Alfa Romeo 166 RANGE
Alfa Romeos Slow Selling 166 Saloon Has Come In For Some Cosmetic Surgery. Andy Enright Reports
For a company with a reputation for building some of the worlds most beautiful cars, the snout on Alfa Romeos 166 caused quite a few raised eyebrows. The 1998 press launch was a riot of journalists arguing over whether it worked or not set to a backbeat of stories of last minute restyles and bickering between Alfa top brass and designer Walter daSilva. The acid test was public opinion and it found against the big Alfa. Sales were disappointing and despite some of the best engines around, the 166 struggled to hold its own.
Could ditching that controversial front end revive the cars fortunes? Thats what Alfa are banking on.
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Five years seems a long time to soldier on with a design that few found appealing, especially as the changes required to give the 166 a considerably more handsome front end seem relatively straightforward to engineer. The big Alfa was always a supremely elegant car, especially in profile, and the 156-style headlamps and deep grille that now adorn the pointy end give it a good deal more presence. The more mainstream face isnt the only thing that has changed however. The interior has come in for a freshening with better materials and lighter colours used.
The 166 cabin always did feel a very special place and was designed in a far more extravagant fashion than German rivals, but materials quality was probably its key bugbear. It feels a good deal beefier these days with some expensive soft touch finishes and nearly makes the premier league as far as fit and finish is concerned, though the silvery plastic of the centre console is maybe not as classy as some rivals brushed aluminium or carbon fibre trims. Its not all about cosmetics either. The 166s suspension has been revised to improve handling and a lot of the Alfas high speed float has been erased.
The downside of this is that low speed ride is a little firmer but most wont mind. This is, above all, an
Alfa Romeo. Drive it hard and youll notice that it handles in a very composed fashion for such a large car. Dive under braking and squat when accelerating have been massively reduced and theres not a great deal of body roll when cornering hard.
It all adds up to a car that puts less demand on the driver whilst at the same time giving back more in terms of feedback and overall poise. Prices start at £21,750 and run up to £29,900. Three powerplants are available - a four-cylinder 2.0-litre Twin Spark, plus the existing 3.
0-litre 24v V6 in this instance mated to a Sportronic automatic box and, debuting at the top of the range, the mighty 240bhp 3.2-litre V6 that has seen service in the 147 and 156 GTA versions. Engines dont get any more charismatic than this and when mated to the six-speed manual gearbox, it covers the sprint to 60mph in around seven seconds flat.
"Engines dont get any more charismatic than the 3.2-litre V6 powerplant"
The four-speed Sportronic box as fitted to the 3.0-litre car makes a satisfying companion. Marshalling 220bhp, it helps the 166 3.0-litre 24v to 60mph in 8.
2 seconds and allows the keen driver to really take the car by the scruff of its neck. In one mode, a sophisticated 'brain' selects a pre-determined gearshift pattern based on your current driving style. In another, a 'Tiptronic'-style system enables you to flick the lever up and down to determine your own changes. Even the entry-level 155bhp 2.0-litre Twin Spark is engaging enough to make you want to seek out some challenging roads, if not as enjoyably 'chuckable' as the smaller 156. Keep it on the boil however and you'd probably stay within sight of the 3.0 V6 on the twisty stuff. Given the sales success of executive saloons with diesel engines, its a little surprising Alfa have never offered such a powerplant in the 166 range, given that an excellent 175bhp diesel engine is at their disposal. Definitely a missed revenue opportunity.
As one of the most spacious contenders in its class, it's no surprise to find that both front head and legroom are both excellent. The rear passengers aren't quite so well catered for but at least there's a huge boot, even if you have to lift things over a high sill to get to it. Theres a choice of Turismo or Lusso equipment levels with the latter providing leather upholstery and electrically adjusted front seats amongst other enhancements. Lusso buyers can also upgrade to a Ti sports pack that includes 18-inch wheels and lowered suspension. Interestingly, the Italians have resisted the temptation to follow the competition by decorating the cabin with wood; they would like you to think this car to be above all that.
Instead, the money has been spent on useful driving aids. Dominating the fascia is a new Siemens-designed 'Integrated Control System'. This centre-console-mounted screen handles the stereo, climate control and (where fitted) satellite navigation system, standardising the kind of technology that cost thousands extra in the opposition. Nor does the technology stop there. A glance at the technical specification reveals a positive forest of acronyms: Electronic Brake Distribution (EBD), a Traction Control System (TCS), Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) and of course, the latest four-channel Bosch ABS. The VDC Stability Control System appears on the 3.0 and 3.2-litre V6 models, a package which leaves a generous margin of driver enjoyment before deployment.
In this respect its only rivalled by Porsches PSM system. Is it enough to put the Alfa Romeo 166 at the top of the tree. In truth, probably not. The talents of German rivals are just too manifold and their appeal too tempting for most.
As an alternative to the mainstream, however, it now makes more sense than before and you wont have to make any excuses for the front end styling. If feeling a million dollars is big on your priority list, the 166 can be yours for less than you might think.
FACTS AT A GLANCE
CAR: Alfa Romeo 166 range
PRICES: £21,750-£29,900 - on the road
INSURANCE GROUPS: 15-17
CO2 EMISSIONS: 230-310/km
PERFORMANCE: [3.2 V6] Max Speed 155mph / 0-60mph 7s
FUEL CONSUMPTION: [3.0 V6] (average) 22mpg
STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front and side airbags / ABS
WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: Length/width (mm) 4720/1815
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