It only seems like yesterday that we took delivery of our Alfa 147 long-term test car, but in fact it has been with us almost eight months, and our time with the diesel has come to an end.

Over this time we have racked up 27 339 kilometres and seen the odo tick over from 6551km to 33890km, with tasks ranging from the day to day office runs in heavy traffic to a number of coastal trips and even an entry into the highly competitive Total Economy Run.

Economy is where the biggest turn-up for the books has come from. A number of people, who obviously remember twin Webbers being the fuel supplier to old Alfas, were amazed that the traditionally sporty, but sometimes temperamental Italian brand, was entered in the economy run and were even more astounded at the outstanding performance we attained.

With an average fuel usage number of 5.5 litres per 100 kilometres the Alfa, piloted by complete novices, was placed third in class, and a credible ninth overall in the diesel class behind some much smaller-engined vehicles.

Thanks to years of beautiful styling and performance, Alfa adoration has spanned many generations, and the Giugiario penned 147 is no exception to the rule. The sporty shape is characterised by the long bonnet, an upright cabin and a rounded rear, while snugly fitting alloys complete the look.

Over time the interior proved itself practical, but perhaps not as spacious as its competitors. At a squeeze it carries five adults, which over short round-town distances is not unbearable, but anything longer than that becomes claustrophobic. Boot size is acceptable, and like any hatch the versatility is greatly improved by folding the rear seats to allow longer items to be transported. An excellent leather interior is one of the biggest plus points to the Alfa 147. Neatly detailed with fine stitching and no over the top eccentricities, the seats are good looking and offer decent side support to both front and rear occupants.

A deep set gauge binnacle shrouds the classic gauges, and simple analogue type dials make reading the vitals a pleasure, and the simplicity is carried through to the centre consol where the sound system, climate controls, convenient cup and card holders are located. With these types of detail at hand, and the fuel sipping consumption numbers, it seems clear the Alfa designers had the likes of reps and frequent travellers in mind.

Athletic handling is very encouraging, and the car urges to be driven with some gusto when challenged by winding roads. Unfortunately this sporting ability compromises the ride when confronted by the slightest road corrugations and unevenness. The front end tends to get skittish and moves around, while every irregularity is passed through the cockpit and is felt by the occupants.

Performance is brisk and the 1.9 JTD M-Jet has certainly raised a few eyebrows in this office with its nippiness, but severe turbo lag slightly weakened the nod of approval the car deserves. At the coast it proved to be vastly better, but that doesn't help the rest of us up here at 6000 feet.

One of the largest gripes we have is the fit of parts of the interior. The 147s door mounted electric window controls were the biggest let down. From day one the controls never sat flush with the armrest, and eventually crawled their way out of the position to reveal a birds nest of wires and insulation tape, suggesting someone had fiddled with the electrics before we got the car. No matter how hard we wedged the things back into the armrest, it kept climbing out.

Another irritation was the clutch pedal that, with only 18 000 kilometres on the clock, looked like it came from a 1974 Alfetta with 300 000 Ks on it, eventually tearing off. With wet feet the clutch pedal became lethal as your foot could easily slip, with the result that the car lurched forward.

Despite these minor issues, the Alfa proved itself to be a worthy class contender and a brilliant combination of economy, style and Italian sportiness. The 147 JTD M-Jet has only been gone for a short while, and already it is sorely missed. It might not have had all the practicalities of some of its competition, but it has buckets full of charisma and was more than just a reliable form of transport. The diesel lump proved to be a strong performer and never so much as missed a beat, and what's more, it's encouraging to see the manufacturer has confidence in its product, and doesn't think twice about adding a three-year or 60 000km maintenance plan onto the deal.