In an automotive world that majors on inbuilt obsolescence, three years is a very long time. Six years represents an eternity yet six years after launch, the Alfa 147 is still the most stylish car in its sector. The BMW 1 Series and the Audi A3 have tried to knock it off its perch but when it comes to sheer insouciant cool, both of these Germans are found wanting. In truth, they're trying a little too hard. As if to rub it in, Alfa Romeo has recently upped the ante a little further with the rather understated launch of a TI special edition 147. This is a car with feel good factor to spare.

The TI badge will be familiar to those Alfisti amongst you who recall a misspent youth in Alfasuds, weekends spent alternately leaving Escorts for dead and skinning knuckles with monkey metal spanner sets. The Turismo Internazionale models were introduced back in 1973 and featured two doors instead of four, giving the car a rather slinkier coupe look. This latest generation 147 TI is available in both three and five-door guises, the 147's silhouette not being particularly compromised by another artfully concealed set of doors.

So what's the deal? It's actually reasonably straightforward. Instead of plumping for a 147 Lusso, customers who act quickly can instead get hold of the TI model for exactly the same price. The punch line is that the TI comes equipped with £2,000 worth of extras. Spanners, thankfully, aren't likely to be required this time round.

Given that the 147 Lusso is already generously stuffed with standard equipment, the TI is a great choice if you've taken a look at the German rivals and realised that in order to specify them to a respectable level, you'll be looking at prices comfortably over £20,000 even for the entry level versions. The Lusso's CD stereo, six airbags, remote control cenmtral locking, fog lights, alarm and immobiliser, dual zone climate control, trip computer, cruise control and leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio controls merely represent a good foundation. On top of this, the TI adds unique 17-inch alloy wheels, a rear spoiler, sports suspension, a full leather interior and rear parking sensors. Subtle TI badging finishes the package off nicely.

"The Alfa 147 TI offers old school Italian style with resolutely modern build quality"

Colour choice is one area where the TI isn't generous, with a single Alfa Red paint scheme offered as standard Plus the option of Metallic Navona Grey or Metallic Black for an additional £400. List prices remain very reasonable indeed, the entry level 1.6-litre Twin Spark three-door opening at £14,850 with the five-door tacking £500 onto that price. A 1.9-litre JTDM 16v diesel three-door retails at £17,600 with the five-door topping the Range at £18,100.

This diesel engine is the real star and is definitely the TI to plump for. The powerplant fitted to this flagship diesel 147 is certainly modern. The Fiat Group, of which Alfa Romeo is a key constituent, was first to market with a direct injection diesel way back in 1986 and was last year awarded the Economist Innovation Award for groundbreaking work in developing common-rail diesel technology. Alfa Romeo brought the first JTD common rail engine to the UK in 1997, plumbed into the front of an Alfa 156. This development is a sixteen-valve 150bhp Multijet version of that engine which offers more power, reduced noise levels yet still posts competitive fuel economy and emissions figures. It's the same as the 140bhp unit offered in the pre-facelift 147 from summer 2003 but a revised injection strategy has boosted the output while reducing noise and vibration.

The Multijet system takes the idea of pilot injection - squirting a small amount of fuel into the cylinder to 'prime' the combustion chamber for the main ignition process - and refines it still further. In this instance, the main injection is divided into a series of smaller injections, allowing smoother, more gradual combustion that utilises fuel more efficiently. The electronic control units therefore have to be astonishingly precise. Whereas before the time lag between injections was a relatively yawning 1,500 microseconds, the response time has been slashed by a factor of 10. A variable geometry turbocharger and a high pressure direct injection system make the 150bhp output possible but the key is the 305Nm torque figure. This means that the 147JTD 16v feels gutsier than the old 250bhp 3.2-litre V6 147 GTA model.

You'll believe that too when you drive the car. Fire it up and the engine settles into an unobtrusive background thrum that never threatens to rattle the expensively moulded dashboard. Yes, you can tell it sups from the black pump, but it's hardly what you'd describe as coarse. On the move, the engine remains pleasantly muted without the whistles and bellows of many powerful turbodiesel cars. Between 1,750 and 3,250rpm, there's a huge shove in the back, the elastic power delivery catapulting the Alfa down the road in a deliciously addictive manner. Even in sixth gear, the 147JTD 16v will dispatch the 50-75mph increment in just 7.9 seconds. From rest, the 147JTD 16v will accelerate to 60mph in 8.8 seconds and run onto a top speed of 129mph. Average fuel economy is pegged at 47.9mpg and emissions amount to a mere 157g/km.

There's a lot to like about this car. For a model that's now six years old, it still feels astonishingly desirable. In fact, it trounces any rival in terms of sense of occasion when you slip behind the wheel. The 147 TI is enough to convert even the most ardent Italophobe.