Alfa Romeo 166

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Alfa Romeo 166
Alfa Romeo 166 facelift
Manufacturer Alfa Romeo
Parent company Fiat Group
Production 1998-present
Assembly Comprensorio di Mirafiori, Turin, Italy
Predecessor Alfa Romeo 164
Successor Alfa Romeo 169
Class Executive car
Body style 4-door sedan
Layout FF layout
Engine 2.0 L Twin Spark
2.5 L V6
3.0 L V6
3.2 L V6
2.4 L JTD diesel (LHD only)
Wheelbase 2720 mm (107 in.)
Length 4720 mm (185.8 in.)
Width 1810 mm (71.2 in.)
Height 1416 mm (55.7 in.)
Track 1554 mm (61.1 in.) (front),
1542 mm (60.7 in.) (rear)
Curb weight 1420-1510 kg (3130-3328 lb)
Similar Lexus GS
Peugeot 607
Volvo S80
Saab 9-5
Designer Centro Stile Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo 166 series 1
Alfa Romeo 166 series 1
Alfa Romeo 166 ICS
Alfa Romeo 166 ICS

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 initially available with a 2.0-litre Twin Spark engine (155 PS), a 2.5 V6 (190 PS), a 3.0 V6 (226 PS) unit or a V6 2.0 Turbo (205 PS). Diesel engines were a L5 2.4 10v common rail turbodiesel version with 136, 140 and 150 PS output, praised for its refinement. The TS model used a 5-speed manual gearbox, whilst the 2.5 and 3.0 had the option of a Sportronic automatic. The 3.0 V6, L5 2.4 and V6 Turbo were otherwise supplied with a six-speed manual gearbox.

The top models were named "Super" and included Momo leather interior, 17" alloy wheels, rain sensitive wipers, cruise control, climate control and ICS (Integrated Control System) with colour screen. Options included Xenon headlamps, GSM connectivity and Satellite Navigation. Suspensions were very sophisticated with double wishbone front suspension and multilink setup for the rear. Excellent tuning made by the engineers made it one of the best handling cars in its class.

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 2.0 V6 Turbo model was dropped because of emission problems, the V6 2.5 was re-rated at 188 PS and a 3.2 litre V6 (240 PS) was introduced. Both the new 3.2 litre and the 2.0 Twin Spark models now featured the six-speed manual gearbox, whilst the 3.0 model was retained but made available only in Sportronic form. In the diesel sector, the L5 2.4 was re-engineered with Multi-Jet technology which allows up to 5 injections per cycle, second stage common rail with maximum injection pressure of 1400bar and 4 valves per cylinder to ouput class leading 175 PS.

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.

Contents

[edit] Engines

[edit] 1. Generation

Model Engine Displacement Power Torque Note
2,0 TS I4 1970 cm³ 114 kW (155 PS) @6400 rpm 187 Nm @2800 rpm Euro 2
2,0 TB I4 1996 cm³ 150 kW (204 PS) @6000 rpm 280 Nm @ 2500 rpm Italian tax model
2,5 V6 V6 2492 cm³ 140 kW (190 PS) @6200 rpm 222 Nm @5000 rpm Euro 2
3,0 V6 V6 2959 cm³ 166 kW (226 PS) @6200 rpm 275 Nm @5000 rpm Euro 2
2,4 JTD I5 2387 cm³ 100 kW (136 PS) @4000 rpm 304 Nm @2000 rpm

[edit] 2. Generation

Model Engine Displacement Power Torque Note
2,0 TS I4 1970 cm³ 110 kW (150 PS) @6300 rpm 181 Nm @3800 rpm Euro 3
2,5 V6 V6 2492 cm³ 138 kW (188 PS) @6300 rpm 221 Nm @5000 rpm Euro 3
3,0 V6 V6 2959 cm³ 162 kW (220 PS) @6300 rpm 265 Nm @5000 rpm Euro 3
2,4 JTD I5 2387 cm³ 103/110 kW (140/150 PS) @4000 rpm 305 Nm @1800 rpm

[edit] 3. Generation (Facelift)

Model Engine Displacement Power Torque Note
2,0 TS I4 1970 cm³ 110 kW (150 PS) @6400 rpm 181 Nm @3800 rpm
2,5 V6 V6 2492 cm³ 138 kW (188 PS) @6300 rpm 221 Nm @5000 rpm
3,0 V6 V6 2959 cm³ 162 kW (220 PS) @6300 rpm 265 Nm @5000 rpm
3,2 V6 V6 3179 cm³ 177 kW (240 PS) @6200 rpm 289 Nm @4800 rpm
2,4 JTD I5 2387 cm³ 103/110 kW (140/150 PS) @4000 rpm 305 Nm @1800 rpm (depend on model year)
2,4 JTDm I5 2387 cm³ 129/136 kW (175/185 PS) @4000 rpm 385 Nm @2000 rpm (depend on model year)

[edit] TV and media features

  1. Clarkson's Top 100 Cars (2001)
  2. I Know You Got Soul by Jeremy Clarkson (2004)
  3. Top Gear Ep. 4.02 (2004)