COTSWOLD Motors
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta
It had been unrequited love for some time. I had longed for an introduction but the object of my desire, oblivious of my feelings continued to taunt me daily with flauntingly good looks and an air of unobtainable haughtiness.
By Sue Smith
BUT then out of the blue a date! The Alfa Romeo Giulietta and I were to spend a weekend together. I approached the gleaming red Sportiva
model with trepidation. Would we hit it off? Were my expectations so high I could only now be disappointed? Not a bit. From the moment of sliding into
the sporty leather upholstery and the wraparound seats, a frisson of excitement surged through my veins and I knew this was going to be a marriage made in heaven. The monochrome interior was enlivened
with splashes of red to pick up the colour of the exterior and the wide, horizontal dashboard with its row of horseshoe switches and dual-zone automatic climate dials provided a satisfying glut of controls. We took to the road with a smile-inducing
Alfa roar and slipped into the journey as though gliding on silk. I could hardly wipe the smugness off my
face as we took our place in the fast lane moving effortlessly into Dynamic mode. This power delivery through the front
wheels accelerated past the other cars as they
quickly became tiny specs in the rear view mirror. Alfa has been producing class cars for 100
years with the Giulietta making its debut in 1954 with a coupe precursor to the later saloon models. It’s racing heritage has always kept it up there in the top cars to own and its distinctive styling has made it an easy car to like and admire. Attention to detail has never wavered with
this manufacturer. From the handle-free boot which opens to
the touch of the Alfa Romeo badge to the key fob that folds into a status-screaming pocket- friendly symbol, this is such a feel-good car to drive. Yes there are more expensive makes on the
market but money doesn’t always guarantee class. That is something the Italians have nailed
in every walk of life and the Alfa Romeo is no exception. Park it in any supermarket car park and
you will spot it in an instant, standing out from all its other seemingly mediocre companions like a diamond in the rough.
86 COTSWOLDESSENCE | September - November 2013 Shopping is swallowed up in the 350 litres
of luggage space in the boot. And the car’s economic stop&start device
which brings it to a standstill in town traffic enhances its very impressive fuel consumption. When we went out to lunch I felt compelled
to park it in full view of the restaurant diners, the unashamed show-off in me emerging from who knows where. "You are a proper petrolhead now," said my
neighbour as I pulled up outside my house. The Alfa’s reputation goes before it. It was a magical weekend in a car that
drives like a dream and as it was such a class- act I spared it the indignation of having to have me prised from it by my fingertips, although the temptation to cling on and drive off into the sunset was almost over-riding. Everyone should own an Alfa Romeo at
least once in their lives. Alfa Romeo is available from T H
White, Shaw Forest Park, Hillmead, Swindon, SN5 5QJ Tel: 01793 680480 email:
fga-sales@thwhite.co.uk
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk
FACTS AT A GLANCE
Prices start from £17,765 -£25,530
Fuel per 100 miles £10-£17
CO2 114-177g/km Tax band C-1
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