The Alfa Romeo 147 JTD, with one of the most advanced diesel engines in the world, has arrived in New Zealand delivering a new level of performance and economy, even for the petrol versions of Alfa Romeo’s award-winning small hatchback.

“The Alfa Romeo 147 JTD is a remarkable car,” explains Lawrie Malatios, General Manager for Alfa Romeo in New Zealand. “It offers extraordinary fuel economy – in a recent media test in Australia over seen by GreenFleet it actually beat the little two seat Smart TwoTwo – yet at the same time it is actually quicker to 100 km/h than the normal petrol 147 Twin Spark! This outstanding blend of performance is then combined with the styling and driving verve that has made the Alfa 147 an acclaimed award winner and one of the best selling cars ever produced by Alfa Romeo.

“We felt that there was only one way we could respond to the fantastic economy of the advanced diesel 147 and that was to make the petrol-powered 147 more economical,” says Mr Malatios. “So at the same time as the 147 JTD arrives in New Zealand, the 147 Twin Spark is now available for less than $40,000. So, when it comes to economical motoring, Alfa 147 owners, petrol or diesel, really can have their cake and eat it!”

The fact that the 147 JTD offers such a useful blend of performance and economy is no surprise in Europe. Diesel versions of Alfa Romeo’s range of stylish sedans, coupes and Sportwagons account for 76 percent of all sales. Indeed, across the most stylish sporty model, the GT Coupé, diesel engines account for more then 80 per cent of sales and it’s the same engine that is now available in New Zealand in the Alfa 147.

“Fuel may be expensive in Europe, at prices most New Zealanders couldn’t imagine, but that’s not enough to force Alfa Romeo owners to abandon performance and style,” says Mr Malatios. “What is driving these sales figures is the all-round ability of this latest generation of diesel powered cars. Using the second generation of the Fiat-developed common rail direct injection diesel technology, the JTD M-Jet engines offer similar power to petrol engines of the same capacity and considerably more torque, while also offering remarkable fuel economy.”
 

Although the Alfa Romeo 147’s diesel engine is, at 1.9 litres, slight smaller than its petrol counterpart, the 2.0 litre Twin Spark engine, they both produce same power, 110 kW. But it is when it comes to torque that the JTD engine really punches above its weight. Compared to the Twin Spark engine’s 181 Nm of torque, the 1.9 JTD produces an epic 305 Nm, or, to look at it another way, 5 Nm more torque than the 3.2 V6 engine in the 147 GTA. Of course, this translates in excellent performance. The 147 JTD is quicker to 100 kmh by half a second compared to the petrol car and goes on to the same 208 km/h top speed. The huge torque figure and the low engine speed at which it is achieved means that the 147 JTD offers remarkable in-gear performance right across the speed range. But the 147 JTD does not just offer superior performance. On the open road, the 147 JTD is using just 4.7 litres per 100 kmh or 60 mpg in the old money, a figure normally reserved for the slowest, smallest econo-boxes.

There’s more good news when it comes to emissions, too. Carbon Dioxide emissions, the so-called Greenhouse Gas, are slashed from more than 210 grams per km to just 157. The fact that the 1.9 litre JTD engine is also unusually light and compact compared to both diesel rivals and petrol engines with similar torque figures not only enhances economy, it also further improves handling and roadholding as it reduces weight over the front wheels and enables even more effective use of that 305 Nm of torque.

This astonishing combination of performance and economy achieved with the use of the most advanced diesel engine available. The Fiat Group invented what has become known as common rail, direct injection diesel engines, but which are more correctly known as Unijet. The next generation of engines are called Multijet and, as the name suggests, each cylinder now gets an injector with six, rather than one hole, allowing for more efficient and effective fuel burn. The turbocharger is a variable displacement unit that can offer the lag-free, low engine speed operation of small turbo at the same time has been able to generate increased boost at high revs without getting breathless. And the only place that this technology is available is from Alfa Romeo. While the Fiat Group has licensed Bosch to produce Unijet for a wide range of other car makers, Multijet remains the preserve of Alfa Romeo. The Alfa Romeo 147 JTD, therefore, provides the previously unheard of combination of exemplary performance and economy.

But what about luxury? Have all the desirable  features that have made the 147 one of the best equipped cars in its class been removed, as in most other economical cars? Of course not. Alfa Romeo’s reputation for performance and style goes hand in hand with its reputation for value for money and, therefore, the Alfa Romeo 147 JTD shares its entire equipment and feature list with the five door Alfa Romeo 147 TS.

Which just leaves one question: The price, which is NZ$43,990. While it may be tempting to compare this price to the new NZ$39,990 account opening price for the petrol 147 Twin Spark, it has to be remembered that the JTD boasts both a six speed gearbox as standard and superior performance, so it is truly a model worth of sitting above the Twin Spark. “Alfa Romeo 147 JTD owners really can have their cake and eat it,” says Lawrie Malatios. “On one hand they have economy and emissions that can put to shame most basic economy cars, while on the other there is sports car performance. All of this is then wrapped up in a car that oozes style and charisma. The cream on the cake is that it is also lavishly equipped and comes at a price that only Alfa Romeo can offer. With this combination, the question has to be asked, how long before diesel dominates New Zealand Alfa sales, as it does in Europe?”