15/9!

"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse) 09/15/2015 at 14:44 • Filed to: Alfa, 159

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Today must obviously be Alfa day, because many days are better with an Alfa.

The 159 replaced the (reasonably) popular 156 in 2005 and was produced until 2011. Designed by Guigiaro, it had the misfortune to come just at the end of the Fiat/GM collaboration, a thing which Signor Marchionne would like to make a thing again. It was therefore built using the GM/Fiat Premium platform which was originally intended for amongst others a replacement for the larger 166. Nothing wrong with that except that the result was an overweight car, a trait it shared with the contemporary Brera which never had enough go to accompany its show.

The 159 was made as a four door and an estate (a Sportwagon, as Alfa had it) and had a wide range of petrol and diesel engines going from a 1.75 petrol four up to a 3.2 V6 and including a five cylinder 2.4 diesel along the way. To go with these were a wide choice of gearboxes - manual five and six speeds, a six speed automatic and an automated manual five speed which was only sold in small numbers.

These drove the front wheels except on the Q4 models which as you’ve probably guessed were 4wd.

Production stopped in 2011 and Alfa haven’t made, or shown any signs of making, anything that sold in large numbers since.

Top trivia: GM planned Saab, Cadillac and Buick versions of this platform. None materialised.

beautimouse > Cé hé sin 09/15/2015 at 15:10

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I have always loved that grill/headlight combination.

Klaus Schmoll > Cé hé sin 09/15/2015 at 15:31

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I like it better than the new one. Too much Bimmer/Audi in the new design for me.

#donsflamesuit

duurtlang > Klaus Schmoll 09/15/2015 at 15:41

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Optically, I agree. I however assume the new one is better to drive.

Klaus Schmoll > duurtlang 09/15/2015 at 16:11

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According to the RWD>FWD doctrine and if you take a quick look at the engine options it must be hedgehog vs. hare. This post made me browse mobile.de, and damn 159s with the 2.2 and reasonable kms are really getting very affordable. For the first time in my professional life I live close enough that I could walk. So a few days of downtime at the shop and a few euros here and there would be something I could live with. So tempting!

But I am a reasonable, dull , adult and I will give the Honda a full service next month and keep a little while longer....

duurtlang > Klaus Schmoll 09/15/2015 at 16:39

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Keeping the Honda a little longer is the reasonable thing to do. Having said that, even from an objective point of view a 159 isn’t a bad car. They might not the ranking #1 on the reliability scale, but I’d have more faith in a 159 than in an Audi of similar vintage.