Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 JTS
Styling Tweaks And Specification Overhauls Have Changed The Face Of The Alfa 156 Range For The Better. Andy Enright Takes A Look At the 156 2.0 JTS.
If, like me, physics lessons were viewed as the perfect opportunity to swing a steel ball attached to a ticker tape timer into the class swots ribs, you may have trouble with the concept of Alfas Jet Thrust Stoichiometric engine. I certainly did. So, to save you the benefit of a long and rather boring science bit, heres my read on what this technology does.
In the dawn of time, 1994 to be exact, Alfa launched their 2.0-litre twin spark engine. Here was a powerplant that did exactly what it said on the cam cover, boasting two spark plugs per cylinder to give a cleaner, more efficient and, as its an Alfa, a more powerful combustion process. We loved the Twin Spark engine but progress being what it is, this technology was considered cappello vecchio by Alfas product planners, hence the JTS powerplant.
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This utilises the principle of direct gasoline injection as used by
Mitsubishi with their GDI engines and
Renault with their HPI range of power units. These fire fuel into the cylinder on the inlet stroke and meter their petrol ration minutely for optimum swirl, burn and happy customer. This lean running results in superb economy, but these engines have traditionally had an Achilles heel. The pistons and inlet ports are designed for low-down economy, and the engine reverts to a normal or stoichiometric mix of air and fuel when you plant the loud pedal.
Research has shown that Alfa owners enjoy doing this. A lot.
"The Alfa 156 JTS is proof positive of Darwins Theory of Evolution."
Therefore, the normal gasoline direct engine just wouldnt wash. The JTS engine, on the other hand, uses relatively normal shaped pistons and inlet ports and relies on the actual fuel jet and a sky-high compression rate to do the job instead. Therefore, the JTS engine runs super-lean only up to around 1,500rpm, and normally thereafter. To the untrained eye, this would suggest that the Alfa 156 is the perfect sporting car for those who spend most of their time stuck in nose to tail traffic but theres more to it than that.
10% more power is always welcome, as is 14% more torque than the Twin Spark unit it replaces. When you factor in superior fuel economy and better emissions, it seems the Alfa 156 JTS is proof positive of Darwins Theory of Evolution. Enthusiasts may miss the old cars metallic zing at high revs, the JTS unit being a little more softly spoken, but otherwise the news from Milan is all good. Even prices, which start from £18,780, are competitive.
Brand manager Alessandro Furfarfo (try saying that with an entire meringue nest in your mouth) rightly pointed out that the original launch of the 156 range marked the latter day renaissance for Alfa, walking away with the Car of The Year title as it did and paving the way for the 147 to follow suit. Pretty though the vehicle undoubtedly was, theres always room for improvement and Alfa recently took steps to refresh the car. The latest set of styling changes have refreshed the look nicely without altering the basic silhouette. The deeper front grille and the frowning jewel effect lights will catch the eye of the dedicated Alfisti, but few would spot the differences if unprompted.
Genuine anoraks will also spot the microscopically modified tail lights and the Sportwagon estate versions ever-so slightly cleaner rear bumper design. Standard specification now includes six airbags, the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) stability system, ABS, traction control, a CD player and remote central locking. Handling, as you would expect from an Alfa 156, is superb. In many ways the Twin Spark was always the optimum 156, featuring a decent slug of propulsion and a lightweight engine keeping the nose nimble.
The 156 JTS takes up the mantle with enthusiasm, the front end seemingly glued to the line without the tedium of constant wheelspin and understeer that many sporting front wheel drive cars serve up. With the range-topping GTA, Alfa have shown that 250bhp through the front wheels of a 156 will go, so the 150bhp generated by the JTS is simply peachy. Performance is brisk, the car breaching 60mph in 8 seconds and reaching a terminal velocity of 137mph, but the figures dont tell the whole story. Far more impressive is the fluency which the 156 achieves them, the gears, throttle, clutch, brakes and steering all seeming to meld into one intuitive entity, freeing up a good proportion of your brain to simply enjoying the tactile response of the car.
And when was the last time you did that? For a premium of just over £1,000, the stylish Sportwagon estate variant is well worth considering. Here, the emphasis is on fashion rather than practicality but what boot space there is (360 litres) is easily accessible. Drop the rear 60:40 split rear seats and you can create a completely flat loading area of 1,180 litres. Alfa are rightly very bullish about the 156 JTS prospects. Remember all those reservations you used to harbour about buying an Alfa? Strike the off every last one of them. Whats more, after the briefest drive you wont even need to understand the science bit to realise why.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR:
Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 JTS
PRICES: £18,780-£20,180 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 14
CO2 EMISSIONS: 206g/km / E
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 8s Max Speed 137 mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 23.2mpg / (combined) 33mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front, side and curtain airbags, ABS, stability control
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4430/1745/1415mm
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