Alfa Romeo is no stranger to making good-looking cars and there's no mistaking that the Italian firm's GT is a striking sight.

From a nose peppered with racy, mesh-type air intakes and the company's trademark grille, your eyes are drawn upwards along the GT's shapely bonnet, past the bulging wheel arches, up and over the perfectly- proportioned cabin area and down to a stubby tail punctuated by slivers of red which act as taillights and reflectors. If you get this far without being seduced by the car's suggestively sculptured waistline you've done well.

Despite its pretty clothes, Alfa is pitching the GT as a properly-sorted sporting coupe for buyers keen to match day-to-day usability with more than a hint of corner-clipping prowess. Being based on the firm's 156 helps the GT's cause no end; the car's front-drive chassis has always offered a decent blend of agility and refinement, although ultimately erring on the firm side as it strives to deliver an experience close to that of its German rivals.

The key to making the GT shine on the road is engine choice. Alfa's now familiar 2.0-litre, 165bhp JTS petrol unit is present, along with the firm's tuneful 3.2-litre, 240bhp V6 motor.

But guess which one Alfa bosses reckon will be the most popular? Neither, as gatecrashing the petrol party is the company's 16-valve, 1.9-litre JTD diesel.

In the real world, the 150bhp oil burner would be my weapon of choice over the two consumers of unleaded.

In-gear acceleration in the diesel GT is, to say the least, rapid and more than enough to stave off the advances of all but the most determined of boy racers.

This performance is largely due to a Tarmac-shredding 225lb/ft of torque at a lowly 2,000rpm a figure that's only a few digits off that of a Porsche Boxster's output.

The key to the car being perceived as an accommodating coupe, however, will be its, er, accommodation facilities. The good news is that it succeeds just. Front occupants will have no problems; space is generous and the sports seats trimmed in a curious Alfatex' fabric on the JTD and JTS are supportive. Access to the rear is by the usual folding seat method. Once installed, the aft cabin feels snug.

Children will fit without a problem but adults might not want to travel too far as leg room is at a premium. By way of compensation, the GT's boot is a generous size for a coupe and the rear seats split and fold 60/40 to accommodate awkward loads.

And the catch? Realistically there isn't one. Although there's no denying the diesel GT's engine can sound a little vocal when cold, it's not sufficient to spoil the experience, as a few minutes are all it takes for things to warm up. From this moment on you'd swear you were in the company of a gravely voiced seductress intent on showing you a good time. Think of the diesel as a JTS-engined car with a serious nicotine habit and you'll soon be won over. I was. Catch? What catch?

RATINGS

Performance: 9
Comfort: 8
Equipment: 7
Finish: 8
Economy: 8
Total: 40/50

FACTS AT A GLANCE

Model: Alfa Romeo GT, £20,995 on the road.
Engine: 4-cylinder diesel unit of 1910cc developing 150bhp at 4,000rpm and 225lb/ft torque at 2,000rpm.
Transmission: Front-wheel drive through 6-speed manual gearbox.
Performance: Maximum speed 130mph, 0-62mph in 9.6 seconds.
CO2 emissions rating: 176g/km.
Economy: 32.5mpg on the urban cycle, 52.4mpg extra urban, 42.2mpg combined.
Warranty: 3-year/60,000 miles mechanical, 8 years' anti perforation.