ALFA Romeos were once the epitome of red-blooded, relatively affordable Italian sports motoring. Among the first to popularise five-speed transmission and powered by meaty twin-camshaft engines, the Alfa GTVs and Guilias really stood out in a world commonly populated by Holden Kingswoods and Falcon 500s. So what about a diesel Alfa Romeo? If your perception of Alfas in the past is aligned to the Italian pureblood ideal, how does that grab you? Well, if you’re worried that the essence of Alfa is diluted by the 147 JTD, stop. This is a fun sports hatchback, with lots of performance, lots of charm and the ability to run on the smell of an oily rag. It’s not cheap but, in today’s price-sensitive environment, it still makes a lot of sense.