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| Road Test: Alfa Romeo 159 (2006-) |
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| Compact Executive |
by: John Simister |
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Click for 159 Gallery
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If this doesn't do it, it's hard to know what will. We're talking about Alfa Romeo's eternal quest to create a car able to rival BMW's ubiquitous 3-Series: not an Italian BMW, but a car of equivalent worth and desirability which retains its Italian characteristics (the good ones, at least).
The 159 is the first Alfa to be launched under new Alfa CEO Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, formerly of BMW and Rolls-Royce and a declared Italophile when it comes to cars. The design and engineering of this 156 replacement were almost finished when he arrived, but his arrival has certainly concentrated Alfa minds and encouraged those who wanted this car to be as good as possible.
This time, Alfa's 3-Series-basher is a bigger car, 105mm longer in the wheelbase than the 156, appropriately roomier and built on a new, currently Alfa-unique platform which will also underpin the Brera coupé. The style is similar outside and in, if more solid and aggressive without the lightness of touch, but there are almost no carry-over parts. That means the front double-wishbone suspension is an all-new design and the former rear struts are ditched in favour of a sophisticated multi-link arrangement.
The Fiat Group's recently-curtailed link with General Motors has led to some new petrol engines, all with direct injection and continuously-variable valve timing for both inlet and exhaust cams. They are a 1.9 with 160bhp, a 185bhp 2.2 and a 260bhp V6, this last coming with Q4 four-wheel drive transmission split 43 percent front, 57 percent rear. In all cases, Alfa-unique cylinder heads top GM-designed engine blocks.
The UK market also gets two Fiat-made turbodiesels, a 150bhp 1.9 and a 200bhp, five-cylinder 2.4. The lower-powered 120bhp JTD is not planned for the UK market. All 159s get six-speed transmissions as standard, but Selespeed sequentials or full autos will be available in some versions. The 2.4 JTD can also be had with Q4 four-wheel drive.
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Introduction If this doesn't do it, it's hard to know what will... |
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