Alfa Romeo Giulietta review: ‘I scare myself to death’ Martin Love

Alfa Romeo's romantic sports cars have been turning heads for years, but the new Giulietta isn't a keeper

Price: 18,555
Top speed: 121mph
0-62mph: 9.4 seconds
MPG: 45.6
CO2: 144g/km

It's Italian, it's stunning and its name references the greatest love story ever written" But spend a week with Giulietta from Alfa Romeo and you'll soon be booking sessions with Relate. Like most relationships, it started so well. You spotted the car across a crowded car park and your eyes were drawn by those dramatic lines. The rimless headlamps and plunging codpiece grille added to the appeal. You took the key from your pocket, you wanted to get to know this car a little better. You pressed unlock and" eergh" the car emits a long, dreadful jarring beep. I've "beeped" a lot of cars in my time, but the tone on this one is awful. It sounds crazy to dismiss a car because the security tone is too harsh, too long and too unnecessary, but every time I locked or unlocked Giulietta that noise put my teeth right on edge.