There's a typo in the title - You've put diiesel instead of a diesel.
It sounds like a really nice car though. What is the ground clearance like?
teabelly
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The 12.4 Litre 200PS one in the details is obviously a typo as well!
But I want one!!!!
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Great looking cars - until they put a front number plate on them; usually adverts/publicity photos don't show them. AR have never been able to resolve this requirement. In the second photo down, it's all out of proportion.
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I think the performance figures for the 2.4 are given for the 1.9 diesel (the 2.4 being missed of the list of performance figures). Clear as mud?
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I had a quick look at one yesterday at the local Alfa dealership.
First impressions are its a big car compared to the 156, but what a looker! Decent interior as well.
HJ, can you confirm who makes the auto gearbox for the 159, and will the diesel versions get the auto as well.
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I have never been a fan of Alfas, finding the styling contrived and some of the things designed to differentiate them backfiring; take the "door handleless" 156 rear doors for example. The absence of a handle in the "normal" place simply makes the panel look deep and cumbersome.
I do, however, look forward to seeing the 159 in the flesh. If it is half as gorgeous as the Brera I saw in Ypres way before UK mags were writing about them it will be a work of art indeed.
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A neighbour further along the street has had a silver Brera 2.2 JTS parked on their drive since yesterday. Not as drop dead stunning as the deep burgundy Brera mentioned above that I saw in Ypres in February 2005, but gorgeous none the less.
Interestingly though the Brera is not listed on the Alfa UK web site as a current model, in its place being an invitation to register for the UK launch.
I wonder therefore if aforementioned neighbours are either trade or have personally imported; perhaps a squint at the supplier written on the number plates will offer a clue. Actually, I'd like a gander inside so in just over a week's time when I'm back from the travels I'm just leaving on if it's still on their drive I might just knock on their door!
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Thanks, HJ.
For info when photos from the launch are available, the silver 2.2 JTS Brera on my neighbour's drive is Oxford registered; OU06 ***.
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Saw a number of the 159 estates in the metal yesterday (at the dealer), and they look gorgeous and practical too (big load area).
Can´t quite see the point of the 159. If you want a handsome 4 door Alfa, why on just get a second hand 166? Maybe even better lokking IMHO.
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Can´t quite see the point of the 159. If you want a handsome 4 door Alfa, why on just get a second hand 166? Maybe even better lokking IMHO.
The point is that it is a more up to date car and it is a replacement for the 156, not the 166, although I think it is just as good looking.
One would hope it sells better than the 166 has done.
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Buy new 159, get gorgeous Italian 4 door saloon with likely reliability issues.
Buy year-old 166,get gorgeous Italian 4 door saloon with likely reliability issues, without the feeling that you´re setting fire to 10 pound notes in a field, KLF-style, as you attempt the Depriciation World Record.
No-brainer..?
And I speak as a fan of Alfas - I´ve got a FIAT, and would love one...
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I like the look of the 159, except, as pointed out by a post above, the offset number plate completely spoils the effect by giving the car the 'trade-plate look' (or is that the Bugatti Veyron look?)! The stylists have given it proper rear door handles this time - an improvement over the 156.
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As an ex-Alfa 156 owner I loved the offset number plate & thought it differentiated the 156 from the rest of the dross on the road, it's part of the overall style package, as is the recessed rear door handles. The visible door handles on the 159 are a retrograde step.
Looks like a trade plate, no one around here runs a trade plate outside they're all laying on the dash top!
The 156 still looks stunning & fresh today especially the pre-facelift one.
I think the 166 would have sold better with a diesel option, more than 30% of 156's sold in the UK are diesel. A 166 with the 175BHP 2.4 would have been very nice, no doubt 0,000's in Europe.
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I agree totally about the 166 diesel. I would love one.
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I went to the Scuderia Del Portello prize giving recently, held at the Arese meseum included a lunch amongst the classic Alfas as an added bonus the following day, I got to drive a Brera 3.2 V6 Q4 round the Bolocco test track.. an Alfisti dream weekend.
Anyway the point I'm trying to make is that the Brera drives as well as it looks and if you were impressed by the 159 I think you'll be very impressed by the Brera. Oh... I also drove diesel 159 Station Wagon and was very impressed much more so than I ever was with a 156. I like the offset numberplates and it's not the offsettedness of it but the stupidly large number plates of the UK that make it look strange.
Hidden door handles? if they were such a poor design feature they'vebeen copied by Honda because....
;) JaB
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