Don't be fooled, the new Alfa GT goes as well as it looks - even with a diesel engine under the bonnet....
Diesel doesn't diminish the experience of owning an Alfa Romeo coupe - at least not when it's powered by a torque-laden 1.9 turbo and looks this good.
The ¯¿½20,995 GT's just about the prettiest darn diesel on the road right now and that's no mean feat when you consider some of the top German and Japanese motors out there.
This Alfa puts a final nail in the coffin of those doubters who think diesel is simply for dervheads. Here's a motor that outperforms many petrol rivals and is, quite simply, stunning to behold. Some diesels go quicker, others have better engines but the GT package is impossible to beat.
This is the perfect car for bowling along on some cross-country run. It's much more refined on a fast A-road or motorway than pottering in town, where the ride can be a little harsh and unforgiving.
Not only that but when you reach your destination and click the in-car computer, expect to see something like 42mpg! For once, this is a vehicle that really does live up to the manufacturer's fuel economy figures. In fact, out of town I've not been able to do worse than 38mpg and that was trying to ignore the sixth cog in the gearbox.
The JTD may not wheelspin as much as the petrol V6 GT but it does come with 225lb ft of torque that makes overtaking tremendous fun. Peak torque comes at 70mph in sixth so, slip down a gear, mirror, indicate, manouvre...
This performance is squeezed from a 16-valve 1.9 turbo and intercooler. The common rail set-up is a four-cylinder not five and the only drawback is that this is a non Euro IV compliant unit.
That said, there's minimal engine noise in the cabin and little to give the game away. Just like the BMW 535d or some of the best Mercedes units, you'll be able to surprise some passengers with the news that this really is a diesel.
And if you think this is just an Alfa 156 with a new set of clothes, you'd be fooling yourself. The GT has plenty more to offer, like improved ride and hardly a hint of the body roll that hampers the saloon.
Inside, it is pure Italian, with a very cool dashboard and seats covered in a sort of plush velour called Alfatex. How well the material wears remains to be seen but it feels sumptuous to the touch and very classy. The whole interior reveals a new Alfa attention to detail that was long overdue.
This is one multi-talented diesel that craves attention wherever you take it. Forget the Alfa GTV, this is the Italian coupe to be seen in - and I have the feeling it could cope with even more diesel power too...
