Alfa Romeo Brera Review Covering 2006 To Date

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Quick Summary of the Alfa Romeo Brera

OVERALL

A used Alfa Romeo Brera is a complex proposition. Although the car itself is mechanically quite robust, used prices are currently quite firm but may not always remain so. A critical mass of buyers moving out of the market could do for the Brera as it did for the residuals of the Chrysler Crossfire. Therefore it’s probably wisest to either aim to keep your Brera for a limited spell, opt for a lower priced and more depreciation-proof 2.2-litre petrol car or close your eyes and hope for the best. On the plus side, Breras are unlikely to have been driven particularly hard and are easy to find.

STYLE TRIAL

* IntroductionLet’s face facts. Precious few of us buy a coupe because of the way it drives. In most cases they drive identically to the saloon model they’re often based on. Coupes tend to be bought for something less tangible. Call it a sense of occasion, whatever, but it’s that heart warming feeling you get when you see it outside your house and swell with pride that it’s yours. Few coupes do a better job of tugging the heart strings than Alfa Romeo’s Brera and here we take a look at whether a used example really is worth your while.
Used Alfa Romeo Brera for sale

History of the Brera

As the undisputed star of the Geneva Motor Show in 2002, the Alfa Brera prototype wowed the crowds with a shape that managed to meld classic Alfa Romeo design cues with a bold, futuristic vision of what a post millennial successor to the classic GTV was all about. Nobody really believed the flip-up doors would make production and, for quite some time, Alfa Romeo stonewalled any questions as to whether the Brera would go into series production at all.Fast forward three years to the 2005 Geneva Show and the car that customers would be able to buy was on display. It still attracted huge crowds and remained a very good-looking car but some of the tension and drama of the original had leaked away, replaced by a finished article that worked better from some angles than others. Since it arrived in UK dealers in March 2006, sales have been steady, buyer enthusiasm possibly tempered by magazine reviews disappointed with the car’s modest performance and handling. It’s still a car that can have pedestrians walking into lamp posts as they watch it drive past.
Used Alfa Romeo Brera for sale

Alfa Romeo Brera Road Test

The entry-level 2.2-litre car competes with some serious driving machines in its price bracket, costing a good deal more than an entry-level Mazda RX-8 and coming head to head with the class leader, the Nissan 350Z. Losing 101bhp to the Nissan, there’s no way the Alfa can win a competition as the sharper driving tool but as an object of desire, it has carved itself a solid niche. Taking 8.6 seconds to get to 60mph from rest and topping-out at 138mph makes this a brisk rather than concussive performer.The 2.2-litre petrol engine has been the big seller and it’s a very slick powerplant, if not hugely rapid in this installation. Alfa Romeo reckons it has accounted for 60 per cent of UK sales and it’s not hard to see why. The 185bhp engine returns a decent 30.1mpg fuel figure and emissions aren’t unreasonable at 221g/km. If you’re not all about cornering a car on its door handles, then this makes a very interesting choice. With rear seats that will easily accept smaller children, it’s even halfway practical. The next step up the Brera ladder is a 200bhp diesel version which, like the 2.2-litre car, directs power to the front wheels. The range-topping Brera variant is the storming 3.2-litre all-wheel drive Q4. This model will hit 60mph in 6.8 seconds and packs a 260bhp punch.
Used Alfa Romeo Brera for sale

Buying a Alfa Romeo Brera

There’s a lot of experience built into the Brera and most of the parts crop up with regularity elsewhere in the Alfa Romeo range. While purists may mourn the passing of the old Alfa Romeo V6, the six-cylinder GM-sourced powerplant that’s plumbed into the Brera range-topper (and also sees duty in various Vauxhalls) is nevertheless an untemperamental and solid partner. Rust is not a problem as all body panels are galvanised. The Brera is not a car that can really be ‘Paris-parked’ as any small scratches, dings or nicks on the curvaceous bodywork show up very clearly. Check the driver information system for faults and ensure the controls for the ventilation system all function as they should. The 2.4-litre diesel-engined car has quite an appetite for front tyres, so make sure these have the requisite tread depth and consistent wear rate. Alfa dealers once had a rather patchy reputation but some serious investment is starting to pay dividends with regards to service quality.
Used Alfa Romeo Brera for sale

Alfa Romeo Brera Typical Pricing

Brera prices start at £18,500 for the 2.2-litre entry level car but the SV edition has proven a more popular choice and these can be found from £19,500 on a 2006 06 plate. Opt for the deeper lungs of the 3.2-litre four-wheel drive variant and you’ll need to stump up at least £23,000 for a leggy example and up to £1,000 more for something that’s seen a few less miles. The 2.4-litre JTDM diesel seems the ideal compromise but prices are holding very firm, £22,500 being a typical 06 plate valuation from a franchised dealer.
Used Alfa Romeo Brera for sale

Alfa Romeo Brera Parts

(based on a Brera 2.2 JTS) A clutch assembly is around £155. Front and rear brakepads are around £50 per set of each, a rear exhaust box about £143 (excluding catalyst), a starter motor around £190.
Used Alfa Romeo Brera for sale

Alfa Romeo Brera Rated

Performance Performance 3 out of 5

Comfort

Handling

Economy

Styling

Equipment

Build

Depreciation Depreciation 3 out of 5

Insurance

Value

Alfa Romeo Brera Review2006 To Date