New Alfa Romeo Car Reviews
New Alfa Romeo 147 1.9 JTDM 16V Car Review

ALFA’S 147 BREAKTHROUGH

The performance diesel hatch is now an accepted part of the motoring landscape. fitted to the latest Alfa Romeo 147, The Italian company’s 1.9 JTDM 16v unit is one of the best of the bunch. By Andy Enright

It’s a mark of how far we’ve come that 150bhp in a small hatchback rarely raises eyebrows these days. A solid 200bhp seems to be the entry point to the brigade of seriously sporting shopping trolleys, but the rules get a little skewed if you’ve got a diesel under your bonnet. Majoring on torque rather than power, a 150bhp diesel hatch can make its 200bhp petrol cousin feel a little reedy. The Alfa Romeo 147 1.9 JTD 16v M-JET (to give it its full title) is just such a car. If you like your hatches to feel muscular and look the part, this could well be the best buy around at present.

The European public have certainly proved receptive to diesels in this class. Whereas overall numbers of cars sold declined recently, diesel sales have grown rapidly, rising from 15 per cent to 25 per cent over the past three years. In the near the figure is expected to rise to 30 per cent. Whilst a fair degree of these buyers are of the diesel old school looking for a car that merely cuts fuel bills, there’s a burgeoning number of drivers who appreciate the driving pleasure that a modern diesel can give and would choose one over a petrol engine, fuel economy notwithstanding.

The powerplant fitted to this flagship diesel 147 is certainly modern. The Fiat Group, of which Alfa Romeo is a key constituent, was first to market with a direct injection diesel way back in 1986 and was recently awarded the Economist Innovation Award for ground-breaking work in developing common-rail diesel technology. Alfa Romeo brought the first JTD common rail engine to the UK in 1997, plumbed into the front of an Alfa 156. The latest development is a sixteen-valve 150bhp Multijet version of that engine which offers more power, reduced noise levels yet still posts competitive fuel economy and emissions figures. It’s the same as the 140bhp unit offered in the pre-facelift 147 from summer 2003 but a revised injection strategy has boosted the output while reducing noise and vibration.

The Multijet system takes the idea of pilot injection – squirting a small amount of fuel into the cylinder to ‘prime’ the combustion chamber for the main ignition process – and refines it still further. In this instance, the main injection is divided into a series of smaller injections, allowing smoother, more gradual combustion that utilises fuel more efficiently. The electronic control units therefore have to be astonishingly precise. Whereas before the time lag between injections was a relatively yawning 1,500 microseconds, the response time has been slashed by a factor of 10. A variable geometry turbocharger and a high pressure direct injection system make the 150bhp output possible but the key is the 305Nm torque figure. This means that the 147JTD 16v feels gutsier than the old 250bhp 3.2-litre V6 147 GTA model.

You’ll believe that too when you drive the car. Fire it up and the engine settles into an unobtrusive background thrum that never threatens to rattle the expensively moulded dashboard. Yes, you can tell its sups from the black pump, but it’s hardly what you’d describe as coarse. On the move the engine remains pleasantly muted without the whistles and bellows of many powerful turbodiesel cars. Between 1,750 and 3,250rpm, there’s a huge shove in the back, the elastic power delivery catapulting the Alfa down the road in a deliciously addictive manner. Even in sixth gear, the 147JTD 16v will dispatch the 50-75mph increment in just 7.9 seconds. From rest, the 147JTD 16v will accelerate to 60mph in 8.8 seconds and run onto a top speed of 129mph. Average fuel economy is pegged at 47.9mpg and emissions amount to a mere 157g/km.

The rest of the car conforms to the formula that won the 147 the 2001 European Car of The Year award at its original launch. If you haven’t driven an Alfa in the last, say, five years, you may well be in for something of a surprise. Alfa’s understanding of how to screw together a decent quality car has come on leaps and bounds. Alfa hasn’t forgotten its heritage, however, and has built upon the inherent romantic appeal of Italian cars. Featuring the classic cowled fascia dials, the 147 also encompasses some determinedly high-tech touches. Six airbags come as standard, as does dual-zone climate controlled air conditioning. State-of-the-art multiplex wiring has made possible the option of a full-screen voice activated satellite navigation system with an inbuilt Bose stereo and GSM telephone system. It’s not cheap, but the satellite navigation setup is one of the best available anywhere, as is the Vehicle Dynamic Control, which is a stability control system which aims to prevent the 147 spinning. It’s on a par with the PSM program used by Porsche in the way that it credits the driver with some leeway before gently stepping in to restore equilibrium if progress is overenthusiastic.

Even Turismo standard equipment includes ‘follow me home’ headlights, remote central locking with an immobiliser and alarm and ABS with electronic brakeforce distribution. Opt instead for the Lusso specification and you’ll also receive automatic dual zone climate control, cruise control, steering wheel mounted audio controls, a CD player and 15-inch alloy wheels. Three and five door models are available at prices that open at just under £18,000 for the three-door and rise to under £19,500 for the five-door Lusso.

The Alfa 147JTD 16v is the hatch that gives you it all. It looks the part, it’s well built, halfway affordable, quick, economical, environmentally clean and it even handles reasonably well. It’s a car that leaves you looking for the catch. I’m still looking.

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