It is no secret that sports cars are arguably the most sought after vehicles in the market. It's a rarity to come across an automobile lover that doesn't fancy sports cars.
While sports cars are popular for various reasons, there are some exclusive models that leave their mark for years to come. One such vehicle is the Alfa Romeo Brera. A rage upon its launch, this mid-sized monster was launched under the GM/Fiat Premium platform. The Brera was manufactured as a 3-door (2+2) coupe by Pininfarina between 2005 and 2010.
Let's have a detailed look at the Alfa Romeo Brera.
Production History
The unique success story of the Brera took off when Giorgetto Giugiaro of "Italdesign Giugiaro S.P.A" created the first designs of the car. It all began in 2002 when the Brera was unveiled as a concept car at the Geneva Motor Show as Giugiaro's design. The concept car was powered by a 395 hp Maserati-V8 engine. The car was applauded and loved by the audiences, and subsequently, Alfa Romeo announced their plans to produce the car for 2005. The Brera was first introduced at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show in its full production form. The exterior appeared much smaller than it was initially conceptualized, and the car came off as a rather uniquely assembled mid-size coupe. It sure did catch an eye or two - as it wasn't long before the company announced that they'd come out with a convertible version for the car.
In the initial year, the Brera was available in two petrol engines in Europe. The first engine variant was the 182 hp, 2.2-litre JTS while the second variant was a 256 horsepower 3.2-liter V6. The 2.2L, JTS bearing Brera came with a front-wheel drive, while versions with the V6 came with a "Torsen four-wheel drive system". The car received major upgrades for the 2008 model year. The newer version carried a V6 which was available in front-wheel-drive form, and a much different chassis and body. All-new model variants lost weight as the company replaced several body parts with lighter versions, built out of aluminum. The new Brera boasted an impressive top speed of 250 km/h. The following year, the Brera was gifted the 1750 TBi (Turbo Beninza Inezione) - an all-new turbocharged petrol engine. The 1742cc engine came with direct injection and variable valve timing on the inlet and the exhaust cams.
The Alfa Romeo Brera had a total of 21,786 units manufactured until its production ceased in 2010 and inventory ran out in 2011. It clocked the highest number of production units for the 2006 model year at 8,248 new units.
Brera S and Brera Italia Independent
In the early stages of production, the Alfa Romeo Brera was available in two trim levels. The first trim level was the slightly compact, medium trim level and the latter being the "Sky View" trim level - named after the panoramic glass roof that came with top specification models of the Brera. The company released another trim called the TI (Turismo Internazionale) in 2008, which featured 19-inch alloy wheels and a host of other special features. However, the Brera "S" Special edition announced in the spring of 2008, was on another level altogether. The Special edition was a British-only model developed by British engineering specialists "ProDrive" in a mere 12 months. Only 500 units of this car were ever built. The "S" was powered by a bunch of special features, including a Bilstein and Eibach suspension, special 19-inch wheels, and ProDrive Sports exhaust.
In 2009, Alfa Romeo partnered with "Italia Independent" - an Italian design company, owned by Lapo Elkan (grandson of Gianni Agnelli of Fiat). Together, they made 900 limited, special edition cars called the "Brera Italia Independent". This new version of Brera came with ultra-deluxe interiors and flashy exteriors. The car was offered with opaque-finished titanium paintwork, turbine-style 18-inch alloy wheels, and an aluminum fuel cap on the outside. The interiors came standard with a "Sat-Nav system" and boasted a carbon-fiber trim. The car was offered with various petrol and diesel engine variants, while the transmission options included a conventional six-speed manual, the exclusive "Selespeed" automated manual, and the "Q-Tronic" automatic transmission variant.
Legacy
The Alfa Romeo Brera was only in production for 5 years, but it managed to create a unique legacy of its own. Various versions of the cars won over audiences globally and accomplished accolades all over the globe. The celebrated car was a recipient of several titles and awards in its 5-year production life. For starters, Giorgetto Giugiaro was awarded the "Compasso d’Oro" industrial award for the very concept of Brera. Before the car was released, its concept car version was voted "Best of Show" by Autoweek magazine at the Geneva Motor Show. It won the prestigious "Most Beautiful Car In The World" award at the 21st Annual International Automobile Festival, 2006.
The Brera also had a twin of sorts in the form of the Alfa Romeo Spider. The Spider was launched a year after the Brera. Though not as successful as the Brera, the Spider was a constant source of attention as well, selling more than 12,000 units during its reign.