Alfa GT Coupe undercuts BMW

Tuesday, March 23, 2004

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Alfa Romeo’s new GT coupe is now on sale in the UK, with lower prices and higher equipment levels than the rival BMW 3-series Coupe.

The GT is a full four-seater, and prices will range from £20,995 to £26,695. The cheapest model, with a 150bhp 1.9-litre diesel engine, undercuts the £24,410 BMW 320Cd by £3415, while the other models, with a 165bhp 2.0-litre four-cylinder or 240bhp 3.2 V6 engine, are also cheaper than similarly powered BMW rivals.

Standard safety kit looks impressive and includes six airbags, ABS and a stability control system, while luxury items such as dual-zone climate control, cruise control, a CD player and alloy wheels will also be included. In addition, the V6 has leather upholstery, twin exhausts, sports suspension and larger alloys.

Practical features on all models include a split-folding rear seat to extend the 320-litre boot, and ISOFIX child seat mounts.

Both the diesel and V6 have six-speed manual gearboxes, while the 2.0-litre has a five-speed ’box. This model costs £21,495, but it is also available with Alfa’s semi-automatic Selespeed as a combined option with leather upholstery, bringing the overall price to £23,545.

The 2.0-litre versions hit 62mph in 8.7 seconds, return 32.5mpg on the combined cycle and produce 207g/km CO2, putting them in the 27% company car tax band for 2004-5. By comparison, the V6 hits 62mph two seconds quicker, returns 22.8 mpg and incurs the maximum 35% tax liability. The diesel is the most economical, returning over 40mpg, and sits in the £24% tax band.