Alfa Romeo 2000 Reviews

The biggest scandal to ever hit the Australian automotive industry is off to a stalled start.

Derek Ogden road tests and reviews the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Chris Riley road tests and reviews the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde with specs, fuel consumption and verdict.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the 2015 Alfa Romeo.

The top-end marques respond by pushing hard into what was mainstream brand territory only a few years ago.That's why the "big three" — Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz — posted better than 10 per cent growth last year in a market that dipped by 2 per cent.It's still a case of you get what you pay for, so CarsGuide has looked at the cheapest (as distinct from best value) entries in the major car segments.This is the cheapest way to buy membership to the prestige club, but it's a basic package. First impressions are good, with the distinctive shield grille helping the supermini stand out. Inside though, only the Alfa badge on the steering wheel hub gives any clue this is a product from a premium brand.Still, Alfas are all about the driving and for the money, there's a spirited 900cc turbo engine matched to suspension that's much improved from the previous series.It is a long way off the perfect prestige car but it is the best buyers can expect at this price point.{C}{C}A Giulietta is a lot closer to what we expect from Alfa than the MiTo, even if it's not the car Alfisti want. The Giulietta adds rear doors and a lot more flair in cabin styling and performance. If buyers can find the extra $6500, this is the Alfa to own... at least until the Giulia heralds the return of rear-wheel-drive Alfas when it launches later this year.The Giulietta's suspension is generally well sorted and the turbo 1.4-litre four-cylinder engine gives this five-door enough fizz to be a fun drive.For CarsGuide, this is the prestige entry point.Now we're cooking. The A3's interior finish looks as though it was assembled using a jeweller's loupe and the materials are a step up from that found in the VW Golf. The design inside and out is minimalist but classy.A turbo four-cylinder engine is paired with a seven-speed dual-clutch auto and has the neat party trick of dropping two cylinders under light load to help achieve a claimed fuel use of 4.7L/100km.The handling compromise is spot-on: breezing over city bumps while still hanging tough through the twisty stuff.The entry level 3 Series is basically a price spoiler for CarsGuide's Car of the Year, the Mercedes-Benz C-Class. Potential owners could save $8000 (the difference between the 316i and the Benz C200) but will miss out on luxury items.Performance won't set the world on fire but the eight-speed auto makes the most of the available urge. It handles well through the corners and around town. A six-speed manual is available for the same price.The faux leather seats look the goods even if they're manually adjustable rather than electric. Standard gear includes dual-zone aircon, 6.5-inch display with satnav and rear parking sensors.The Leaping Cat pounced on the large car segment with the XF, which now trails only the Benz E-Class and BMW 5 Series in sales. There's good reason for that — the 2.0-litre turbo engine is a willing performer, if a touch thirsty, and is backed by a smooth eight-speed auto.Slide into the leather and suede front seats and first-time occupants will be impressed by the party tricks. The rotary transmission control rises out of the centre console and the air vents swivel open.Rear space isn't superb, but the Jag exudes old-world style supplemented by modern technology.Not so long ago you'd have been a fool to consider a Lexus sports car. Now you'd be a fool not to. The RC350 has striking looks — though some won't appreciate the massive spindle grille — and the poise and performance to back it up. A 3.5-litre V6 powers the rear wheels and the 100km/h sprint time is 6.1 seconds despite its hefty 1740kg.A four-year warranty and resale value of 56 per cent after three years are worth noting too.Standard kit includes LED headlamps, satnav, 10-speaker audio and heated/ventilated seats.The poor man's prestige drop-top embodies fun, from the wind-in-the-hair sensation to a sensational handling package. The 1.6-litre engine is no rocket — there's a turbocharged Cooper S for more oomph — but it is a willing performer in partnership with a six-speed manual gearbox (auto adds $2350).Practicality isn't part of the package with minuscule boot space and rear seats that shouldn't be occupied by much more than shopping bags. There's also wind noise and tyre roar with the top up or down.Live with that and the Mini is relatively cheap and extraordinarily cheerful.No, it's not all-wheel drive, but neither are many of its rivals. The 149mm ride height gives the Countryman enough clearance to negotiate rutted roads without challenging the 170mm clearance of an Audi Q3. Neither will be used for off-road duties, so the elevated drive position is the selling point here, along with a big (by Mini standards) 350L boot.It shares its 1.6-litre engine with the Mini Cabrio and rides almost as well, with just a touch more body roll through the turns.The most compelling aspect is the price, which is $8000 less than an Audi Q3 and $14,000 below a BMW X1.The five-door model doesn't quite have the drop-dead looks of its three-door sibling but is a more functional car to live with — and it is $2500 cheaper. The diesels have the lowest prices in the range, as the petrol variant is positioned as the performance model.The 2.2-litre turbo diesel is matched to a six-speed manual, making this front-wheel drive a frugal vehicle to operate. Claimed fuel use is 5.0L/100km There's plenty to admire inside, from the partial leather seats to the soft-touch dash and elegant switch layout. The base model — dubbed eD4 — has a five-inch TFT multimedia screen and rear parking sensors but can't be had with a reversing camera or air vents for the back seat.There are still ways to get a touch of luxury, if not outright prestige, in the major segments.The big all-wheel-drive wagon sits 210mm clear of the road, giving it more than enough room to clamber over kerbs and ride roughshod over piles of snow at the local ski field.Backed by a 575L boot, it is a hugely capable getaway machine.The Volvo is all about cruising in comfort, so the intentionally cosseting ride comes at the expense of cornering ability.The base diesel engine has more than enough go but some expected gear — like a powered tailgate and satnav — require a dip into the extensive options list.

Peter Barnwell road tests and reviews the new 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C at its Australian launch.

The Alfa Romeo 4C finally arrives locally in February, with the carbon fibre-bodied sports car priced from $89,000.However, prospective buyers yet to place an order will be faced with a wait, as the initial allocation of 120 has already been accounted for.For Australia, the all-new 4C will come in two variants - the 4C Coupe and a limited edition $109,000 4C Launch Edition. Only 75 units of the Launch Edition will be available in Australia.The 4C's 177kW/350Nm 1.7-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine sits ahead of the rear wheels, which are powered by a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.An F1-style carbon fibre monocoque, aluminium chassis and composite bodywork combine work to help the 1,025kg 4C achieve a 4.5 second run from 0-100km/h.Alfa Romeo's 'DNA selector' drive mode selector turns off the stability and traction control in 'Race' mode, and makes them less intrusive in 'Dynamic'. 'All-weather' and 'Natural' modes are for day-to-day driving.Cabin features in the 4C were sparse when we first drove it in September 2013, with only a basic stero, air-conditioning and two airbags.The Launch Edition adds race suspension tuning and exhaust, a carbon fibre spoiler, tweaked front fascia, LED headlights and staggered 18-inch front/19-inch rear matte black alloys.Carbon fibre trim features inside the cabin along with sports seats and red or white accent stitching.

While mainstream brands Ford and Honda wowed the crowds with fire-breathing supercars, the top end of town was more about whetting appetites of buyers in the huge and lucrative US market with production-ready models.The Alfa Romeo 4C is already a sellout in Australia, with 180 hands up for just 120 coupes.Now the demand is certain to jump even higher with the unveiling of a 4C Spider.The open-air 4C is more of a targa car than a full-on convertible, because the mid-engined layout puts the powerplant where the roof would normally fold away.The 4C is already the most charismatic car of the current Alfa generation, with a carbon-fibre chassis, gorgeous shrink-wrapped body, and turbocharged 1.8-litre petrol engine that makes 177kW and 350Nm of torque.The Spider keeps with the lightweight promise of the coupe, weighing in at less than 900 kilograms.The car is expected to arrive in Australia in the first quarter of next year.The new Q7 was the focus of the Audi stand and it was a technological tour-de-force.The show car had a new 10-inch computer tablet that can be used by back-seat passengers to control the radio and to watch their trip progress on the navigation system, much like a passenger jet.There's also an advanced radar and camera system that enables the Audi Q7 to accelerate, brake and steer itself automatically in stop-start traffic up to 60km/h.And the technical wizardry doesn't end there. The new Q7 can reverse a trailer into position using cameras and radar via a touch pad in the centre console.The new Audi Q7 is due in Australian showrooms later this year priced at about $100,000.There are no details on the engine and no concrete plans for production, but the Buick Avenir — French for "the future" —turned heads both in Detroit and Melbourne.A joint effort between Holden's styling studios in Port Melbourne and General Motors' design centres in Detroit, the car was built here and shipped to the US just before Christmas.It was unveiled by former Holden boss, and the current president of GM North America, Mark Reuss.For now, the Buick Avenir is just motor show tease, but Holden insiders say the striking limousine will likely be made in China and sold globally.It may also come to Australia as the eventual replacement for the Holden Caprice.The German sports car maker unveiled new versions of the 911 Targa and Cayenne SUV.To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Targa (half coupe, half convertible) model, Porsche has launched an all-wheel drive GTS version. Power is boosted by 22kW over the Targa 4S to 316kW, enabling a 0-100km/h sprint of 4.3 seconds.The Cayenne Turbo S betters that time by 0.2 of a second.Both models will go on sale in Australia in the second quarter of this year. The 911 Targa GTS will start at $305,300 and the Cayenne Turbo S will sell from $284,700.Toyota's luxury brand Lexus whipped the covers off the long awaited high-performance version of its mid-size limousine, the GS. Called the GS F it is powered by a high-revving 5.0-litre V8.The only problem is, while the peak power of 348kW is reasonably impressive, that only kicks in at close to 7300rpm and torque — the grunt that gets you moving — is a more modest 527Nm. A $45,000 Holden Commodore SS has more (530Nm). Expect it in Australian showrooms late in 2015 or early 2016 priced beyond your pay grade.A concept with more curves and contours than Kim Kardashian previews Infiniti's take on a 2+2 sports coupe.The Q60 concept will morph into the production car by 2016, powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 engine.The steer-by wire system already seen on the Q50 is also used here, along with Infiniti's Intuition system, which can store details on audio, airconditioning and seat position preferences for up to four drivers.When it finally arrives in Australia the road-going car will be expected to compete with Audi's swoopy A5 and the BMW 4 Series.There's no news on prices but the current Q60 starts at $63,990.A new heavyweight contender has joined the ranks of crossover coupes.The GLE Coupe is a curvy high-riding four-door SUV that will compete with BMW's X6.Two versions were at the Detroit show this week, the full-on 63 AMG and the (slightly) less aggressive GLE 450 Sport, with a diesel-powered 350d and GLE 400 to follow.The X6 was originally the answer to a question that no-one had asked, but has become a big global sales success.The newcomers are part of a wholesale overhaul of Mercedes-Benz's wagon range in 2015 that includes the replacement for the mid-sized GLK SUV and the new GLA Shooting Brake.There is no talk yet of prices, but the GLE Coupe is certain to have a starting price beyond $100,000 when it arrives here in the third quarter of this year.A new group of 6 Series "halo" cars took the spotlight for BMW in Detroit as the German company celebrated its fourth straight year of sales growth with more than two million deliveries in 2014.There are only minor changes to the M6, 650i coupe and Gran Coupe but global marketing boss Ian Roberston says the trio will be part of a global focus on growth."These are clearly the sportiest and most luxurious 6-Series vehicle we have ever built. We are launching a lot of new products again," he says.

Topless Alfa 4C sports car revealed at the Detroit motor show.Alfa Romeo has taken the wraps off the production version of the new 4C Spider, as previewed by the Spider concept at last year's 2014 Geneva motor show.Based around the same mid-engine carbon fibre monocoque structure as the 4C coupe, at 1128kg the Spider is only 10kg heavier than its hardtop sibling and around 180kg lighter than its nearest Porsche Boxster rival.That exotic carbon fibre structure also means the 4C should lose little chassis rigidity in the transformation from hardtop to Spider, though it is believed Alfa Romeo has tweaked the suspension slightly to compensate for the loss of the fixed roof.The roof is a manually removable lightweight carbon fibre item to match the distinctive composite windshield. The rear buttress can also be specified in carbon fibre but comes finished in black as standard.Power is supplied by the same 1.75-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the coupe, which sends 177kW/350Nm to the rear wheels via a six-speed twin-clutch transmission. While a 0-100km/h acceleration figure hasn’t been specified, the Spider should match the coupe’s 4.5 seconds – 0-96km/h (60mph) is claimed to take 4.1 seconds.Like the coupe, the new 4C Spider does without power assisted steering in its pursuit of lightweight performance and purist handling feedback.Visually, the new Spider can be differentiated from its coupe counterpart by its new cooling ducts placed ahead of the rear wheels, redesigned alloys, new engine cover and centre mounted exhaust tips if the optional Akrapovic titanium exhaust is fitted.Three different exhausts will be available on the 4C Spider – the standard system, a race setup that does without mufflers and features Y-shaped cats for reduced cabin drone and the dual-mode Akrapovic system.The cabin of the 4C Spider mimics the coupe’s and features the same sparse design with flat-bottom steering wheel, digital TFT instrument display and Alfa Romeo’s DNA drive mode selector.Moving up from All-weather to Race mode through Natural and Dynamic, introduces varying degrees of electronic stability control intervention, faster gearshifts and revised differential actuation. A launch control system is also calibrated into Race mode, designed to give the ultimate getaway.Strong overseas demand and limited build numbers for the 4C coupe has delayed its arrival on local shores, but is expected to become available in the coming months.The new 4C Spider variant isn’t expected to arrive in local showrooms for at least another twelve months.  

In a year when the overall car market shrank, all but a handful of prestige brands increased sales. Buyers don't just want a good car; they want others to see they have one, helping everyone from Maserati to Mercedes-Benz post gains.The trend is accelerating and a steady stream of new models in 2015 only adds to the impetus. CarsGuide looks at what's in store for the premium players this year.It isn't hard to foresee the popularity of the 4C two-seat coupe when it hits showrooms next month. This baby supercar uses a carbon-fibre tub, mid-engine layout and minimalist interior to present a modern incarnation of a stripped-down racer. Pricing will be $80,000-$100,000. The soft-top Spider is due in October. The Alfa Giulietta also gets an update.A steady new model rollout starts in February with the arrival of the TT coupe for just under $80,000. It will be joined by the soft-top roadster midyear and the TT S performance model in August or September. The plug-in petrol-electric A3 e-tron five-door hatch is due in May with an expected price of $60,000, with the Q7 large SUV due late in the year. Updates or variants include the A6/A7, RS6/RS7, A1, RS3 and Q3/RSQ3.New metal is in short supply at the British brand but two models will join the line-up, starting with the Vantage S Roadster at a shade under $420,000. If that isn't exclusive enough, consider the $500,000 Vanquish Carbon using the same V12 but with eight forward ratios in place of the Vantage's seven.BENTLEYChauffeurs will going cap-in-hand to buyers of the Mulsanne Speed for the chance to steer the best Bentley ever. A twin-turbo V8 cranks out 1100Nm - only the Bugatti Veyron can torque itself up as a more powerful production model - to push the 2.7-tonne limo into triple figures in 4.9 seconds. Pricing has yet to be set but if you have to ask, you can't afford it.There's a lot of product in the pipeline this year but only one all-new car. The X1 will switch to front-wheel drive when the second-generation model arrives in the third quarter. The X1 will look more mini-SUV than compact wagon, aligning it with the X3 and X5. Top-end versions will be all-wheel drive. Updates and new variants include the 2 Series convertible, X5M/X6M, 6 Series/X6, 3 Series, X4 M40i and X5 e-Drive.The 458 range has a Speciale A due next month. The 499 examples of the alloy hardtop model are already sold, meaning the $635,000 two-seater is likely to be a smart investment. Keep an eye on the classifieds.The struggle to be a serious prestige player continues for Infiniti with a major model overhaul due in 2016. A refreshed Q70 flagship is due midyear with a nip-and-tuck for the bumpers, updated interior trim and more safety software.The transition from niche player to prestige powerhouse is predicated on the XE sedan being a genuine rival for the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4 and BMW C-Class. Specs indicate the engines are up to the job, so it comes down to how well it can be priced in Australia. There will be updates for the F-Type coupe and convertible and XF sedan.Styling that echoes the Evoque and a premium interior mark the Discovery Sport, debuting in May. Essentially a replacement for the Freelander, the Sport is a serious off-roader with 600mm wading depth and four-wheel drive. Also expect a Range Rover Sport SVR, Range Rover hybrid and updated Evoque.A compact performance sedan, the RC F will cost $133,500, making it a 'budget' alternative to the Germans. The naturally aspirated 5.0-litre V8 isn't quite on par with the Euro competition but neither is the price. The GS F mid-sized sedan will use the same engine and is due later in the year, price undisclosed. The NX200 will get a new turbo engine.No new news is still good news for Lotus aspirants. An automatic Exige - the brand's first self-shifter - is due in the second quarter. Expect to pay around $9000 for the clutch-less version, putting the price above $135,000. An updated Evora should land late with less weight and improved interior.An 'affordable' McLaren is due late in the year with an entry level Sport model priced at more than $300,000. That puts it in the higher echelons of Porsche 911 territory - but still well below typical McLaren prices.Australia's top-selling prestige brand rolls out a range of new toys this year to expand its appeal. The action starts with the AMG GT and C63 AMG in the second quarter, both using a twin-turbo 4.0-litre V8. Skip ahead to Q3 and there's the new GLE (formerly known as the ML) and GLE coupe SUVs, followed by the CLA Shooting Brake and the much-needed GLC compact SUV. Other updates or variants include the S63 coupe, CLS, B-Class and S500 coupe.The action starts with an entry-level five-door Mini Cooper One at $25,600 in February. It is powered by a three-cylinder engine with 75kW/180Nm. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the John Cooper Works three-door hatch, which will be the Mini with the most mumbo ever when it arrives midyear at an estimated $48,000.There's plenty to whet the appetite for performance enthusiasts, even if it is all clad in existing bodywork. The base V6 and performance GTS Cayenne SUV models are due next month, followed by the Turbo S midyear. An update of the 911 should make it before Christmas and Santa may deliver the new GT4 Cayman at the same time.The XC90 large SUV is due midyear with prices starting from about $90,000. A more affordable alternative will be the V60 Cross Country due late in the year from $65,000. The elevated version of the V60 wagon will be sold in FWD and AWD guise.