Alfa Romeo 2000 Reviews

Refreshed Giulietta hatch brings cabin refinements, improved safety features amid price rise.Alfa Romeo has refreshed the Giulietta just in time for Christmas, bringing cabin updates and improved safety features to the hatchback.Following 18 months after the most recent revisions, the Giulietta's styling has also been subtly tweaked, with a revised version of Alfa's trademark shield grille.The base-level Giulietta has been discontinued, leaving the Giulietta Progression as the new price leader, starting from $29,000. This represents a $4,450 price increase from the outgoing Giulietta and a $1,550 increase from the previous Progression.The Progression now features rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, a five-inch touchscreen multimedia system, along with new seat fabric, dashboard trim, redesigned multifunction steering wheel and 16-inch alloys.The new Giulietta Progression also sports a 10Nm stronger 88kW/215Nm version of the 1.4-litre four-cylinder turobcharged petrol engine from the previous model, paired with a six-speed manual transmission.The updated Giulietta Progression continues to be equipped with Alfa's DNA driving selector as well as the stability control, electronic differential, LED running and tail lights, auto headlights and wipers.The top-spec Giulietta Distinctive jumps by $3,650 to $33,000, and gains the same five-inch touchscreen multimedia system from the Progression and also adds parking sensors on the front to accompany the ones on rear. The Distinctive's touchscreen can be optioned up to a 6.2-inch version which also adds satnav.New equipment also includes electric-folding side mirrors, automatic wipers and headlights, heated leather seats, auto-dimming rear view mirror and a redesigned multifunction steering wheel.Like the Progression, the Distinctive carries the DNA driving selector, stability control, dual-zone climate control, LED running and tail lights from the previous version.The new Distinctive's updated 125kW/250Nm 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine can be paired with either a six-speed manual or six-speed dual clutch TCT transmission. The manual slightly reduces fuel consumption over its outgoing version, with a combined figure of 5.7L/100km down from 5.9L/100km.

Pat Dougherty to head Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in Australia.Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) has announced Pat Dougherty will become the group's next Australian CEO and President, taking over the role from Veronica Johns who announced her departure on Tuesday.Dougherty has been with the North American arm of FCA for over 30 years, and moves into the role on December 1, from his current position of Vice President of Mopar, the parts and service division of FCA.Prior to this, he was the Head of Fleet Sales, Network and Operations and Head of Fleet Sales in North America.Veronica Johns tendered her resignation from FCA in August of this year citing personal reasons, but her departure was only made public earlier this week.Ms Johns’ two-year tenure at the top of FCA Australia saw not only record sales, but also a dramatic shift in the treatment of women within the company’s Australian arm.John Kett, Corporate Vice President of FCA and General Manager, APAC Operations said the company will look to continue down the path Ms Johns crafted."We need to continue our focus on sustainable growth across all of our brands and imperative to this will be the further development of our after-sales business to ensure that FCA is one of the most customer-focussed automotive companies in the market," he said.

Veronica Johns oversaw record sales at the Fiat Chrysler Group, and took a unique approach to breaking down the gender barriers.The first Australian woman to head a car company, Veronica Johns -- who earned notoriety for tearing down workshop posters of naked women, as well as record sales -- has announced her resignation as the boss of the Fiat Chrysler Group after almost two years in the role and 16 years with the corporation. Her departure at the end of the year means there will no longer be a woman as the boss of any car brand in Australia. Ms Johns earned the credibility of her industry colleagues after overseeing record sales growth, but she also quickly attracted attention from car dealers after she tore down posters of naked women in workshops during showroom visits. “It does take a certain personality type to cope with men in the car industry,” said Ms Johns. “Thankfully we’ve eradicated any gender issues in our company.” The transition didn’t come easily for some people. “When I started you could still walk into workshops with posters of naked women on the walls. “I ripped them off and threw them in the bin. The (workers) didn’t say much, and I’m sure they probably got them out of the bin after I left. “Women have to work in this environment and that’s what they’ve got to look at. Some people in the industry are blind to it. It’s just accepted as the norm and it shouldn’t be.” Ms Johns, 43, said she’d taken down posters of naked women “about four times” over the past three years, but hasn’t had to do so lately. “We’ve eradicated the gender issues from our business, but it’s still in other parts of the car industry,” said Ms Johns. The Melbourne-based executive says women are in more prominent positions in the car industry globally, but Australia is still catching up. In January 2014, Mary Barra became the first woman to become the global boss of a major car company, as the CEO of General Motors based in Detroit. Only handful of foreign women have run car companies in Australia over the past 15 years. American Judith Wheeler was the first, she ran Chrysler-Jeep in Australia from 2000 to 2003. Germans Jutta Dierks and Anke Koeckler successively ran Volkswagen’s Australian operations from 2007 to 2013. But Ms Johns is understood to be the first Australian woman to have run a large car company in Australia. At the time of her appointment in May 2013, she edged out male rivals from North America who were keen to take up the prime posting. Ms Johns said the car industry -- and car buyers -- would benefit from gender equality. “With modern technology so many cars have so many similar features these days, the biggest difference is how you treat people,” said Ms Johns. “Women are very competitive, and some can be brutal, but I believe we are still more inclined to treat people with kindness and respect. I think that, and the ability to relate to people, comes more easily to women than to men.” Car industry consultant Tony Devers, the former boss of Honda and Suzuki motor vehicles in Australia -- who accurately predicted in 2010, three years before any announcements, that the local car manufacturing industry would close by the end of the decade -- says there should be more women in the car industry. “There’s no excuse, women clearly have the skills and the drive and the passion for the business, but they typically tend to come into the car industry in marketing or human resources roles,” said Mr Devers. “The executives who rise to the top in the car industry have earned their stripes in sales, finance and strategic planning,” he said. Ms Johns will work with the her successor -- due to be announced in the coming days, and likely to come from Detroit -- until the end of the year, when she is expected to announce a new role the automotive industry. Under Ms John’s leadership, the monthly sales of Chrysler, Jeep, Fiat and Alfa Romeo vehicles increased by 53 per cent as the rest of the industry grew by about 2 per cent. So far this year, sales across all four brands are up 39 per cent in a market that is down 2 per cent compared with the same period last year. When Ms Johns accepted the role to run Fiat Chrysler Group Australia in 2013, she said: “I don’t think it makes a difference if you’re male or female in this business anymore. Good people rise to the top. The car industry is not a man’s world anymore.”

Thanks to its very Italian styling the Alfa Romeo 147 five-door hatch is often mistaken for a two-door sports coupe, but is actually a reasonably practical family car, if the kids are pre-teen, that is. The Alfa 147 is also sold as a three-door hatch – with an even sportier look.While interior room is fine in the front. Rear seat access in the three-door is about average for its class, meaning it's easy for the kids, but anyone older may find it a pain.On the road the little Alfa 147 offers a huge amount of dynamic driving pleasure. If you enjoy driving and are tired of boringly sensible Japanese and Korean cars then an Alfa Romeo 147 should be high on your list of potential buys.The Alfa 147 is powered by a 2.0-litre Twin Spark (two spark plugs per cylinder) four-cylinder engine. It's beautifully responsive and sounds very purposeful. In a really Italian manner, the Twin Spark is more than happy to rev to the heavens, however it's a little weak at lower revs and you really need to have a minimum of 3000 rpm on the tacho to keep life interesting.True Alfa lovers can't resist the temptation to stay in lower gears just to listen and feel their engines so the 147 suits them fine.The five-speed manual's gear changes feel good for a front-drive car. But if you are accustomed to a rear-driver you may find it less appealing, try for yourself before falling in love with the shape of the little European hatch.Alfa's Selespeed sequential-manual gearbox also has five forward ratios. Like all of its type it's rather harsh in its gear changes during upshifts in its lower ratios, but better once you get to third and beyond.We do love the way the Selespeed blips the throttle on the downshifts.A 1.9-litre turbo-diesel arrived in Australian Alfa Romeo 147s in January 2006. It has considerably more power and torque than the four-cylinder petrol, and once it has passed through its irritating turbo lag period is a reasonably responsive unit. However, the low redline is a bit of a letdown to those who love their sporting Italian machines. The only transmission sold with the 147 diesel is a six-speed manual.Those who want a really hot little Alfa Romeo can go for the hyper-hatch 147 GTA with its huge 3.2-litre V6 engine, bold body kit, taut suspension and upgraded brakes. The GTA is offered with a conventional six-speed manual or six-speed Selespeed - forget the Selespeed...These days Alfa Romeo is pretty well represented in Australia as the factory has taken over Australian distribution. For obvious reasons most of the dealerships are concentrated in major metropolitan areas. If you live the country it might be an idea to look for a local Alfa specialist before getting too deeply into the purchase stage.New-generation Alfas are better built than the earlier ones. However, we still see the occasional rough one and hear of some complaints from owners.Spare parts and servicing aren't overly expensive for a thoroughbred Italian car.The home mechanic may care to try some of their own servicing and smaller repairs, but we really do suggest its best left to the professionals. Having a workshop manual for reference is a must.Insurance costs can be high, especially on the GTA. If you're under 25 and/or have a poor driving record get a quote or two on a GTA before committing yourself to the car.WHAT TO LOOK FORBy all means do your own inspection of an Alfa 147 to the best of your ability, but we highly recommend that you call a professional before committing.Look for body repairs, most easily spotted by mismatched paint on adjacent body panels, uneven gaps between panels, paint overspray on non-painted parts and ripples in what should be smooth metal.A lot of brake dust on the wheels can indicate hard driving. Check the insides of the front wheels as it's likely the outsides of the wheels will have been cleaned by a smart seller.Make sure the engine starts easily and idles smoothly from the moment it gets going. Naturally the V6 will be smoother than the four.A manual gearbox that isn't light in its action could be due for repairs. Do some fast changes from third down to second and feel for a reluctance to shift, or for funny noises.During the road test look for steering that wanders and feel for brakes that don't pull the car up evenly.CAR BUYING TIPInteresting cars attract interesting people, who often get together to form a club for their favourite machines. Try contacting club member for advice on buying. They may even know the actual car you're considering.

New S-Class Coupe to make Australian debut at Motorclassica, along with appearances from Maserati, Jaguar, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin and Lotus.Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building will play host to Motorclassica this weekend, as over 500 cars and motorcycles fill the world-heritage listed building and its surrounding grounds.Celebrating classic cars and bikes, Motorclassica started as a concourse event but has since grown to become a motor show-style exhibition which has attracted attention from several iconic sports car marques.Among the classic cars at this year's event will be new models from Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar, Porsche, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Aston Martin, Lotus, Caterham and Morgan.Each of these brands have rich histories, and Motorclassica gives manufacturers a platform to build on this heritage with their latest models.S-Class Coupe will be available with a number of powertrains, including the 430kW/900Nm AMG 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8Mercedes-Benz was the first contemporary manufacturer to debut a new model at Motorclassica last year, and will use this year's event to reveal its new S-Class Coupe to an Australian audience for the first time.The new model is Mercedes' flagship luxury coupe, replacing the CL-Class range, and will rival the Bentley Continental when it goes on sale locally in the first quarter of next year.Though Australian specifications are still unconfirmed, the S-Class Coupe will be available with a number of powertrains, including the 430kW/900Nm AMG 5.5-litre twin-turbo V8 aboard the S63 performance flagship.Maserati will celebrate 100 years in the automotive business at this year's show and is expected to be represented strongly with iconic past models. The Italian marque's new Ghibli and Quattroporte sedans will also be on display, along with the Gran Turismo and Gran Cabrio two-door models.Jaguar will showcase its F-Type R Coupe, the firm's most powerful production model ever, while fellow British brand Aston Martin will have a Vanquish and V8 Vantage on display.Lotus will also show a pair of mid-engine Exige S sports cars, one hardtop and one roadster.The show will also celebrate 50 years of the Ford Mustang with a special display featuring the most desirable and classic Pony cars, although the new 2015 model due to go on sale in Australia next year won't make the show.Motorclassica 2014 will run between October 24-26 at Melbourne's Royal Exhibition Building.

Get ready for a new Italian dish. After three years in the cold, Alfa's new four-door Giulia sedan is poised for launch here next year.The car - a parts-bin exercise with input from Ferrari and Maserati - will be the first new-breed Alfa sedan since Fiat-Chrysler Automobile boss Sergio Marchionne shook up the brand, declaring earlier this year that he wanted it returned to its pre-Fiat sports roots.Integral with Marchionne's new focus, all future Alfa Romeos will be rear-wheel or all-wheel drive, have a strong accent on performance, and be wholly made in Italy. "Alfa Romeos have to be produced in Italy with an Italian powertrain," Marchionne said at the Geneva motor show in March."Some things belong to a place, and Alfa belongs to Italy." The Giulia - a name resurfacing from the original 1962 sedan - is expected in Australia early in 2016. It is a successor to the front-wheel drive 159 and will be made as a sedan and wagon.Its entry price could be under $45,000 based on predictions of a car equipped for the UK market, where it will be launched in late 2015. Fiat Chrysler Group director of communications in Australia Karla Leach says only that it's a car "we'd definitely take". She says no details of the car or its launch date have been released.The Giulia was an on-off project since 2011. At one stage, Marchionne pulled the plug because he says the designers came up with a car style that looked "bland like a Lexus". The restyle creates a shape more aligned with the current Giulietta - a model ironically that may be ditched - and uses some frontal styling highlights of the 4C coupe.More than a pretty shape, the Giulia will use drivetrains including some designed by Ferrari and shared with Maserati. The 3.0-litre V6 turbo, from the Maserati Ghibli, is likely to be the top-shelf power option.The Giulia may also come with Alfa's 180kW 1750cc turbo four-cylinder - used in the Alfa 4C coupe and Spider - or a new 1.8-litre version with 221kW. European markets are also likely to get a turbo diesel.Transmission options could include the 4C's dual-clutch gearbox but it's made ideally for a transverse design and its harsh gearshifts may be unsuitable for Alfa's desire for an up-market sedan. The Giulia may use a ZF auto, from the supplier of the Ghibli's eight-speeder.Alfa is on record as saying the Giulia, and its big-sister Alfetta due in 2017, will aim to combine sports handling with sedan ride comfort.Suspension design will include active-roll control that automatically adjusts springs and dampers through corners and over irregular road surfaces.An additional active damping system would enable the driver to adjust the ride and handling balance.The Giulia is also expected to come standard with the switchable DNA program - already available on the MiTo and Giulietta - which changes steering weight and accelerator response. The sedan - and later a wagon - will be built at Fiat's Cassino factory near Rome. The engines will be trucked in from Fiat plants in southern and central Italy.

Ewan Kennedy road tests and reviews the used Alfa Romeo 166 1999-2009.

To get five doors, front-drive, a decent boot and space for the kids, you don't have to settle for a boring shopping trolley...

Next week will see the unveiling of a five-year strategy for the Fiat-Chrysler group, and it's expected to include the spin-off of Alfa Romeo as a separate entity. That would see the struggling brand sit apart in a similar way to Ferrari and Maserati, in which the group also has a majority stake.The plans also include limiting Alfa Romeo production to Italy, sourcing engines from Ferrari and having only rear-wheel drive cars -- all strategies that have proved successful for Maserati.According to industry journal Automotive News, Fiat-Chrysler head Sergio Marchionne wants to shear off Alfa as part of a relaunch for the brand, which includes public disclosure of its financial statements."Marchionne needs to make Alfa's P&L clearly visible to make this new relaunch attempt into a credible business proposition," a source is cited as saying. Echoing the Maserati strategy, there would be only rear-wheel drive Alfa cars, with all-wheel drive platforms being used only for SUVs and crossovers.Marchionne has rolled out a number of different strategies -- four in total -- to boost Alfa out of the doldrums over the past 10 years. But despite the most recent plan having a target of seeing annual sales rise to 500,000 by the end of this year, the brand finished 2013 with just over 20 per cent of that figure.Marchionne will reveal the new Fiat-Chrysler strategy on May 6.This reporter is on Twitter: @KarlaPincott

Alfa Romeo is famed for making great looking sports coupes and few have ever looked better than the sensational Alfa Romeo Brera that was introduced to Australia in June 2006. As well as looking pretty it was also pretty expensive as the importer at the time was charing top dollar for everything. Sales weren’t as high as they could have been.Imports of Alfa Romeo cars are now directly in the hands of the factory and serious price cuts on many Alfa Romeo models have been carried out. Unfortunately, the Brera didn’t survive the Australia takeover, probably because it was getting on in years, and the final imports arrived downunder early in 2012. Though they may not have been sold and registered until well into the year.Brera has styling by Italian automotive legend Giorgietto Giugiaro and was displayed at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show. Interest was so great that Alfa Romeo Centro Stile, the company’s own styling department, worked with Giugiaro to develop the stunning coupe that finally went on sale.A further legendary Italian automotive name comes into the equation as well, for the Brera bodies are built by the coachbuilding company Pininfarina. In Australia, the Brera was sold in two versions; the four-cylinder 2.2-litre JTS 136 kW engine and the top level Brera JTS, a V6 3.2-litre boasting 191 kW.Alfa’s V6 engine is interesting in that it’s based on the V6 block manufactured by Holden in Australia, before being shipped back to Italy for further worldwide on-selling. Alfa likes to point out that the rest of the engine, the parts they say give it soul, are all by Alfa Romeo and are made in Italy.You get more than simply two extra cylinders when you opt for the V6 engine, because you also receive Alfa Romeo’s all-wheel drive system tagged Q4. This has a self-locking Torsen centre differential virtually eliminates the understeer which is a bugbear in some all-wheel drive vehicles. It gives this Alfa Romeo the feeling of a rear-drive car, but with a lot more road grip when things get hard.Six-speed manual gearboxes are standard on both Brera models and work pretty well considering the gearbox is alongside the engine and therefore a fair way from the gearlever.The Brera retains some of Alfa’s traditional idiosyncrasies, such as seats that do not locate the driver’s body as well as they could during hard cornering. Then there are the less than perfectly placed pedals. Having to hold the steering wheel for support when lifting the left foot to operate the clutch pedal detracts from the driving experience.This Alfa is quite a large coupe, but interior volume isn’t one of its strong points. Back seat room is scarce and best left to the kids. Trouble is that the high window line makes it hard for the little ones to see out. But, let's be fair on the car, this is a coupe and therefore really only intended for one or two good friends.Boot space is fine for a car in this class and unless the luggage is on the bulky side you can fit a fair bit in there.The newly revitalised Alfa Romeo organisation is working well in Australia. With a significant number of new dealers being appointed and an emphasis on customer support. Check in your local area to see what’s happening in your neighbourhood.As you would expect in a car in this class most of the dealer are in metro areas, though some country cities and towns have specialists in European, even just Italian, cars.We haven’t heard of any real complaints about hold up and/or price gouging on Alfa Romeo Brera. Keep in mind this was a $100k car in its early years here and expect to be charged accordingly.Though all Alfa Romeo models tend to be seen as sports models by insurance companies premiums aren’t unacceptably high. It pays to shop around as there’s quite a difference from high to low, as always be sure to compare apples with apples.WHAT TO LOOK FORBuild quality is reasonably good, but certainly not to the standards of the Japan, or even latter-day Korean cars.Once upon a time you could say that parts that didn’t fit as well as they should have done gave the car character. Though they aren’t as common as before it’s still wise to call in a professional early in the buying process.Before doing so you may care to test a Brera on rough sealed roads and listen for things that go squeak or rattle in the night.Engines are generally long lasting, but hard-driving enthusiasts may have thrashed them. Be sure an engine starts easily and idles smoothly, the V6 should be all put imperceptible at idle once it’s warmed up.Watch for black smoke from the exhaust when the Alfa is put under load, and when it’s accelerated suddenly after idling for a minute or so.Check a manual gearbox is quiet and smooth in its operation.Feel for a clutch that’s sticky.Automatics are generally OK, but be wary of one that’s too willing to jump from gear to gear. Conversely, an auto that is relocation to change ratios could also be a worry.Crash repairs. Ah, crash repairs. Alfas have been known to run into things. Look and feel for body panels that aren’t regular in their shape. Check for paint that doesn’t match from panel to panel. Tiny spots of paint on parts such as glass and badges probably indicate the car has visited a spray painter at some time in the past.CAR BUYING TIPCar clubs are an excellent source of information on cars that are often owned by enthusiasts. Try the internet or for lists of clubs in car magazines.