Alfa Romeo 156 JTD 140BHP
Alfa Romeo Have Forged A Reputation As Purveyors Of Some Of The Finest Diesel Engines Around. That Trend Continues With Their Multijet 140bhp Unit. Andy Enright Reports
Its time to bust a few hoary old stereotypes. Yes, we know that some outrageously desirable shapes come out of Italian styling houses and some charismatic sports car engines. Its surprising how few realise quite what a centre for diesel engine excellence has been nurtured within the
Fiat empire, and Alfa Romeos 156 has a lot to offer when it comes to choice. Although the 115bhp Unijet entry-level engine is a fine powerplant, if your budget is restricted to that engine, dont ever take a test drive in the 140bhp Multijet diesel engine as tested here.
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Your heart will be guaranteed to rule your head.
It is an unremittingly excellent powerplant made by engineers who know their stuff. The
Fiat Group, of which
Alfa Romeo is a key constituent, were the first to market with a direct injection diesel way back in 1986 and were last year awarded the Economist Innovation Award for ground-breaking work in developing common-rail diesel technology. Alfa Romeo brought the first JTD common rail engine to the UK in 1997, plumbed into the front of an Alfa 156. The latest development is this sixteen-valve 140bhp Multijet version of that engine which offers more power, reduced noise levels yet still posts competitive fuel economy and emissions figures.
The Multijet system takes the idea of pilot injection squirting a small amount of fuel into the cylinder to prime the combustion chamber for the main ignition process and refines it still further. In this instance, the main injection is divided into a series of smaller injections, allowing smoother, more gradual combustion that utilises fuel more efficiently. The electronic control units therefore have to be astonishingly precise. Whereas before the time lag between injections was a relatively yawning 1,500 microseconds, the response time has been slashed by a factor of 10.
A variable geometry turbocharger and a rise in the pressure of the direct injection system have raised the power available to 140bhp but the key figure is the 224lb/ft torque figure. This means that this engine feels gutsier than a 3.0-litre
Jaguar XJ6. Amazingly its not even the most powerful diesel in the 156 line up, that spot reserved for the 175bhp 2.
4-litre Multijet JTD, but for many itll offer the best compromise between affordability and desirability. The figures the engine are capable of generating read like misprints. As well as hitting a top speed of 130mph and accelerating through 60mph in nine seconds, the saloon version will average nearly 48mpg and emit 157g/km of carbon dioxide less than an 800cc
Daewoo Matiz citycar. Prices open at £17,420 for the Turismo saloon version, ranging right up to £20,220 for the Veloce Sportwagon.
"The figures the engine are capable of generating read like misprints "
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. These subtle styling revisions mark a distinct shift in Alfa Romeos design language.
We first saw the big grille on the 147 hatch and it was subsequently incorporated into the revised GTV and Spider models. Now the 156 has come in for the treatment, possibly due to Alfas rising corporate identity, and the changes are more than just skin deep. All 156 JTD140 variants feature a neat centre console which features dual-zone climate controls so that driver and front passenger can set their own temperatures. Theres an impressive Bose multi-speaker stereo system and the option of the clever CONNECT telematics set-up, offering satellite navigation, internet use and access to the emergency services.
There are six airbags as standard, plus the Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) stability system, brake assist and Isofix child
seat mountings. Alfa have pitched the entry-level to the 140bhp engine line up rather high, doing without a base trim level. Theyve also shaved the Lusso range-topper, leaving a choice between Turismo and Veloce but both are amply equipped. Climate control good enough to deliver everything from Malibu in March to Alaska in August is standard across the board.
Choose Veloce specification and you get sports suspension and styling plus larger alloys and Recaro seats with cloth or optional leather trim. 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 1180 litres. With the battle in the diesel sector hotting up nicely, the 140bhp Multijet diesel couldnt have come at a better time for Alfa Romeo. With
Honda,
Audi and
BMW all offering sporty well finished diesels, one might be forgiven for thinking Alfa was in danger of getting elbowed out of the way. One drive in the 156 JTD140 may well change your mind.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Alfa Romeo 156 JTD 140 range
PRICES: £17,420-£20,220 on the road
INSURANCE GROUP: 13
CO2 EMISSIONS: 157-161g/km
PERFORMANCE: 0-60mph 9s Max Speed 130 mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION: (urban) 35.3mpg (extra urban) 60.1mpg (combined) 47.8mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags, ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/Width/Height, 4430/1745/1415mm
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