Alfa Romeo 159: First Look

By Feann Torr

Replacing the much-loved and stylistically bold 156 was never going to be an easy task, but Alfa Romeo has been around long enough to know what works and what doesn't.

And according to the Italian automaker, the new 159 most definitely works, but not without a little bit of Aussie know-how, which we'll touch on later.

Like the just-released Brera, the 156's replacement shows off Alfa Romeo's new face, which is a little less swoopy than before, slightly more pinched in, yet with more out-and-out style and a slightly sportier edge.

The 156 was a pivotal model for Alfa when it launched, bringing with it sales records for a company that was once looking very poorly. Therefore the 159 needed to be drop-dead gorgeous, and in my humble opinion it has achieved this.

The triple cluster headlights work remarkably well, lending the Italian mid-sized sedan more purpose, and if you look at the car as a whole, it's a much more elegant, stylish proposition than the 156, with fewer seams between a reduced number of sheet metal panels. All told, it's got a very 'taught' look.

Alfa Romeo's new look 159 is the end result of a collaboration between Italian design maestro Giorgetto Giugiaro and the car maker's own Styling Centre, and "the rear end, with its beautifully balanced form, blends perfectly with the front, setting off its unique personality," according to Alfa Romeo.

Though the 159 will be replacing the 156, the new Italian sedan is in fact a much larger car than its precursor, with increases in almost every dimension, and from any angle and at almost any distance, the 159 is unmistakably an Alfa Romeo.

It's an Italian car that exudes style and sophistication, but underneath its freshly stamped sheet metal lies an Australian-made beating heart.

The range-topping Alfa Romeo 159 will be powered by a General Motors 3.2-litre V6, which will be built in Australia, and Alfa claims that it's new range of engines will be respectful towards the environment, while at the same time giving drivers good reserves of power.

Sitting atop the 159 range will be the 3.2-litre V6, which will output a Commodore-like 191kW (260hp) and generate some 322Nm of torque @ 4500rpm. Both figures are quite impressive, particularly for a naturally aspirated 3.2-litre engine.

In contrast, Holden's 3.6-litre Alloytec190 motor cranks out 340Nm of torque, just 18Nm more than the Alfa's smaller 3.2-litre engine, but it should be stressed that the Alfa donk is a more advanced (and expensive) piece of kit, taking advantage of direct petrol injection, or JTS (Jet Thrust Stoichiometric) in Alfa-speak.

Two other petrol engines will be offered by Alfa Romeo, but it's not yet clear which ones will be imported when the 159 finds its way to Australian showroom floors in 2006.

The 2.2-litre and 1.9-litre inline 4-cylinder engines output 136 and 118 kilowatts of power respectively - very solid figures again - and together with the 3.2-litre mill they all use continuous 'dual' variable valve timing, where both intake and exhaust valves get the full variable billing. Peak torque for the 2.2 and 1.9 motors is 230Nm and 190Nm.

Only one example of the many diesel engines is likely to make its way to Australia after Europe has taken its fill of the 159, and here's hoping it's the range-topping 2.4-litre JTDM 5-cylinder mill.

It squeezes out a very respectable 147kW (200hp) and a whopping 400Nm of torque @ 2000rpm. A diesel-powered sports that performs well and is as visually attractive as the 159 would do wonders for diesel's name in Australia.

Other diesel engines common to the 159 include two 1.9-litre turbo diesels, the major difference between the two being valve count.

The more powerful 16-valve oil burner delivers 110kW (150hp) @ 4000rpm and 320Nm @ 2000rpm, while the 8-valve 1.9-litre engine makes 88kW (120hp) and 280Nm of torque.

All of the diesel engines are rather contemporary too, employing Alfa's Multijet technology, while increasing power thanks to a 'variable geometry turbo and intercooler'. They all meet Euro 4 emissions requirements (and may even adhere to Euro 5) thanks to particulate traps/filters.

The large range of engines that Alfa Romeo will use in the new 159 will transmit power to the front wheels via a new 6-speed manual gearbox with "short strokes, precise engagement and limited loads", a conventional 6-speed auto tranny with torque convertor or the robotised Selespeed, again with six ratios.

In addition to the new batch of engines that put the fresh-faced Alfa in a more competitive position, the 159 sits on an all-new platform that brings with its chassis changes, such as new suspension (expected to give the car sharper handling) and, according to Alfa Romeo, these new underpinnings were one of the reasons behind jumping straight to the 159 name, instead of using 157 or 158. It's a big leap, and the name is representative of this, or something along those lines.

An all-wheel drive system will no less than three diffs (and including a Torsen C self-locking central differential) will be offered to 159 customers, which won't please the Subaru Liberty/Legacy, but will improve traction dramatically.

The 159's Q4 four-wheel drive system transfers power "constantly and dynamically between the four wheels" says Alfa Romeo, and in normal operating conditions splits the torque 43:57 between from the front and rear axles respectively.

Passive safety is an aspect of the 159 that Alfa Romeo has worked hard at, and with the car's new platform torsional rigidity has risen significantly, with what the Italian company claims is "the best in its segment: over 180,000 daNm/rad."

Active safety features abound in Alfa's attractively styled new car as well. Eight airbags make the grade, including special airbags that extend all along the window area and low-mounted front airbags to protect the knees.

Reflecting the 159's upmarket exterior is a refreshed interior, boasting a more driver oriented cockpit, complete with improved ergonomics. The distances between the pedals, the seat, the steering wheel and the gearbox have been painstakingly researched and will make for intuitive operation, while the overall look, with a wrap-around centre console, is about as Alfa as they come, with plenty of circular shapes (instrumentation, air vents and so forth).

The intriguing and sporty-yet-elegant 159 made its debut alonside the Alfa Romeo Brera on the Italian car maker's stand at the 2005 International Motor Show in Geneva and will be released for sale in Europe mid year 2005, during the Northern summer, and is expected to arrive in Australia in 2006.