THE ALFA 147 RECEIVES THE "2001 CAR OF THE YEAR" AWARD

The "2001 Car of the Year" award, assigned to the Alfa 147 by a jury of specialised journalists representing 21 countries, was presented in Hamburg yesterday to the Chief Executive Officer of Fiat Auto, Roberto Testore. Also present at the ceremony - organised and hosted for this edition by the magazine Stern - was Fiat Chief Executive, Paolo Cantarella.

This latest success - and the second in only four years for Alfa Romeo - is the tenth time a Fiat Auto model has received what represents the world car industry's most coveted award.

The Alfa 147 took the trophy by finishing ahead of the Ford Mondeo, Toyota Prius and Audi A2 in that order. Further confirmation of the success of the Alfa Romeo brand's new sports compact is the fact that fully 51 of the 56 jury members named it in their shortlist of preferences.

The Alfa 147, which starting in April will also be marketed in a 5-door version, has been extremely well received by the market: in fact 40 thousand orders have already been placed in just over two months since the launch.

"This award not only concerns one car - emphasised Roberto Testore shortly after receiving the trophy - but also a great tradition based on a more than 90-year history that has made the Alfa Romeo brand famous throughout the world. It is a success, however, that will encourage us to perform even better and achieve increasingly more important goals in the near future."


Turin, 26 January 2001