22 Feb 05 14:24
Two vital new Alfa Romeos will make their debut at the Geneva show next week, pointing to a revitalised future for the brand even as its Fiat Auto parent readjusts to the latest management shake-up that saw recently-arrived Fiat Auto boss Herbert Demel ousted in favour of overall Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne.
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.
Further GM influence is seen in the petrol engine range, which uses General Motors' blocks and Alfa Romeo's own cylinder heads with direct injection and continuously-variable inlet and exhaust cam timing. The choice will be a 160bhp 1.9, a 185bhp 2.2 (both with four cylinders) and a 260bhp V6. Diesel engines remain the familiar Fiat JTD units, a 1.9-liitre 16V four with 150bhp and a 2.4-litre five-cylinder unit, now with a revised cylinder head to help towards outputs of 200bhp and 295lb ft. There's also an eight-valve 1.9 JTD, delivering 120bhp, but we're unlikely to see this in the UK.
The V6 and the 2.4 JTD will be available with the Q4 four-wheel-drive system already seen on the 156 Crosswagon, a car denied to UK buyers. It features a Torsen C centre differential whose normal torque split is 43 percent front, 57 percent rear to give a handling balance much like that of a rear-wheel-drive car. This split can vary according to shifts in grip. There will be no specific sports suspension option this time, but the 159's front double-wishbone, rear multilink system is intended to remedy the various ride-quality snags historically suffered by the 156 range. To this end, the bodyshell's torsional stiffness is said to be the highest in the class.
One of the strongest reasons for buying a 159 may be the way it looks: an assertive, Giugiaro-penned evolution of the 156 theme with a pronounced waistline ridge, tougher-looking wheelarches and a front like that of the Brera concept car (itself about to enter production). Sadly, the 156's concealed rear door handles have gone, so there's no longer any pretence of a coupé look, but both the front and the rear light units contain triple lamp pods - those at the back looking remarkably like the aftermarket items long available for the 156.
Inside, the theme is again a refinement of the driver-centred 156 look with added technology and, claims Alfa Romeo, more cabin space. The boot is bigger, too. The international launch takes place in May, but UK buyers will have to wait until February 2006.
