Geneva Motor Show - Alfa Romeo

Alfa's still got the look
There are plenty of pretty cars on display on Alfa's stand, including the all-new 159 Sportwagon estate and the beautiful Spider convertible.

The estate is available soon and is likely to cost about £21,000, £1000 more than the saloon. Three petrol engines of 160bhp, 185bhp and a 3.2-litre V6 producing 260bhp are available, as are diesels producing 150bhp or 200bhp.

Turismo models have dual-zone climate control, seven airbags, a CD player with steering wheel-mounted controls, cruise control, alloy wheels and electric windows. Opt for Lusso models and you'll also receive leather upholstery, light and rain sensors, rear parking sensors and larger alloy wheels.

If you fancy the Spider, you've only got to wait until early summer to get behind the wheel. The car will be offered with 185bhp or 260bhp petrol engines, with prices starting from about £26,000.

Just a pretty face?
Well, not if you believe Alfa . The company has set itself the target of beating German rivals in the crucial JD Power customer satisfaction survey, and claims that the introduction of the 159 was delayed to iron out early production problems.

It's interesting that Alfa is gunning for German competitors, and not the Japanese brands that dominate reliability and satisfaction surveys. But any news that Alfa is genuinely aiming to improve its build quality is good news for buyers.