The Alfa 159, named after one of Alfa Romeo's most successful and charismatic post-war Grand Prix cars, replaces the seven-year-old 156. It's built on the platform that Alfa was to share with Saab under the Fiat-GM co-operation agreement, but with Saab's exit from the project the platform is now unique to Alfa Romeo. It underpins a car larger than the 156 (it's 4660mm long, with a 2700mm wheelbase), the better to compete with BMW's new 3-Series for which Alfa hopes the 159 will be, finally, a true rival.
