2005 Alfa Romeo GT Reviews

The Italian is a bit too costly, but it does the rest of the job.It is a two-plus-two coupe with an emphasis on style. It has a two-litre engine that's not too wild and it's good to drive.The GT is doing the same sort of job as the Celica: setting a style and direction, luring customers into showrooms and getting people to think about a brand even when they are not shopping for a car.I have driven the GT before with the high-performance V6 engine, so I was keen to see how it goes with a two-litre JTS engine and the semi-automatic gearbox system called Selespeed.Most buyers in Australia are going the Selespeed way and, even though I've had dramas with it, I have heard plenty about improvements.The gearbox is a full manual but with a sequential shift system that takes over the clutch work and decisions on shifts when you use it as an automatic.The driver can always override the system with a flick of the steering-wheel paddles or by bumping the gear lever. And the latest software forces the car to hold a gear through to redline when it previously upshifted on its own.Selespeed was developed for the Ferrari F355 to turn a manual gearbox into an automatic for city work and for customers who don't want to shift all their gears all the time. It was lumpy at first but is much better now."Eighty per cent of Alfa Romeo sales in Australia are with Selespeed. It is fitted to all our models except the luxury 166," Alfa Australia spokesman Edward Rowe says. "Australia vies with Japan as the No 1 Selespeed market. GT sales are doing 12 to 20 cars a month, depending on supply, and 70 per cent are the JTS with Selespeed."But Australia is still tiny business for Alfa. Sales are less than 1 per cent of annual production. The GT is part of a style revolution at Alfa Romeo and has taken over from the very old GTV. It shares its basic mechanical package with the 156 Sportwagon, but the great-looking coupe body is new.The JTS Selespeed model is $64,950 and the engine is a hi-tech hummer, producing 121kW of power but with lean-burn technology and direct injection to boost its all-round efficiency.Alfa says it sprints to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and has fuel economy better than 7 litres/100km in European trials. There are other benefits, including the full luxury package from the GT V6 for $15,000 less. Only four or five buyers a month are going for the V6.ON THE ROADYOU can't question the looks of the Alfa GT. It turns lots of heads.The GT has a fantastic shape, with all the traditional Alfa triggers, from the bold grille and bodywork that looks best in classic red to tan leather seats and a dashboard with two big dials to monitor the essentials.The ride and handling is good, too, and the two-litre JTS engine in my test car was suitably responsive and light on the pumps.It's not the quickest thing around, but it is quite swift – and the overall economy during my test drive of 9.8 litres/100km is good on a car that likes to be driven.The JTS engine is very responsive and it has a typically Alfa note, but it isn't quite as charismatic as the V6.I also enjoyed all the equipment, particularly the sound system and the shape of the seats, and the price is pretty good for what you get. It's not nearly as affordable as a Celica, but you wouldn't really expect it to be.

The Italian is a bit too costly, but it does the rest of the job.It is a two-plus-two coupe with an emphasis on style. It has a 2.0-litre engine that's not too wild and it's good to drive.The GT is doing the same sort of job as the Celica: setting a style and direction, luring customers into showrooms, and getting people to think about a brand even when they are not shopping for a car.We have driven the GT before with the high-performance V6 engine, so we are keen to see how it goes with a 2.0-litre JTS engine and the semi-automatic gearbox system called Selespeed.Most buyers in Australia are going the Selespeed way and, even though we've had dramas with it, we have heard plenty about improvements.The gearbox is a full manual but with a sequential shift system that takes over the clutch work and decisions on shifts when you use it as an automatic.The driver can always override the system with a flick of the steering-wheel paddles or by bumping the gearlever.And the latest software forces the car to hold a gear through to redline when it previously upshifted on its own.Selespeed was developed for the Ferrari F355 to turn a manual gearbox into an automatic for city work and for customers who don't want to shift all their gears all the time. It was lumpy at first, but is much better now."Eighty per cent of Alfa Romeo sales in Australia are with Selespeed. It is fitted to all our models except the luxury 166," Alfa Australia spokesman Edward Rowe says."Australia vies with Japan as the No.1 Selespeed market. GT sales are doing 12-20 cars a month, depending on supply, and 70 per cent are the JTS with Selespeed."But Australia is still tiny business for Alfa. Sales are less than one per cent of annual production.The GT is part of a style revolution at Alfa Romeo and has taken over from the very old GTV (above right). It shares its basic mechanical package with the 156 Sportwagon, but the great-looking coupe body is new.The JTS Selespeed model is $64,950 and the engine is a hi-tech hummer, producing 121kW but with lean-burn technology and direct injection to boost its all-round efficiency.Alfa says it sprints to 100km/h in 8.7 seconds and has fuel economy better than 7 litres/100km in European trials.For customers, there are other benefits, including the full luxury package from the GT V6 for $15,000 less. Only four or five people a month are going for the V6.The JTS Selespeed comes with airconditioning and leather seats, CD sound, anti-skid brakes and traction control, airbags and all the rest of the fruit, so Alfa hasn't done a wind-down on the deal.The only obvious mechanical change is to 16-inch alloy wheels, which the company says is a choice for comfort over maximum cornering grip.ON THE ROADYou cannot question the looks of the Alfa GT. It turns lots of heads.The GT has a fantastic shape with all the traditional Alfa triggers, from the bold grille and bodywork that looks best in racer red to tan leather seats and a dashboard with two big dials to monitor the essentials.The ride and handling is good, too, and the 2.0-litre JTS engine in our test car was suitably responsive and light on the pumps.It's not the quickest thing around, but it is quite swift and overall economy of 9.8 litres/100km is good on a car that likes to be driven. The JTS engine is very responsive and it has a typically Alfa note, but it isn't quite as charismatic as the V6.We also enjoyed all the equipment, particularly the sound system and the shape of the seats, and the price is pretty good for what you get. It's not nearly as affordable as a Celica, but you wouldn't really expect it to be.But then the Cars Guide team splits on the GT, mostly over the Selespeed transmission.The older and gentler drivers were reasonably happy and liked the chance for some Formula One-style paddle action. But others hated the slow-paced city changes, the conflict between the driver's brain and the computer brain, and the need to worry constantly about little things such as the clutch take-up on hills – the car will roll backwards if you're not careful – and selection of reverse.The gearbox did baulk a couple of times during forwards-to-backwards shifts during parking, and that worries us.In a real manual you would jiggle the clutch to get going, but the Alfa needs a shutdown and restart, like rebooting a computer.So the message to shoppers is to try before you buy.Moving away from the gearbox, the GT JTS is a little lighter and easier to handle than the V6 car.The GT fights a range of coupes if you look at the price, but it's nowhere near as sporty as a Nissan 350Z or Mazda RX-8 and it doesn't have the same bragging rights as a Benz or BMW coupe.Which puts it into the middle ground, where it needs to be assessed on its own as much as up against its rivals.It scores top points for looks and equipment, pretty well for the engine and solidly for value.The Alfa GT is one of the best-looking cars in the country, but it still won't be first choice for people who really need a Celica.THE BOTTOM LINETHE GT is a great looker from a classic brand, but the Selespeed car still doesn't drive as nicely as we would like. Alfa is giving people a manual with an auto change, but the move now is to automatics with manual response, so it is driving against the traffic.

But that's the story with the Alfa Romeo GT in its two-litre JTS variant when compared with its V6-engined $79,990 sibling.What's the difference? The V6 rockets to 100km/h two seconds faster, has 55kW and 94Nm more oomph, and a six-speed manual gearbox. Oh, and a few nicer interior touches.The budget-priced — well, in relative terms — four-cylinder is still no slouch off the mark. In Australia, where there are few opportunities to drive with vigour, the smaller model starts to make a lot more sense.Add to that the lower fuel consumption, which is considerably more frugal than the V6, and downsizing never looked more painless.Typifying Italian style, the GT comes in a slinky two-door body with seating for four adults at a pinch, two adults and two children at best. The boot access is via a long hatch with extra storage available by flipping down the split rear seats. Nothing remarkable there.That aside, the cabin gives some idea of why the "cheaper" GT is still a pricey $65,000 machine.Comprehensive instrumentation, albeit set in a bit of a mish-mash dashboard, combines with high-quality leather upholstery.The cabin is predominantly black plastic and leather which, combined with the red paint of the body, is the mandatory livery for a fast car.Impressive though the interior is, it's the mechanical components that reflect the Alfa's heart and its esteemed racing history.There's even a sticker on the inside of the windscreen asking the new owner for some consideration for the low-mileage engine to build up to peak performance — which I read after my test run.It didn't seem to matter. The GT JTS — those three letters indicated a lean-burn engine system — delivered an excellent blend of low-speed punch and top-end urge.The cheaper GT comes only with a Selespeed semi-manual gearbox with gearchanges made either by a 100mm floor-shifter or paddles on the steering wheel.Alfa's initial attempts at the Selespeed some years ago were less than successful. The latest- generation gearbox is smoother, changes more quickly and doesn't make many mistakes. It has five gears, but I think the engine would prefer six.Change up by momentarily lifting your foot off the accelerator and clicking the right-hand steering wheel lever. Downchanges, complete with an automatic mid-change "blip", are via the left-hand lever.In other surprising changes for the better, the driving position is better suited to the Australian physique. Early Alfas required long arms and short legs to comfortably operate the controls.Get comfortable and find a quiet, curvy road and the GT immediately shows why it's an Alfa and why it's not cheap.Despite its front-drive platform, it has virtually no understeer and will bite hard into the corners.The back follows through without trying to let go, and the steering weight is near perfect.In the debit column is the GT's woefully expansive turning circle, and niggly things like the warning chime when the ignition key is withdrawn. It sounds like a dying pigeon.But it remains a sensual driving experience that also just happens to look pretty hot.

And if you like cars, it's also very much about the motoring experience. Sometimes in such special places, a special kind of car can add immeasurably to the enjoyment.A car such as the Alfa Romeo GT, the quintessential "little Italian job", which seems to demand the wearing of the polo neck sweater, the gold jewellery and the three-day stubble.What a neat thing it is. In the two-litre JTS Selespeed test model, the temptation is to find a quiet stretch of road somewhere and let it stretch its legs – it's a car that dedicated "drivers" will really enjoy.For the DOHC engine seems to spin very freely, producing a most authoritative treble note from the oversized exhaust.But if you're in the market for a sports "cross" – the sort of car which will whiz you around for a bit of excitement when the mood takes you, but double effectively as a versatile family shuttle – look elsewhere.The Alfa GT feels very much the serious sports car, doing its best work when the revs are up rather than crawling around the suburbs or stuck in traffic.The five-speed Selespeed transmission, which functions best as a clutchless manual, does have a "city" mode where all the thinking is done for you, but timing the changes yourself makes for a far more satisfying drive. And the car steers – and stops – with marvellous sure-footedness, with none of the old-fashioned understeer, which used to be associated with front-wheel drive configurations. So there's a great deal to enjoy about the GT JTS.Inside, the finish is superb, with even the scuff plates polished to a reflective finish. The beautifully trimmed seats hug you tight around the ribs and the ride is firm but comfortable.And everything that should be adjustable, is. The seating position is infinitely adjustable, the wheel position is exactly right and everything comes to hand naturally.And earlier comments notwithstanding, there is leg room enough in the back to make for a relatively comfortable ride for rear seat passengers, so long as they are not too lanky.The car is also crammed with a range of nifty features. The trip computer tells you everything you need to know – and more – about how far you've been, how far you've got to go, how much fuel you've used, etc etc.And for that trip to Thredbo, the front seats are heated to take the chill out of your spine after a hard day on the piste.The outside mirrors are also heated, so fogging up is not a problem, and there are washers for the headlights.As you would expect, it's got cruise control, climate control, the mandatory six stacker, central locking, and airbags everywhere.According to the technical specifications, the two-litre version will consume just 8.7L/100km, which averages the urban cycle (12.3/100km) and the economical rural cycle (6.8L/100km), so fuelling the little Italian rocket won't require an overdraft.And for those who are impressed by such stats, the blurb states the car will propel you from 0km/h to 100km/h in 8.7 sec.So yes, a whole lot to like. And not much to dislike. But one thing. The sound system is probably terrific, but unless your girlfriend is an audio engineer, you might run into a snag getting the thing actually turned on.Changing modes, selection stations, activating the CD – an hour or two with the operator's manual would probably offer solutions to all those problems, but does it have to be so complicated? And another picky thing – the wing mirrors provide a good rear vision but they seem too big and too high, cutting the forward line of sight, particularly in right hand turns.Tiny little things. All in all, the Alfa Romeo GT JTS Selespeed is a very cool conveyance.