Faults:

High oil consumption is normal. Small leaks at the valve cover gaskets or oil seals are also common.

The radiator and water pump are sensitive components. Overheating quickly destroys this engine; it is important to keep this in mind and check them periodically.

The lower control arm bushings and the multi-link suspension suffer rapid wear due to the weight of the V6 engine.

Spare parts are scarce and very expensive; this makes things difficult when the car requires a lot of maintenance, as this one does.

General Comments:

The design is beautiful and harmonious from every angle, featuring a blend of retro and modern touches, rounded contours throughout, clean lines, and a coupé-like style thanks to the innovative concealed rear door handles.

The leather-upholstered sports seats, featuring generous side bolsters, offer excellent support. The seat is height-adjustable, as is the steering column, which also offers reach adjustment. All adjustments are manual, meaning it takes a few moments to find the ideal driving position—though once found, it is consistently very comfortable.

Gear selector is conveniently located and within easy reach. The mirror controls, positioned between the two seats, are excellent; they make it easy to find the perfect angle without having to shift out of your driving position.

Exterior's retro style extends to the interior. Two separate, deep-set gauges with white backgrounds, which are rather difficult to read, house the speedometer and tachometer.

The adjustment dials for the automatic climate control system are very original, an interesting detail. If you move the temperature selector, the air conditioning kicks in, and the same happens if you engage recirculation. In other words, if you aren't paying attention, you might end up with the A/C running. There are also adjustable vents for the rear seats.

The 2.5-liter Busso engine delivers immense power. It features four camshafts, two per cylinder bank, and a pent-roof combustion chamber design. It incorporates measures to reduce friction losses and a dual-mass flywheel to minimize vibration. Acceleration is spectacular, quintessential late-90s sports car performance, and the engine note is a delight.

Steering assistance remains good even at high speeds; the steering wheel offers excellent grip, featuring a faux-wood finish in our test unit, though it is slated to be leather-wrapped in the future. The turning circle is appropriate for a car of this size. As for the brakes, there are four ventilated discs to bring a car capable of approaching 230 km/h to a halt. They stop the vehicle in a straight line over reasonable distances and without excessive fade. There is only slight vibration from the discs at the very end of the braking maneuver. Overall, the brakes are very good.

Well, I don't think there's much more to say. It’s a car that offers a unique personality and handling, something no modern sports car can match. It requires a lot of maintenance, sure, but what boring modern car doesn't?.

Faults:

Clutch blew. Big-ish job to replace and get sorted. Went well afterwards, though they also did the coil packs as well plus TDC sensor. Not sure if I was being ripped off.

General Comments:

Great looking sexy car which has bags of personality as all Alfas seem to.

OK, I've owned this for a while, and while they're getting long in the tooth, they're not an entirely bad proposition. Mine's the 2.0 Selespeed. I quite like it, though I'd say ownership is a learning experience. Gorgeous looks of course. People say the Selespeed is fraught with problems, but aside from topping up the fluids and the occasional warning bleep, I've not found it to be too bad. The clutch failed, which was my biggest expense so far. I like it. Generally it goes. Starter needed some attention, but managed to sort that out for zero dollars.

Driving. Now this is where people either get them or they don't. I'm quite taken with the aesthetic as I am with a lot of Italian cars. The motors are very revvy but have no bottom end whatsoever. This combined with the Selespeed can work OK, but the city mode which turns it into an auto, it's not great. It'll want to pull away from near standstill in second which necessitates much clutch slippage. This and slow progress, when you really want to move, means they don't work for all. However be the captain and take charge yourself, give it a tickle and it'll delight. It loves the twisties and exploring the upper rev range, plus combined with the quick rack and lovely braking means it will generate endorphins.

Totally not the best city car, but in true Alfa style it has bags of personality and encourages the keen driver and someone who thinks outside of the box.

Far better than a VW or Audi reliability wise. And stands out as a choice in good taste in my opinion. As a status symbol, it beats the lesser badge engineered Germans as only dull people buy them.

There you go flawed, but fun...