By
EWAN KENNEDY
10 April 2006
Somehow you don’t associate Alfa Romeo and diesel engines. In
Australia many people still think of diesels as being slow, noisy and
smoky, so best left to trucks and 4WDs. And people associate the famed
Italian maker very much with sporty cars.
Yet the new-generation turbo-diesels
coming out of Europe are advanced units with almost none of the
drawbacks of their forebears. Being generally clean, smooth and quiet.
And economical, because that’s the main reason for buying a diesel.
Typically a turbo-diesel will use 20 to
40 per cent less fuel than a similar petrol engine. This is partly
counterbalanced by diesel in Australia costing 15 to 25 per cent more
than petrol. A price differentiation that’s becoming increasingly hard
to justify because it costs less at a refinery to make diesel than
petrol.
Priced at $39,990, the Alfa Romeo 147 JTD
five-door hatch we tested costs $4000 more than the equivalent 147 Twin
Spark petrol unit. Do your own sums before rushing out to join the
diesel craze that’s sweeping some in the Australian market at the
moment.
An advantage of any turbo engine is the
immense torque it creates at low revs. In the case of the Alfa 147 it’s
305Nm at just 2000 rpm. Turbo-diesel engines are generally more pleasant
to drive than turbo-petrol units as they have noticeably less lag. In
other words you get more power almost as soon as you demand it, instead
of up to a second later.
This certainly applies in the Alfa diesel
and its near-instant urge was very much in keeping with the sporting
flavour built into all its models.
Fuel consumption dropped below five
litres per hundred kilometres when running gently on motorways, and
seldom got much over eight litres per hundred kilometres even in hard
suburban and city driving.
We were slightly disappointed with the
Alfa engine’s comparative lack of refinement when compared with the
latest units from most other European makers. Noise levels from inside
the 147 were well masked, but from the outside, even at a distance,
there was no doubt that you were driving a diesel.
Additionally, there was often a puff of
black diesel smoke from the exhaust while accelerating, even moderately.
Other than that, the new Alfa Romeo 147
JTD was a delight to drive. It has the sharp steering, precise handling
and competent braking we just love in Alfas.
Interior space is quite good for a car in
this class, though there is a need to compromise on legroom if four
adults are being transported.
The latest Alfa 147’s styling is
sensational, with the 2005 facelift giving the cute little hatch a front
end that looks something like that of the upcoming Alfa Brera coupe.
That car has already picked up several awards for its looks and is
eagerly awaited by Alfistas in Australia.
