Magazine - 15/11/05

Alfa Romeo

Will the new Alfa Romeo 159 sell as well as the late 156, which won over almost 700,000 motorists between 1998 and 2005? In the absence of the man behind the 156, Walter Da Silva, who left to join Audi, it was the Italian Giorgetto Giugiaro (designer of the Volkswagen Golf and Passat and the Fiat Panda, Punto and Uno) who designed the new silhouette of this top-of-the-range touring car, in collaboration with the Alfa Romeo centre. Presented at the last Geneva Motor Show where it sparked a great deal of interest, the Alfa 159 would like to find itself a place in the sun alongside the Audi A4 and BMW 3 Series. It has many assets, notably its standard equipment, which is of potentially broad public appeal. However, aficionados of this sporting marque will not find on the 159 the famous V6 engine of the 156, which is now deemed too polluting, but whose husky sound was unique in the automotive world...

More angular than its older sibling, the Alfa 159 has a clear presence, a skilful mix of elegance, aggressiveness and sportiness, which at the front results from its combination of a beak-like grille - highlighting what one imagines to be a generous engine - two sets of three lamps arranged in a line, and broad, ribbed wings; at the rear, it is the wraparound light clusters, small spoiler and double chromed exhaust tail-pipe which lend character to the car. All the dimensions have been increased, thus offering more cabin space and greater comfort.

The interior is as impressive as the seductive curves of this beautiful Italian. The finish, build and choice of materials are now in line with the standards of the German competition. In Italian automobile culture, l'uomo automobile is king! Thanks to a driving position that focuses entirely on the driver, particular care has been taken to satisfy the driver's desires and highlight driving pleasure. The steering wheel and gear lever fit snugly into the hand, and the instrument panel encompasses beautiful old-fashioned analogue dials.

The comprehensive standard equipment for comfort includes cruise control, rain sensors, automatic headlight activation, parking aid, GPS navigation system, dual-zone air conditioning, 7 airbags, and a car radio with CD/Mp3 player and 10 CD loader, linked to a top-of-the-range Bose hi-fi sound system.
 
As for passive safety, road holding is reinforced by a whole series of electronic systems that control the car's dynamic behaviour, such as the Vehicle Dynamic Control system, Anti Slip Regulation, Hydraulic Brake Assistance and ABS. Bolstered by a new platform, originally designed with Saab, the Alfa 159 offers remarkable torsional rigidity and can teach the competition a thing or two in the field of comfort (road handling) and soundproofing (reduction of creaking). Also of note, with regard to soundproofing, are the increased window thickness and the use of sound-absorbing foam in the passenger compartment carpet.

The Alfa 159 comes with a complete range of engines, and notably three new 4-cylinder JTS petrol units: a 260 hp 3.2 V6, a 185 hp 2.2 and a 160 hp 1.9*. These Euro-4-compliant engines use the JTS (Jet Thrust Stoichiometric) combustion system of direct injection. As for diesel engines, which will account for most sales in the UK, there will be a choice between the 150 hp 1.9 JTDM (a 120 hp version will also be available in some countries) and the 200 hp 2.4 JTD. These three engines are also equipped with particulate filters as standard, in anticipation of the forthcoming Euro 5 emissions standards. Lastly, for one symbolic euro, purchasers in certain countries will benefit from a 3-year or 120,000 km (75,000 mile) service plan.
 
* Please note that the 160 hp 1.9 JTS engine will not be available in the UK.