New Prodrive Brera S (now with multiple reviews)

Looks good but why no AR sign in the seat insert

Originally Posted by Squadrone Rosso

Interesting After years of seeing the LHD cars with the leather dashes (GT & 159 / Brera), I am seriously going to look into getting a tailored leather cover retro-fitted to our cars.

Now, I guess this should be a bit easier so will chase the dealer for a spare part code as surely it'll be a cover not a complete dash unit

If you like it that much just find out where the kit car bods recommend in your area, it's likely to be a third of the price of the the Alfa, seeing as the markup for leather dash is £1500.

Am I the only one then not keen on the aesthetics?

I think the dull wheels make it look like they're missing!

The red piping isn't to my taste either (although I'd love to fit the new style seats to my MY07). I'd love the leather dash though!!!

Originally Posted by alfaredthegreat

Am I the only one then not keen on the aesthetics?

It's those "S" badges.

Spoke to my dealer who said the following:

1 - Sounds better thanks to Prodrive exhaust - a proper Alfa burble were his words. This applies to both engines.

2 - Handles and steers much more directly. Suspension 50% stiffer, body roll reduced significantly.

3 - Ride quality not impacted as much as it might have been.

4 - Cars are available in either Alfa Red, Black, or Touring Grey. All with black interiors.

5 - Cars are all effectively pre-built. i.e cars cannot be specced so you could not order one and add on Blue & Me or navigation etc.

He gets a demo car in next week so I think I'm going to tootle down there for a look.

RSK

It's not quite Channel 4's cup of tea it seems:

Alfa Romeo Brera S (2008-) | Car Review | Road Test | 4car | Channel 4

Prodrive has developed a unique suspension set-up: engineers have experimented with spring rates and ride heights to match the 2008 model year Breras. Spring rates have been increase by more than 50% and the ride height lowered by 10mm. Bespoke Eibach coil springs and Bilstein dampers have been fitted in a bid to reduce body roll and improve cornering and braking performance.

Huh?

Are these 2007 cars with Prodrive updates and 2008 seat?

(there's another on the key but no external release button)

Oh dear, they are.

Originally Posted by Nev

Huh?

Are these 2007 cars with Prodrive updates and 2008 seat?

Oh dear, they are.

Bad Alfa..

But they didn't do a 2007 FWD 3.2 did they?

So maybe only the 2.2 is MY2007 style.

These have to be 08 model year cars as looking at ours, it has the new darker headlining etc, the new dash colours, the new seats, the electronic Q2. Just has ours delivered and taken it for a blast...........

WHAT A CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is how the Brera should have been, the 2.2 seems much more lively, the exhaust note is spot on and by does it corner! The balance is superb!
Its no where near as hard as you would think!

You have got to drive this car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just checked our and it was built at the end of March so definately an 08 spec car.

I would challenge anyone to find a downside to this car!

David

The seats don't bake and crack (if you look after them), why will the dash?

Originally Posted by Mitch166

The seats don't bake and crack (if you look after them), why will the dash?

In Australia where the sun is obviously more intense e.t.c, their dashboards crack all the time.

So taking that to a lesser extent, it would be plausible to assume that the dash is hit with more direct sunlight than the seats.

Originally Posted by Mitch166

The seats don't bake and crack (if you look after them), why will the dash?

Probably related to the adhesive that it's stuck to a plastic dashboard with.

It reads to me that Prodive are adding their on springs /dampers to the 2008 model car..
..which is what one would hope!

Seriously though 1500 quid sounds like pretty good value.
If I was buying a brera I would buy this one, and them supercharge it,
and then fit a mechanical diff.

Originally Posted by Nev

Huh?

Are these 2007 cars with Prodrive updates and 2008 seat?


Prodrive has developed a unique suspension set-up: engineers have experimented with spring rates and ride heights to match the 2008 model year Breras. Spring rates have been increase by more than 50% and the ride height lowered by 10mm. Bespoke Eibach coil springs and Bilstein dampers have been fitted in a bid to reduce body roll and improve cornering and braking performance.



Oh dear, they are.

I thought I'd add my 2p, owning an 07 3.2 Breara and having owned an Imprezza, before and after official Prodrive mods.
The one thing I think the 3.2 wants, is more grunt, particularly torque lower down the rev range. So I'm really disappointed to see the Brera S is 'just' handling mods.
The prodrive mods to the imprezza where entirely performance based, a re-map, de-cat, new exhaust, and intercooler hose. It transformed the car.
TBH, the thing that really clinched me buying the Brera over the competition was the 4WD system. For the Brera S to drop the 4WD to save weight is basically due to the failure of the supercharger option.
Let's not mince words, this is Alfa/Prodrive trying to polish the turd. A whole year development and no increase in power, so you end up with a 250bhp FWD compromise, with 19" wheels and a bone shaking ride to make it feel your going faster.
in a word, Yuk!
First hand opinions gratefully received on the autodelta supercharger option!
Jon

Got a photo of a grey one at Platts today. Must say it looks nice in grey apart from the S logo The interior is cool too. This one was pre-inspection so it needed tidying up, but I could post the pic if anyone is interested.

David, would you say this is the best handling car Alfa currently have? (8C excepted)

[quote=Oggy_GTA;1801281], but I could post the pic if anyone is interested.

Please do mate

Ok, here it is - I got the impression this was to be the showroom model, so I don't think I'll upset any owner. It still has seals and things on the doors, so don't judge how clean/tidy it is

Originally Posted by Oggy_GTA

Got a photo of a grey one at Platts today. Must say it looks nice in grey apart from the S logo The interior is cool too. This one was pre-inspection so it needed tidying up, but I could post the pic if anyone is interested.

David, would you say this is the best handling car Alfa currently have? (8C excepted)

Definately, it really is that good, the exhaust change has really made the 2.2 much livelier and seems at first look to have removed the hesitation. Also these are 08 model year cars not 07s I can assure you of that. Dare I admit that I enjoyed the quick blast in that more than my previous 3.2s, can't wait to try the 3.2!!!

I have a Black on that landed yesterday and I will post pics once its clean.

David

Originally Posted by Padders

It's not quite Channel 4's cup of tea it seems:

Alfa Romeo Brera S (2008-) | Car Review | Road Test | 4car | Channel 4

The review is what I expected. You can't put larger wheels and stiffen the suspension on a car and then expect resonable ride quality.
IMHO the salesmen will tell you its a great car (that is their job), on a race track maybe, but as an everyday car I doubt it.

The best thing about the car is the interior and you can get something similar to that on 08 cars.

Well it's all moot for the rest of us
in Europe as these are UK only cars.

Hopefully we'll see some improvement
on the already good stock cars for 09.
(That don't involve putting badges in daft
places and ruining the look of the car.)