MOTORS
by MIKE TORPEY
T
IMES and fortunes have changed for Alfa Romeo. While the image and emotion of owning an Alfa was never in doubt, issues like reliability and residual values were a concern. But the last couple of years, and 12 months in particular, have seen a much needed boost for the Italian brand. A pair of sporty compact models, the MiTo and more recently the cool-looking Giulietta, have helped the marque gain a new customer following – including from families. The figures are interesting. Last year saw Alfa’s sales leap by more than 30 per cent in a market which saw most of its rivals suffer a dip. And a top ten placing in the benchmark J.D. Power customer satisfaction chart as well as a slot in the top ten table for residual values from Glass’s guide have widened the smile on Alfa executives’ faces. Now the company has raised the stakes in the battle for sales against opposition like the Volkswagen Golf, Audi A3 and higher performing Ford Focus models. It comes courtesy of a new dual dry clutch gearbox that combines the benefits of automatic and manual transmission, without any downsides. Featured in the new Giulietta TCT model – still rated the safest car in its class – the set-up has been developed in-house by Fiat Powertrain. Of course twin clutch technology is nothing new, but where Alfa scores is in achieving improvements, albeit small ones, in fuel economy and acceleration. More significant is that with TCT the Giulietta’s emissions are substantially lowered – by 13g/km to 121g/km in the petrol model and by 5g/km to 119 in the diesel compared to manual transmission versions. That means company car tax is down to 15 per cent for petrol and 17 per cent for diesel models, important figures seeing as two thirds of Giulietta sales are to the fleets. How good is TCT though? Well firstly it is only available in 170bhp versions and in the higher spec Lusso and Veloce trim grades. The prices are £21,855 for a 1.4 MultiAir Lusso petrol model and £23,155 for Veloce, and £23,550 for a 2.0 JTDm Lusso diesel and £24,800 for Veloce, meaning a premium of £1,345 over manual transmission. Where the system scores is in its operation, in effect using two gearboxes – one for the odd numbered gears and another for the even ones, so the gearbox is ready for the next shift when it’s already engaged. What Alfa fans will appreciate are the fast, smooth responses along with the company’s DNA rocker switch offering the choice of Normal, Dynamic or All Weather driving mode, plus the benefit of a fuel-saving Start/Stop system. And because the transmission works as either all-auto or sequential, the driver can manually
Edited by Mike Torpey
R A E G IN lietta Alfa raises the stakes with Giu
‘It’s a chic machine in every sense’ shift up or down using the gearlever or flicking the steering wheel paddles. Both petrol and diesel models proved a treat to drive, especially in Dynamic setting, over a route in Scotland that took in motorways, sweeping country roads and the
urban bustle. Not for the first time on a car launch event though, we were unable to match the claimed fuel figures, in the petrol model at least. Alfa’s figure for the MultiAir is a combined 54.3mpg, though the best we could manage was 42.
What you do get though is a chic machine in every sense – from the trademark V-shaped grille and LED running lights to the taut, muscular lines and upmarket interior. As for space, there’s reasonable room for rear passengers provided the driver’s seat isn’t slid
completely back, though the centre rear position is uncomfortable, plus an adequate sized boot. Of the TCT’s options you pay £260 for paddles and £160 for Alfa Red trim inserts on the dashboard – extras I would have thought might be included in the car’s price.