2004 Alfa Romeo GT Coupe JTS

But the GT is a tricky automobile. From behind and from the rear flanks it appears to be a true trunk-equipped coupe. Yet

The finely crafted interior is impressive, and offers decent room throughout. (Photo: Alfa Romeo)

when looking at its profile the graceful roofline blends into the convex rear glass, another feature borrowed from the Brera. The real surprise is found when popping the trunk release, as it's a hatch - albeit a very well disguised one. Attached to the miniature trunklid sits thin, wraparound taillamps, each looking like a combination of 156 and 147 design elements. While no GTA high-performance model has been announced, the GT possesses ample style through pumped up fenders, crisp-looking alloy wheels, and a single fat exhaust pipe that pokes out from under the rear valance. I love it!

In the same way the exterior invokes thought and emotion, the Alfa GT's interior follows suit. It doesn't take a lot of looking around to see that you're in a special place. Rather than acres of gray plastic and the cold mechanical controls of its German competitors, this Italian is intimately different. It's the thinking person's car, while still embracing elegance. Yet again, Alfa has chosen a blend of its entire range for design tactics on the GT. Straight up, the dashboard unit has been taken from the 147. Three deep, round, double chrome ringed gauges face the driver. This time

Rather than acres of gray plastic and the cold mechanical controls of its German competitors, this Italian is intimately different. (Photo: Alfa Romeo)

around, they're white and backlit in red for a sportier look. At first, the variety of geometric shapes that form the vents and knobs may look odd, but such adds character to the interior. Familiarity is also drawn from the steering wheel and centre console whose navigation system and climate control interface are exact copies of those in the 156.

Heavily bolstered seats can be covered in leather, or if you're not a fan of the slippery stuff new Alfatex fabric can be substituted: it's a cloth-based material that mimics Alcantara in texture. As an option, the entire dashboard can be covered in real leather stitched together with contrasting thread, a feature appearing on more and more cars in recent years.