Today the only significance of 100mph is that you’ll lose your licence if you’re caught doing it. A little more than 20 years ago, to a certain 17-year-old cradling his fragile new driving licence, it was the unattainable dream. I lived on a Channel Island that had a speed limit of 40mph.

I had a choice of two cars to drive: a Fiat 126 bought cheap because its previous owner had upset a pint of cream over the passenger seat and nobody else could bear the smell, and my father’s old Land Rover. The Landie would do 61mph, the Fiat 62mph; I always drove the Fiat.

And then came a turning point. My father’s Alfasud needed to go to London and nobody else wanted to take the rust-ridden buzzbox that far. The Sud wasn’t fast, but a motoring magazine had recorded its top speed as 101mph, and that was good enough for me.

Hammering up the A3 the following morning, I came over a crest and saw the road stretching out ahead of me, slightly downhill. I took my chance, and after what seemed like an hour the needle finally crept into three figures. Pathetically, I felt I had come of age.

Everyone who ever spent time with Alfa Romeos has a story to tell about them. They may be made by Fiat these days but they are not badge-engineered clones. Alfas are among the few cars left in mainstream production that continue to have real character, and this is just as well, because a purely objective assessment of many of Alfa’s products of the past two decades might suggest the company should shut up shop.

Its latest offering is this GT. I thought it a great-looking car the moment it growled up outside my house, but it took a journey to a classic-car hillclimb to put the looks into perspective. Owners of some of the most beautiful cars on this planet gawped at the GT, and all wanted to know one thing: is it any good?

Well, I can instantly vouch for the practicality of the design, having bundled my children into the back seat and stuffed luggage into its boot. The 2.0JTS model I drove is also well equipped for its £21,495 list price, with items such as leather upholstery, cruise control and a Bose stereo all without extra charge. It’s powered by a 2 litre engine that produces an impressive 165bhp.

But is this enough to tempt people out of their more expensive but much slower-depreciating BMW 3-series coupés, not to mention such terrifyingly capable — and similarly priced — cars as the Mazda RX-8? If you are a rabid Alfa fan, the answer is an unequivocal “yes”. If, however you are simply looking for a four-seat coupé at this price level, I fear it may not be the solution for you.

Allow me to explain. For all its good looks and impressive specification, the GT isn’t that great to drive. Its engine may have decent power but it will only get the GT to 62mph in 8.7sec and on to 134mph — figures you could eclipse with a Mini Cooper S, saving yourself about £6,000 and having more fun in the process. The high-power version of the Mazda RX-8 costs just £605 more than the Alfa, has four doors and six gears instead of two and five respectively, and will hit 62mph in 6.4sec en route to 146mph.

These, of course, are bald figures, but the subjective assessment does little to improve the score. The engine is smooth and willing to rev to 7000rpm, but it does not have the character of the 2 litre Alfas of old, not even of the fizzy little 1.5 unit in Dad’s ancient Alfasud. Mazda’s silken Wankel engine, on the other hand, will hit an astonishing 9000rpm with a fine accompanying sound.

All of which would be forgivable if the GT made up in cornering what it lacks in straight-line shove, but it doesn’t. There is commendable grip but ultimately no disguising the fact that this is a front-wheel-drive car, based heavily on the ageing platform of the 156 saloon. The best-handling coupés at this price — be they BMW, Mazda or Nissan’s compelling two-seat-only 350Z — are all rear-wheel drive. Push them hard and you’ll see why. The GT steers precisely, but its helm lacks feel, and the often jarring ride quality is disappointing to say the least.

And that’s my biggest problem with the car. For all its good looks and its smart, practical cabin, it fails at the one job at which every Alfa should excel: providing an entertaining drive. By all means buy the Alfa GT because you love its looks or the badge, or both, but if what you really want is an Alfa to deliver on the promise of those looks, your wait, I am afraid, will continue.

VITAL STATISTICS

Model: Alfa GT 2.0JTS
Engine type: Four-cylinder, 1970cc
Power/Torque: 165bhp @ 6400rpm /152 lb ft @ 3250rpm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel/CO2: 32.5mpg (combined) / CO2 207g/km
Performance: 0-62mph: 8.7sec / top speed 134mph
Price: £21,495
Verdict: Another great looking but slightly disappointing Alfa
Rating:

THE OPPOSITION

Model: Mazda RX-8, £22,100
For: Great looks and clever design, sweet engine, great price
Against: Badge lacks kudos, engine weak at low revs

Model: BMW 320Ci SE, £24,775
For: Strong residuals, handling balance, quality
Against: Getting a little old now, often driven by morons