- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
2.0i, 4 cyl.
- Engine Power
121kW, 206Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (95) 8.7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
FWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Alfa Romeo GT JTS
Imperfection. There's a lot of be said for it. After all, you appreciate the highs all the more if you have to endure the lows as well.
Enter the Alfa Romeo GT JTS. It would be very easy to become frustrated with such an uneven car, and yet the high points are enjoyable enough to make it alluring.
The GT is a two-door, five-seat hatchback with a bespoke body and front-wheel-drive fundamentals already used in the 156 sedan and 147 hatch.
The JTS is not the first GT to go on sale here. That honour went to the 3.2-litre V6 that debuted in July 2004. The JTS is the smaller sibling, in engine size at least. Its 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine has that still rare feature among petrol designs - direct injection.
More common among diesels, it provides improved fuel economy and emissions by injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber. Alfa calls its system Jet Thrust Stoichiometric, hence JTS.
Apart from dropping around 50 kW to 121 kW and nearly 100 Nm to 206 Nm, the move from 3.2 to 2.0 litres also means the six-speed manual transmission is traded in for a five-speed Selespeed sequential manual, taller 16-inch rubber sits on thin-spoked alloys rather than a 17-inch combination and there's a 90-kilogram drop in kerb weight to just 1320 kg.
The price drops too, from $79,990 to a still sizeable $64,950. Not too much equipment is sacrificed in the move downmarket as there's still six airbags, stability control and anti-lock brakes (ABS), leather trim, dual climate control and an audio system that includes a boot-mounted six-stack CD player.
An exterior shaped by Italian design house Bertone achieves a level of beguiling individuality rare in these uniform days.
Of course, the shape imposes significant limitations on functionality. The long doors are a pain in tight parking spaces, rearward visibility is a challenge for the driver, and almost impossible in every direction for the rear-seat passengers, who will curse the tiny rear windows and bemoan the lack of head and knee room.
In theory you can fit three passengers back there (there are three headrests and lap-sash seatbelts) but only small kids and your enemies need apply.
The upside of all this is that luggage space is excellent under the sloping rear glass, and becomes huge once you remove the rear deck and fold down the bench seat.
A rear wiper would be handy for the sloping window, however, and the lack of even a handle on the hatch - let alone a button or keyhole - is a bother. It can only be opened off the remote key or a button on the centre console.
The GT's driver is well looked after by a scalloped leather seat and height adjustable steering wheel. The layout of instruments and controls is sensible and stylish for the most part. Some of the labelling is a bit small to read (particularly the radio) and the column stalks take some familiarisation.
While survivable around town, the GT JTS is at best away from the stop-start traffic and red lights. That's primarily because the clunky Selespeed transmission is a nuisance in such conditions. Fundamentally, it is a robotised manual gearbox (no clutch pedal) that will self-shift up and down gears in "City" mode, and allow manual shifting as well.
The quality of the shifts in City mode can be appalling - well behind the current generation of traditional autos. Manual changing either by the gear stick or the steering wheel-mounted levers is still not brilliant on up-shifts. The down shifts, however, with an electronic throttle blip provided, are sensationally quick and smooth.
Throttle response is a JTS highlight and with variable inlet cam timing, the engine sings lustily to 7000 rpm before soft-cutting. It never actually kicks strongly at a specific point, it just loves to live life beyond 4000 rpm, producing an intoxicating note that combines induction, valve train and exhaust. A very Alfa symphony! But you struggle to hear it over the wind and tyre noise.
The GT is an entertaining drive, with plenty of grip that eventually settles into front-wheel sliding understeer when pushed, although the well-tuned stability control system helps. The steering has a modicum of feel and is wonderfully accurate without being blighted by torque steer.
The real let-down is the ride. It is not that hard to run out of suspension travel on lumpier roads, which obviously has an impact on the car's balance and your enjoyment of it.
But on the right road (not too rough, flowing just so) this is such an involving car to drive. You'll realise you're smiling, and probably have been for the last kilometres. It is so Alfa. Frustrating, endearing, painful, involving.
What's it got?
Leather trim; dual climate control; cruise control; six-stack CD audio system; power front windows; remote central locking; multifunction leather-wrapped steering wheel; heated seats; fog lights; trip computer.
What's missing?
Power adjustment for front seats; reach adjustment on steering wheel; rear-window wiper.