Created expectations
The Alfa Romeo Brera was launched in 2005 as a 2006 model year. It shares the chassis, engines and front end with the Alfa Romeo 159. The car press had completely different expectations for this model than as a shortened version of the 159. We find the explanation three years earlier. Then the Brera was presented as a concept car at the Geneva Motor Show. Italdesign Giugiaro had created a tough, forward-looking coupé with a V8 engine from Maserati. The production model shown three years later did not live up to the concept car. Alfa Romeo should perhaps not have used Brera as the name of the model, but instead called it the Alfa Romeo 159 Coupé, or something like that.
Type 939
Under this type designation we find Alfa Romeo 159, Brera and a new version of Spider (!). Several people wondered if the Brera was Alfa Romeo's new GTV? The Brera and Spider were only produced with the largest engine options. There were the petrol engines 2,2 JTS 186 HP, 1750 TBI 200 HP and 3,2 V6 260 HP. Cars with a V6 could also be delivered with the ALFA Q4 four-wheel drive system. Incidentally, the V6 engine was not the classic "Busso engine" but a new engine developed by GM. Production of the "Busso engine" was discontinued in 2005 and the Brera was the first model to adopt the new engine, which the motoring press did not like either. Furthermore, the Brera was also delivered with diesel engines, including the 2,5 JTD 209 HP which is a five-cylinder.
About the pictures
The main photo was taken at the Øvrevoll gallopp on the occasion of a Cars & Coffee car meeting there. The photo of the Spider was taken on the occasion of an Alfa Romeo meeting at Hønefoss station in 2022. This car has a V6 and ALFA Q4.
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