Alfa Romeo 166

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Alfa Romeo 166
Manufacturer:	Alfa Romeo
Production:	LHR: 1998-present RHD: 1998-2005
Predecessor:	Alfa Romeo 164
Successor:	Alfa Romeo 169
Class:	Mid-size luxury car / Executive car (UK)
Body style:	4-door sedan
Layout:	FF layout
Engine:	2.0 L Twin Spark 2.5 L V6 3.0 L V6 2.4 L JTD diesel (LHD only)
Similar:	Audi A6 Peugeot 607 Volvo S80

The Alfa Romeo 166 is an executive car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo since 1998.

The 166 was the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 164, and though the 164 had had styling that was far from orthodox, the odd-looking 166 with its drooping headlamps and pointed nose still raised many eyebrows. The styling was very much in keeping with Alfa's corporate style of the time, which had begun with the smaller 156 model. The car was available with a 2 litre Twin Spark engine as well as 2.5 and 3.0 V6 units. Though the car's handling characteristics, engine range and elegant exterior design received praise from many, including Jeremy Clarkson, it did not become a strong seller to rival the dominant German brands in the European executive car sector.

The 166 underwent a substantial revamp in 2003. As well as upgrades to the chassis, interior, and the engine range, the styling was substantially altered. The new front end resembled the also recently revamped 156, and lost its famous drooping headlights.

The Alfa Romeo 166 was withdrawn from sale in right-hand drive markets in October 2005. Sales of the 166 never grew as Alfa had hoped following the 2003 facelift, and the additional lack of a diesel engine in the UK, Australian, and Irish markets limited its reach into company car sectors. It was also reported that the engine emissions were also unlikely to meet forthcoming regulations, and a revised engine would not have been justified on the low-selling 166.