I don't do this often, but I'll give you my mini review of the new Alfa 159.
I will tell you this. I will very seriously consider buying an Alfa when they become available here. I was recently in Italy, and had an Alfa 159 as my rental car. Six speed manual transmission, smaller car but quite roomy inside, even with four passengers. Alfa got smart a few years ago and brought over some senior VPs from BMW to turn the company around. They've applied German engineering principles combined with Italian flair to create some truly outstanding (and affordable) products. By 2009, they ought to have the car completely sewn up quality wise so no "typical Italian" worries there.
The interior is extremely well laid out, the only serious quirk being that the trunk release button is mounted up by the interior light controls. No, I don't know why either. But once you learn where it is (I had to read the manual, as I would've never looked at the interior light as a place it could be!), it's fine. Gives the car a hint of that "Insane Italian" flair.
The dash was very well laid out, the controls white and red on black and easy to read during the day or at night. Everything was ergonomically well done (trunk button excepted) and the center dash computer display was functional and useful and not difficult to program. Of course, being a rental I had the smallest engine available, nonetheless it was more than peppy enough to spin tires, even going into second. The shifting is smooth yet firm (think BMW 3 series) and the feedback through the wheel to the driver is just fantastic. The car rides firm, but not jarringly so, and for that firmness you get incredible responsiveness, really outstanding (again, think late 90's early 2k BMW 3 series for the best comparison). You can slalom easily through traffic using a couple of fingertips on the wheel, and yet it's not in any way loose. You turn wheel, you turn car. Think it, do it. Like that.
Honestly, I've been driving coupes for a while, because I don't have a need for a four door sedan in my life (though I do need a rear seat once in a while). The Alfa may be the very first 4 door I own. And honestly, I must admit, I wouldn't mind being the first on my block to do so.
Don't take my word for it though, here's Jeremy Clarkson's review for the Times:
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/articl ... 20,00.html
Regards,
-Bouncer-
