Features

At least inside it's not all that bad a place to be, even if you have to look at everything from a funny angle. The dash in this SV variant is basically 159 with a nice big slab of alloy-alike in the centre-console.

There's a triumvirate of dials in the centre console (in this case turbo boost, water temp and fuel guage), canted over to the driver, with pods for the major dial readings dead ahead.

Everything feels very nicely put together, even though some of the stalks could benefit from not being made of bakelite. As the miles pass, I just can't get my head around the seat, though.

It's like meeting someone you really get on with and then finding out that they're a part-time Nazi. No matter how much you like them, it's never going to be enough to get over that one massive flaw.

It all comes down to where the Brera is supposed to fit, what you think you're getting and what Alfa thinks the car does. And this is where Alfa is relying on the fact that people obviously love the way the car looks.

The heart has to have a very firm grip on the head if the battering ram of reality is smashing down your mental front door. Facts to mull: this diesel SV costs a whopping £27,500, without the optional 18in wheels.

The 3.2-litre only knocks £150 off £30k and you don't get satnav. This is serious money when you realise that this car cannot carry four people. Suddenly, you're not playing with the Mazda RX-8 or Golf R32, but altogether more serious kit like the Nissan 350Z and the forthcoming new Audi TT.

This car should be cheaper and it remains to be seen whether the savvy British public is prepared to weigh the style over substance argument quite so heavily in favour of a pretty face.

Read Alfa Romeo Brera Car Review

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Alfa Romeo Brera 3.2 V6 SV - August 31, 2006
Alfa Romeo Brera 2.2 - December 13, 2005