The Alfa Romeo 147 is a small family car was designed by Walter de'Silva and Wolfgang Egger. Produced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo since 2000. The 147 was also voted European Car of the Year for 2001. The 147 was launched at the 2000 Turin Motor Show as a replacement for the ageing 145 / 146 hatchbacks, and is based on the running gear of the larger 156 saloon. It is available with 1.6- and 2.0-litre inline four-cylinder petrol engines and a 1.9-litre diesel engine.
The Alfa 159 Sportwagon is a car that rewards a little patience. While Alfa build quality is on a sharply ascending curve, there remains some variability between individual cars and it's worth having a look at a few examples before settling on one. Find a decent one and it should be no more or less reliable than an equivalent Saab or Volvo. Of all the engines offered, the 2.2-litre JTS petrol and the 1.9-litre JTDm diesel are the best choices but the others are no slouches either. The hot hatch 147 GTA model was launched in 2002. The GTA used a 3.2 V6 engine, produced 250 PS (247 hp/184 kW) and could achieve a top speed of 246 km/h (153 mph). It has a widened body (15mm at each side) to accommodate the 225/45R17 tyres. Earlier models have 6-speed manual transmissions; later models use Selespeed.
Its competitors in Europe include the Audi S3, BMW 130i, Volkswagen Golf R32 and the Renault Megane RS. London-based after-market tuner Autodelta has produced a "bored out" version of the GTA sporting a 3.7-litre V6, producing 328 bhp (245 kW), and a split-axle differential gear for the front wheels. Autodelta has made also a Rotrex supercharged version producing 400 bhp (300 kW).
