Window Shopping - A new Ferrari, Alfa or something a bit older?

I had some time to kill between an airport drop-off and dinner in the city. Somehow I ended up in Newmarket window shopping for a car.

Andrew Simms had the new Alfa Giulietta, the first I’ve “seen in the metal”. The 8C theme translates better on a larger platform, than the "quirky" Mito, but the front end still takes some getting used too. I think I prefer the older six light grille & shield seen on the Brera (below). The back looks awesome and hidden rear door handles make this five door hatch look more like a long wheelbase three door. Given there isn’t a three door (which don’t sell very well in NZ) that’s a good thing.

Up the road Continental Cars has some more exotic Fiat Group product*. Another first for me was seeing the Ferrari 458 Italia, tucked in beside a 430 spider and more classic Ferrari. The Italia looks very clean with razor sharp front lights and no vents in it’s sculptured sides. Pity it’s a little wasted in NZ, where 105 km/h is the slightly illegal max,unless you take it to the racetrack but what a stunning machine.

Perhaps the real bargain was back at Andrew Simms. This Alfa Romeo GT Coupe is better than the Brera. Quite practical and powered by the classic Alfa V6 which looks & sounds so good. It was a few years old but for the same $30,000 as the, cute but so pricey, newer Fiat 500C beside it I know which I ‘d drive off in.

* In NZ Andrew Simms retail Fiat & Alfa (with Mitsubishi & Citroen). CCS have Chrysler, Jeep, Ferrari & Maserati (and lots of other Euro brands inc VAG). I wonder if that mix will change as the Fiat/Chrysler ranges evolve.