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By
EWAN KENNEDY
9 January 2006
We’ve just spent a most pleasant week at the
wheel of the Alfa Romeo 147 – the European Car of the Year for 2001.
That award is generally recognised as the motoring world's most
prestigious of its type and it couldn’t have gone to a nicer little
car. Styling has always been a major component of Alfa Romeo’s success
and the Alfa 147 is a classic example of how well it can be done.
Indeed, so good is the styling that it disguises the fact that the 147
is a practical family hatchback, it really looks more like a sports
machine than one aimed at everyday transport.
Having said that, we aren't so sure
about the 2005 facelift. It seems to have toned down the bold
shape of the ‘shield’ radiator grille, making it less of a
stand-out feature than the original one.
At the back, the controversial
boxy, though functional, lines make the rear end of this Alfa
looks like nothing else on the road. At least it did at one time,
several unashamed copies of the Alfa rump have appeared in recent
times. None of them anywhere near as good to look at as the
original.
Alfa 147 is sold here as a three-
and five-door hatchback. At first glance, the five-door looks to
be a sleek two-door because the rear doors’ handles are cleverly
concealed in the rear window frame. Interior room is OK in the
front but slightly cramped in the rear. Alfa's sporting instincts
don’t seem able to come to grips with making the most of
interior volume. Rear seat access in the three-door is about
average for its class, meaning it can tax those with bodies that
aren't as young as they once were.
Surprisingly, the smallest Alfa is
still powered by 2.0-litre Twin Spark (two spark plugs per
cylinder) engine. It had been anticipated that the more modern JTS
engine, as seen in the Alfa Romeo 156 would have been adapted to
the 147. Maybe one day, but there are no plans within the current
model’s future although a 147 turbo-diesel will soon reach
Australia.
In the meantime the Twin Spark
engine, though an old design, still has decent torque, is more
than happy to rev and is enjoyable to sit behind. On the road the
little Alfa 147 offers a huge amount of driving pleasure in all
the important areas of dynamics. The engine is a little soft at
lower revs but is strong from 3000 rpm upwards. It’s beautifully
responsive and sounds very purposeful. Its ‘revability’ is its
strongest feature and there's a temptation to stay in lower gears
just to listen and feel the engine doing its best work.
Power transmission is to the front
wheels. The manual gearchange is very good in its action for a
front-drive car and the ratios seem right just about all of the
time. Alfa’s Selespeed sequential-manual ‘box is also on
offer. The Selespeed is rather harsh in its gearchanges,
particularly during upshifts in its lower ratios. It’s not our
favourite gearbox and thankfully wasn’t fitted to this week’s
test car.
Fuel consumption is of concern to
the average driver these days. The Alfa Romeo 147 we tested used
about eight to nine litres per hundred kilometres in country
running at moderate speeds, rising to ten to eleven when pushed.
Also expect to use ten to eleven litres per hundred in normal
suburban running.
Steering is nicely weighted in the
Alfa Romeo manner and the handling is beautifully balanced, all
the more so when you remember this is a front-drive family car.
Even bumpy corners don't knock it significantly off line and it
copes surprisingly well with Australian bush roads. Not in the
Commodore/Falcon class of course, but pretty good nonetheless.
Those who want a really hot little
Alfa Romeo 147 can go for the hyper-hatch GTA with its
six-cylinder engine, firmer suspension and bold body kit. It’s
considerably more expensive than the standard models, but some
feel it’s worth the extra.
Though nominally this is a family
hatchback, the Alfa Romeo 147 carries strong cues of the Italian
maker’s long tradition for sporty motoring. If you need a
practical car with seating for up to five people, but still get a
kick from the joy of driving this machine should sit high on your
short list.
AT A GLANCE
MODEL RANGE
147 Twin Spark 2.0-litre three-door hatch - $35,990
147 Twin Spark 2.0-litre five-door hatch - $38,990
147 GTA 3.2-litre three-door hatch - $59,990
FEATURES
ABS Brakes: Standard on all models
Air Conditioning: Standard on all models
Automatic Transmission (Selespeed): $4000 option on GTA, $3000
option on Twin Spark
CD Player: Standard on all models
Central Locking: Standard on all models
Cruise Control: Standard on all models
Driver Airbag: Standard on all models
Passenger Airbag: Standard on all models
Front Side Airbags: Standard on all models
SPECIFICATIONS (Alfa Romeo 147
Twin Spark 2.0-litre three-door hatch)
ENGINE:
Capacity: 1.970 litres
Configuration: Transverse, four cylinders in line
Head Design: DOHC, four valves per cylinder
Compression Ratio: 10.0:1
Bore/Stroke: 83.0 x 91.0mm
Maximum Power: 110kW @ 6300rpm
Maximum Torque: 181Nm @ 3800rpm
DRIVELINE:
Driven Wheels: Front
Manual Transmission: Five-speed
Automatic Transmission: Five-speed Selespeed
Final Drive Ratio: 3.866:1
DIMENSIONS, WEIGHT AND CAPACITIES:
Length: 4223mm
Wheelbase: 2546mm
Width: 1729mm
Height: 1442mm
Turning Circle: 11.5 metres
Kerb Mass: 1250kg
Fuel Tank Capacity: 60 litres
Towing Ability: 1300kg with braked trailer
SUSPENSION AND BRAKES:
Front Suspension: Independent, double wishbones, anti-roll bar
Rear Suspension: Independent, McPherson struts, lower side arms,
anti-roll bar
Front Brakes: Ventilated disc
Rear Brakes: Disc
PERFORMANCE:
0-100 km/h Acceleration: 9.3 secs
Standing 400 Metres: 16.0 secs
FUEL CONSUMPTION:
City Cycle: 10.9 L/100km
Highway Cycle: 8.3 L/100km
STANDARD WARRANTY:
Three years/100,000km
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Copyright Marque Publishing Company
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