2004 Alfa Romeo GT Coupe JTS

Surprisingly, Alfa Romeo admits to engineering the ride bias for comfort, which is usually not an attribute performance car

If Fiat's restructuring returns them to profitability, the Alfa Romeo GT could one day end up on North American roads. (Photo: Alfa Romeo)

manufacturers dwell on. This means that passengers are less likely to feel the gaps and joints in the road below. It's best described in Alfa's own words: "Neutral handling of a sports car and the comfort of a cross-country sedan." As the JTS engine is the lightest of the three, the car the houses it is inherently the most nimble. The larger engines (in particular the V6) will undoubtedly be more nose heavy.

From its handsome but wedgy appearance to the technically innovative engine, Alfa has proven once again that it can still make a great coupe. No longer is Italian build quality an issue, neither is unforgiving cockpit ergonomics. Everything's sorted out in this modern day Alfa. So, whether sneaking your way up the Swiss Alps or cruising Monaco on a Saturday morning, the Alfa Romeo GT Coupe is perhaps the ideal definition of a two door coupe. It's practical without defaulting in style, flair and most importantly, Alfa Romeo substance. I hope that Alfa will consider creating a convertible version of the GT, and after seeing the potential of the 156 chassis in GTA form, I hope there will be an even hotter performance variant in the near future.

As for whether we'll see any of the above here in North America, this will be up to parent company Fiat and its ability to succeed in restructuring. Alfa Romeo fans, otherwise known as Alfisti, want nothing less than to see their beloved brand make its way back across the Atlantic once again, and there are many of them. Hopefully such a dream will become reality sooner than later.

Specifications (JTS):

• Price Range: N/A
• Body Types: 2-door coupe
• Layout: front-engine, FWD
• Base Engine: 166-hp, 152 lb-ft of torque, 2.0-L, 16-valve, DOHC I-4
• Transmission: 5-spd sequential
• Acceleration (0 - 100 km/h): 8.4 seconds
• Top Speed: 217 km/h
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS
• Fuel Consumption (combined city/hwy): 10.2 L/100 km
• Web Site: www.alfaromeo.com

Note: Additional larger photos are available in the photo album.