Alfa Romeo 159. External exam

Alfa Romeo 159. Price: 32,500 euros. On sale: January 2007.

Official sales of Alfa Romeo in Russia have restarted — the brand, which our drivers had already begun to forget, is returning to the market. This event coincided with a full model lineup update. Instead of the popular 156 model, the 159 appeared. But why didn't the successor get the next sequential number?

When you say "Italian car," an image of a stylish, daring, and certainly sporty car immediately comes to mind. True, there are rumors of frequent breakdowns, which is why the circle of brand fans is not so wide. Nevertheless, Alfa Romeo fans are among the most loyal in the world. Their devotion is fueled by talented designers who confidently create a unique look for each new body.

The story of the 156's successor is quite curious. The new model became the heir to not one, but two famous cars — the 156 and the 166. That's why the index jumped three digits forward. As a result, the newcomer had a difficult mission — to continue the traditions of both predecessors.

2005 Alfa Romeo 159
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

The exterior of the 159 was worked on by Giorgetto Giugiaro's studio together with the Alfa Romeo Styling Centre. The result is expressive and stylish. The predatory gaze of the six-lens optics with bi-xenon seems to burn a hole in oncoming cars. The front bumper features a wide air intake, with fog lights neatly placed at its edges. And in the center, it is crossed by the already legendary shield-shaped radiator grille.

From the side, the Alfa Romeo looks like a rocket pointed forward. Once, the 156 was disguised as a coupe, hiding the rear door handles in the pillars, but now everything is traditional, like a regular sedan. And yet, there was a certain charm in that…

2005 Alfa Romeo 159
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

The high rear is emphasized by chrome tips of the dual exhaust system and expressive taillights. From behind, they resemble a squinted eye, in which one can read slyness and superiority over those who lag behind — whether people or cars.

Alfa Romeo has always been known as a car that gives true driving pleasure. This is confirmed by the ergonomics of the cabin, built primarily for the driver. For example, the instrument panel and center console are turned to the left side. The passenger is given a secondary role here. Behind the wheel, you feel like you're in a sports cockpit. The seats boast pronounced lateral support. All adjustments have a sufficient range and are manual, with the height of the front and rear parts of the cushion adjusted separately.

2005 Alfa Romeo 159
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

On the instrument panel — only the most important: speedometer, tachometer, and trip computer data. Information about fuel level, oil temperature, and coolant is displayed on separate gauges located on the central tunnel. The sensors spread across different places add sportiness to the interior. But from a practical point of view, this is not very convenient: the driver has to shift their gaze from one side to the other, distracting from the road. The steering column stalks also require getting used to — without practice, you constantly hit the wrong one.

Engine start happens in two steps: first, you insert the key card into the slot, then press the Start/Stop button. Sound insulation is simply excellent. The engine is practically inaudible, and only near maximum rpm does it raise its voice — ringing and specific. Aerodynamic noises are almost completely absent. The six-speed manual transmission works flawlessly. Clear and short lever throws provoke shifting more often, which means driving faster.

2005 Alfa Romeo 159
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

The two-liter-plus engine with a displacement of 2.2 liters with the JTS (Jet Thrust Stoichiometric) system easily revs up to 7000 rpm and produces 185 hp. The gas pedal responds instantly, without pauses. The maximum speed is 222 km/h, and acceleration to 100 km/h takes 8.8 seconds. A result worthy of praise. At top speed, the car does not lose controllability. The suspension and aerodynamics are tuned so that the car seems to stick to the road, increasing downforce and grip. The suspension, surprisingly, treats passengers humanely: there is no excessive shaking. Large potholes are passed without breakdowns or extra noise. However, in corners, slight rolls are possible, but with a low ground clearance and wide track, this is not critical at all.

It is worth noting that the Alfa is literally packed with electronics. Of course, it couldn't do without the VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) stability system, which works in conjunction with ABS. There is also a Brake Assist system, a Hill Holder assistant, and ASR traction control.

When versions with a 3.2-liter V6 engine producing 260 hp and all-wheel drive will appear in Russia is still unclear. In Europe, such cars are already sold, but here — not yet.

THE MAIN THING IS QUALITY

In the Fiat group of companies, the Alfa Romeo brand is one of the oldest. Currently, cars under our brand are produced at various enterprises. We do not hide that the cars have unification solutions, but Alfa is a completely different product. We are revising our export policy and concluding distribution contracts worldwide. If earlier the Italian market was a priority, now we are actively moving into Europe, Southeast Asia, and the North American market. We consider China and Russia the most promising. Today, the company produces 170 thousand cars a year. In three years, this figure will almost double. In your market, in the coming season, we plan to sell about two thousand cars. Of course, it may seem that this is not much. But for us, the main point is the high quality of customer service. If the service is at a high level, then buyers will be drawn to the showrooms. Today, it is better to sell less but fully satisfy customer expectations. Before starting work in Russia, we spent a long time and meticulously chose a distributor. As a result, we settled on the Major-Auto holding. In our opinion, this company meets our requirements. All Alfa Romeo models will be sold in your country. The most popular should be the 159 and 147.

Antonio Baravalle, Executive Vice President of Alfa Romeo

Driving

The car clearly holds the set trajectory. Precise aerodynamics and a well-balanced suspension provide excellent contact with the road.

Interior

The interior is sportily laconic: nothing superfluous, but everything necessary is present. The instrument panel is not overloaded with information, some gauges are moved to the central tunnel.

Comfort

Comfortable seats and sufficient space provide good comfort. Even despite the fact that seat adjustments are manual, there is no discomfort.

Safety

Safety is given special attention. In the standard configuration, the car is equipped with eight airbags. The body has programmed deformation zones.

Price

The price fully justifies the content, being quite competitive.

Advantages and disadvantages

+ Comfortable suspension, convenient interior, spacious trunk, good sound insulation.

- Small ground clearance, manual seat adjustment.

OUR OPINION

2005 Alfa Romeo 159
© Photo: Sergey Krestov, 5 Koleso

The Alfa Romeo 159, like other models of the brand, is quite capable of finding its fans in Russia. However, for this, two key problems need to be solved. The first is to dispel the established opinion about the unreliability of Italian cars. I want to believe that the manufacturer has already taken this into account. The second is to organize truly high-quality service maintenance. And here everything depends on the only official distributor in our country — the Major-Auto company.