good.
Besides in other ways it just doesn't really live up to the Alfa name The ride and power are good but just... not quite as good as other Alfas. Fair enough it gets up to 60 in 8 and a half seconds, but the gearbox is not as smooth as you might like and it just seems generally happier at more sedate driving speeds than eating up the road - doesn't really grip quite as tightly as you'd expect. A lot of this might be because it's so heavy, but whatever it just... I mean it is a good car, but the Brera just feels a bit like the poor relation to other Alfas.
That isn't to say the Alfa Brera doesn't look fantastic. Outside and inside it's very easy on the eyes, and nice for impressing people with. The glass roof is very smart indeed, well until it starts raining or gets a bird poop on it. The dash buttons don't look at all ordinary - it's surprising that some cars in this class look like they've nicked the buttons out of a Micra. And the dials pushed back into the dash look cool too. The glove box is a daft shape too, the door is separate and it's at an angle so it's basically like you're taking the bottom out of it, which obviously means that stuff just falls out. It's also really annoying that the hazard lights button is next to the gear stick so if you set something down there, like a hat or a drink or whatever, then you can all too easily hit the hazards on. What I'm saying is that it looks ace inside but some practical elements haven't really been thought through.
The racing seats look the part, although the space in the back isn't so great. Legroom back there pretty minimal and no middle seat. Likewise the boot is an odd shape with a really high lip, so bit of a mission to drag things in and out. The boot is very long and big overall though, no problems getting bulky stuff in like the kids little bikes (they're only 4 and 6 mind).
The slick looks do come at the expense of some visibility mind. The parking sensors help with parking (even though it's quite a long car) but for motorway driving it can be a bit of a drag to have to rely on your mirrors so much. It does drink petrol quite quickly too, not very impressive especially these days with prices what they are. I think I'll have to get rid of it soon cos I think it'll have another massive problem sooner rather than later. Time for something a bit more reliable I reckon, maybe an Audi - sigh...!