Alfa Romeo 159: Alfa owners are a loyal lot. They've put up with numerous niggling problems and often frightening depreciation just to own their own bit of Italian legend. For all the faults, Alfa has always warranted respect in motoring circles, often as a niche player but with a devoted band of followers that would do the Vatican proud.
However, when it introduced the 156, it not only wooed its usual fanbase, but those who never thought of Alfa as a mainstream alternative to the usual array of German metal.
It was gorgeous, and feted by the media in equal measure, taking no fewer than 36 world awards, the most prestigious of which was European Car of the Year 1998.
Alfa planned to take on the likes of the BMW 3-Series and Audi A4, and at first it gave the Germans a real battle. Yet in a short time quality gremlins started to show and Alfa was forced to scurry back to more traditional ground, up against the likes of the Ford Mondeo and its ilk.
There it has remained, for a long time the most stylish entrant in the league but shrouded in clouds of doubt over reliability and depreciation. Now it's time to return to the fray.
The 159 is the second assault on the executive market and this time Alfa means to quash all doubts over reliability. It will be a hard slog.
In terms of looks the 159 retains its title as the most sporting look on the market. It offers a restyling of the original 156 lines that takes a more aggressive approach. The trademark grille seems to have more of a snarl while the new individual lighting clusters give the evil eye to onlookers. It's an angry looking car.
That said, the side profile and rear haunches of the car lack any dramatic revision from its predecessor, save the omission of the pillar-mounted rear door handles. It has the look of a well-balanced car, which it is.
However, Alfa engineers know that looks will no longer be enough if it wants to win a share of the burgeoning executive market. The decision to change the model numerals puts a little fresh air between this car and its predecessor, which should help sales, but the look could have been more radical to separate the two and ward off the ghosts of the past.
As with so many others these days, the Italians believe that bigger is best, so there's a lot more boot space and nearly every dimension is increased (height is the only dimension that shows a decrease). That's a plus for owners, though rear legroom remains tight for adults.
The new 159 retains Alfa's reputation for driving passion. Of course the performance varies greatly depending on engine choice, but the decision to omit the 1.6-litre version from the range speaks volumes of Alfa's efforts to move the car upstream. Given that it's significantly larger than its predecessor, the 1.6-litre unit would have been a damp squib in this car and Alfa didn't want to tarnish the car's image for the sake of a few more sales.
Alfa was always noted for the crisp racy engine note from its petrol engines but the soundproofing in the 159 keeps a lot of this out of the cabin. It's a pity, though it could be heard over 4,500rpm in our 1.9-litre JTS test car. A far more racy engine note is on offer from the 2.2-litre version.
There's a lovely free-revving feel to the engine, the six-speed gearbox is well organised, and third gear has an impressive power spread that ideally suits winding back roads.
Across the Wicklow Gap it virtually ran like an automatic. We only had to drop down to second for the really twisting sections. While we'd prefer if Alfa would move to rear-wheel drive for a real performance feel, the decision to fit four-wheel drive on all models over 200bhp is a step in the right direction.
The car's handling is direct and it tucks in nicely, holding its line at speed through corners. It's well-balanced and while the 3-Series has a better, more direct feel in corners, it's only by a matter of degrees.
Inside, the driver remains king, with the usual Alfa array of dials and controls all pointing at the driver, leaving the front seat passenger to admire the finish of the plastic on the dashboard. Even the chunky steering wheel feels good in your hands. Of course some of the dials are superfluous to everyday motoring, but they add to the overall effect.
The feel and fit of the interior is vastly improved on its predecessor, all leading you to believe that perhaps at last Alfa has got it right.
If there are complaints, it would be over the loud tyre noise that intrudes into the cabin as a constant hum, particularly over rougher surfacing. The ride itself is quite acceptable; sporting but not uncomfortable.
While it's targeting the executive market, pricing remains competitive. The decision to end the 1.6-litre version means it will not compete with entry-level Audi A4s or BMW 3-Series. However, up against equivalently powered competitors it does well, with the exception of the Honda Accord.
Things seem to be getting better at Alfa, but it takes years to rebuild a reputation. Let's hope the standards are kept in place and who knows, in a few years time the depreciation problem could be a thing of the past.
For now, while your heart says yes, your head remains troubled by memories of old.
In whichever way Alfa goes about dispelling such thoughts, it's going to take time. There are a lot of bitter 156 owners out there to assuage and it is not going to be easy.
For now the 159 goes a long way to persuading them and us of the merits of its offer. The heart says yes, but the brain still doubts.
Only time will tell whether the heart wins out.
