159 Opening Thoughts
Zathras wrote:
> There were a couple of 159s in our local showroom today so I had a
> look. A 1.9JTS and a 2.4JTDm. I thought they looked much better in the
> metal than in the pictures I've seen.
I test drove a 1.9JTDm last week. Owning a 2.5 V6 156 it was the wrong
engine to impress me, I was hoping to try the 2.4JTDm. Without wishing
to upset 1.9JTD owners I find that engine a bit too ordinary even though
it performs well enough.
My lasting memories? The console is much more imposing - it still
contains the guages which I like but is much larger and even more angled
towards the driver, containing the fashionable large buttons. All
ergonomically good but lacks some of the style of the 156 IMHO. Gone are
the chrome air con controls on the face lifted 156 interior of 2002
which is a shame.
The stalks contain more controls and are rectangular rather than rounded
and the steering wheel contains a much larger boss.
Gone are the deep cowled instruments with much shallower affairs. The
dash is a more integral unit with speedo, rev counter and computer
display, I would have preferred a more distinctive style like the 156.
One of the most noticeable differences from the 156 are the huge
squarish door mirrors. The 156 mirrors were very stylish, these look
functional but not Alfa
Other than that I felt externally it looked pretty good with its wide
arches, though the rear lights looked a little too Japanese for my
tastes. Although larger it didn't have that bloated look of the latest 3
series BMW.
Driving it is certainly more supple than the Veloce 156, a TI pack will
follow with lowered stiffer suspension. My 156 felt more sporty at the
expense of a harsher ride. The 159 felt a better family car.
My overriding opinion was this was a car designed to take on the German
and Japanese models at some expense to the Alfisti. The dash
immediately in front of the driver is less distinctive than the
156/147/GT and is not dissimilar to the new Passat. The heater controls
could have come off a Mazda 6 and the rear lights are a hybrid between
the old 156 and an Accord. Fortunately the steering wheel control remain
fairly subtle compared with other makes.
The 159 is the first Alfa produced under new Chief Exec Karl-Heinz
Kalbfell, a former director at BMW. On the basis he said of Alfa "you
cant find financially-minded people in this company it's full of
engineers, who all want to launch new cars and dont want to deal with
the boring bits in between. Perhaps Alfa has a little too much spirit
for non-Alfisti, in its appearance, driving style and temperament."
maybe it is not surprising the 159 feels a little less Italian than its
predecessor?
Having said that the 2.4JTDm is one hell of a spec - 200bhp and 400nm
with the distinctive 5 cylinder engine sound. Plus the Q4 makes for an
interesting option (standard on the 3.2 petrol now and an option on the
2.4 diesel later in the year), the salesman raved about his drive of the
3.2 Q4 on the test track in Milan (Perry McCarthy - the original stig -
was there - he wrote off a Brera!).
My conclusion was similar to Zathras, no rush to trade in my 156, but
I'll reserve judgement until I drive the 2.4JTDm or 3.2 Q4
Cheers
Tony
