Ducati's victorious 2007 MotoGP World Championship has led to Alfa Romeo, who currently supplies the Ducati team with their cars, releasing a special edition Ducati Corse version of the Alfa 147. Alfa Romeo and Ducati are both steeped in racing tradition and are well respected manufacturers in their fields. They are also, of course, both Italian, so it was only a matter of time before the two companies went into a partnership to create some kind of unique piece of engineering. That's where the 147 Ducati Corse was born.

Taking its cue from the marque's excitingly styled and more expensive Brera, the Alfa 147 Ducati Corse looks attractive from practically every angle you observe it from. Over a standard 147, it offers a far more aggressive sporting appearance and a number of tweaks to the performance mean it has a sportier drive than its standard 147 cousins. Priced at £17,495 for the three-door model or £17,995 for the five-door, the Ducati Corse costs under £1,000 more than the standard 1.9-litre Lusso 147, a tantalising prospect when you consider the advantages the special edition offers for that relatively small premium.

Powered by a 16-valve 170bhp 1.9 JTDM turbodiesel engine, the Ducati Corse is good for 0 to 62mph in eight seconds and can reach a top speed of 134mph at 3,750rpm. 330Nm of torque is available from 2,000rpm and it also features a Sport button which varies the mapping of the accelerator pedal to give a burst of acceleration when it's required. As you'd expect when two motor racing companies come together to build a vehicle, it looks seriously sporty. Customers can expect exclusive 18-inch alloy wheels, red-painted brake callipers, satin effect electrically adjustable and heated wing mirrors, a rear spoiler and Ducati badging. The whole car takes on a determined and aggressive look that is apparent even down to the finest detail. The front bumper houses triple-lamp light clusters and mean-looking air intakes and the rear features a prominent Alfa Romeo badge and a chrome exhaust.

"Bikers who have to have a car should love it."

Since the larger 156 was launched at the end of 1997, Alfa's understanding of how to screw together a decent quality car has come on leaps and bounds. The Alfa 147 Ducati Corse takes this foundation and reinforces it further, with the car featuring a built-in sense of occasion that's utterly absent from a Volkswagen Golf or even an Audi A3. Sit inside the Ducati Corse and the memories of Italianate driving positions that we grew up with in Alfasuds and Giuliettas are banished forever. Seat, pedals, steering wheel, gearstick and mirrors all appear to be positioned around an anthropomorphic figure of a human being rather than a gibbon (as was the case with the 145).

Inside the cabin, the sporty feel continues with aluminium sports pedals, Ducati Corse sports dials with a red background and sports seats upholstered in black leather with red stitching. Three colours are available; Etna Black, Ghiaccio White and Giulietta Red. Gadgets include cruise control, dual zone automatic climate control with split temperature and distribution function as well as a car radio with audio CD player, MP3 reader, wheel-mounted audio controls and an auto-dip rear view mirror. Windows are electric and feature one-touch operation and there's an onboard trip computer with a multifunctional display.

In terms of running costs, the Ducati Corse is not going to break the bank. A combined fuel consumption figure of 47.9mpg is very creditable in three-door form and 48.7mpg in five-door form is also more economical than some of the other cars in the 147 range. The three-door model emits 153g/km of CO2 and the five-door 157g/km. All too often, you have to sacrifice style for practicality when buying a hatchback but the 147 seems to offer it all, plus performance.

Safety features include a Fire Prevention System, ABS with Electronic Brake Distribution and VDC with brake assist, plus Alfa's Q2 self-locking front differential system. This clever unit constantly adjusts the amount of power directed to each of the front wheels to suit the driving conditions, improving stability when braking or accelerating through extreme corners and also ensuring power is not lost in a useless wheel spin when you need it most. In the front the driver and passenger seats have front, side and window airbags and there's an alarm and immobiliser system installed as standard with remote central locking.

The Alfa 147 is fast building itself a reputation as one of the snappiest and most attractive hatches around and this special edition Ducati Corse should further this school of thought. As hatchbacks go it's good-looking, well-equipped and provides high-performance too. Bikers who have to have a car should love it.