Alfa Romeo 147 Price Guide

The Alfa Romeo 147 won the 2001 European Car of the Year and proved that Alfa could still make a hatchback that people bought with their heart. It was gorgeous to look at, entertaining to drive, and predictably wayward when it came to reliability.

The Range

Launched in 2000, the 147 used a shortened version of the 156’s platform in three-door and five-door bodies. Engine options started with the 1.6 and 2.0-litre Twin Spark four-cylinders, joined by the 1.9 JTD and JTDm diesels that became the volume sellers. The range-topping GTA arrived in 2002 with the magnificent 3.2-litre Busso V6 producing 247bhp through the front wheels — a configuration that was ambitious bordering on reckless. Around 5,000 GTAs were built. Trim levels included Turismo, Lusso, and the UK-specific Sport. A 2005 facelift smoothed the nose, revised the suspension, and improved the interior, though the basic formula remained unchanged. Production ended in 2010 after 651,000 cars.

What Goes Wrong

Cambelt failures on the Twin Spark engines are the headline problem. The factory originally specified a 72,000-mile change interval, which proved catastrophically optimistic — belts were failing as early as 25,000 miles. The interval was halved to 36,000 miles, and any sensible owner changes the belt, tensioner, rollers, and water pump as a set. The water pump is driven by the cambelt, and a failed pump throws the belt off. The Selespeed automated manual gearbox was trouble-prone from new, with actuator failures and long waits for replacement parts. MAF sensors fail regularly and cause flat spots and poor running. The bonnet catch gums up with dirt and can fail to lock, with the potential for the bonnet to fly open at speed — a recall addressed this but the mechanism needs regular cleaning and lubrication. Electrical gremlins are common, and a failing battery causes a cascade of apparently unrelated faults.

The GTA

The 3.2 Busso V6 is a hand-built engine from the Maserati Research Centre in Modena and sounds magnificent. The front differential was an optional extra that should have been standard — without it, the GTA understeers heavily under power. Brakes were undersized originally at 305mm; later cars received 330mm discs. The GTA is now a rising modern classic with values climbing steadily. Buy on history and condition rather than mileage.

The 147 shared its platform and most of its engines with the 156, which used the same mechanicals in a larger, more sophisticated saloon body.