Used Alfa Romeo Brera
A history lesson…
Unveiled at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, the Alfa Rome Brera was a concept car that nobody thought would ever make production – never mind in its concept sexual looking body. But Alfa stunned the world when they announced it would hit production, and in 2006 – when it became available - the world’s petrolheads became instantly aroused.
It’s stupid not to talk about the Brera’s looks. If it isn’t the best looking car ever made, it’s not far off. The Brera is achingly pretty; from every angle it looks the part. Unfortunately for Alfa, they didn’t really tune the Brera the way we wanted it to be tuned, as the way it drove just disappointed with every bend. The looks were a tease, only to find that the Brera was wearing chicken fillets.
Still, if all you want is one of the best looking cars of the 21st century, then the Brera can do that with its eyes closed.
Bang for your buck
This is where an Alfa Romeo becomes attractive, because, well, almost all Alfas have horrendous residuals. Buying a used Brera really makes financial sense, as you’ve let the first owner take the massive depreciation. So what can you get? Well, you’ll end up with the porn-star of the roads on your drive, an Italian marque, a car with a beautiful soundtrack and one of the best interiors available. Not a bad proposition, is it?
There are plenty of models to choose from; whether you’re after a quick coupe or a diesel runabout, the Brera has you pretty well covered. Best be warned, though, that even the ‘hottest’ Brera is still a bit luke-warm – unless you go after the Pro-Drive tuned Cloverleaf version, which was a huge improvement thanks to Pro-Drive’s fiddling with the suspension set-up of the soft Brera.
What you’ll pay
Again, Alfa’s residuals come into play here, as you can pick up this beautiful piece of Italian history for around £17k. That’s right, £17k for a basic Brera. You’re tempted, aren’t you? Be warned, though, as that will buy you a low-spec Brera, if you want some toys you’re better looking at the more expensive SV edition which you can get for about £19k.
The 3.2-litre V6 variant is a beast, but it will cost you quite a far bit to run and insurance, but if you’re after the essence of Italian driving with the noise and the looks to boot, there’s no other option than the big V6.
What to check
Alfa Romeos typically have a bad reputation for reliability, but the modern cars like the Brera – which was built from ’06 onwards – are much better. With that being said, however, there are certain bits to check on this car just so you know you’re buying a good one. Make sure those big alloys aren’t kerbed or you will be paying upwards of £70 a rim to fix, and while you’re at it check the paint work. If there’s scratches and rust, walk away or at least haggle.
But above all of these checks, the most important has to be the eclectics. Make sure every single switch works or you could be in for a nasty financial hit!
Parts
The Brera is an expensive coupe and, as a result, the parts are pretty dear, too. Clutch assemblies are around £155, with a rear exhaust box costing about £140. So best to make sure all these parts of working when you buy the car, or you’re in for quite a repair bill.
How it drives
Well, it’s not the best driving coupe on the market. Cars like the Nissan 350z and Mazda RX-8 could literally drive rings around the Brera, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider one. After all, neither of the aforementioned Japanese cars look even a fifth as attractive as the Brera. Those cars are built, not made. The Brera is all about the style, and it will get you more looks and attention in one day than the 350 or RX-8 could in a month.
If you want the best Brera, you’re probably going to have to shell out for the Cloverleaf Pro-Drive version, as this is the Brera with improved suspension and handling characteristics. It’s really the car that the standard Brera should have been, and it’s the one we’d choose.