ALFA Romeo test drive 159 since 2005 sedan

Ciao, Bambino

Making the Alfa Romeo restart in the Russian market last fall, the brand leadership talked a lot about their plans to produce new models, and each time in their descriptions analogies with BMW were conducive. Like, the crossover will soon come out like x3, then Alfa Junior as Mini Cooper. Was the Italians to compete with the Bavarians themselves high? If we consider the range of 2-3 years ago, then Alfa Romeo and BMW shares the abyss both at the level of quality and at the level of technology. But it was not always so. In fact, in the post -war years with their legendary models Alfa Julietta and Alfa Julia, Italians formed European fashion for cars with a sports character. This is not about sportsmen, but about available family machines, which meanwhile give the driver a constant taste of sports driving. And while Germany was lying in ruins and BMW built Izetta motorizedosaans, Alfa on the roads and racing tracks won a sports image.
In the late 70s, Alfa Romeo was in a serious crisis, which almost brought it to bankruptcy. And in the end, Alfa became part of the Fiat auto giant. During the period of abundance, there were brilliant upsets, which were replaced by no less crushing falls.
The last bright surge occurred in 1997, when Alfa 156 was released, which received the title of a car of the year, as well as a lot of premiums for design. Walter de Silva, the main stylist of Walter, immediately lured VW to him, and Alpha could again plunge into the abyss again, but a serious crisis inside the Fiat's concern forced all the company's employees to start without work, they gave out a new Alfa 159, which, despite On external resemblance, is a completely new model.
The sedan received 105 mm chassis elongated by 105 mm, and the body became 22 cm longer and 8.5 cm wider than the predecessor-beautiful Alfa 156. In addition, a new line of engines appeared, a multi-link rear suspension with the possibility of creating all-wheel drive versions with a self-locking central differential Torsen.
A thin waist and massive hips-wheel arches are all restrained in perfect proportions. It seems that the car was sculpted with an eye on Monica Bellucci. Trying to emphasize the differences between the models, the maestro Jujaro made the rear door handles as large as the front ones. Going to the war with aerodynamics, the legendary designer refused to close the front headlights with a single glass, and instead installed three independent reflectors, each of which has a personal washer, and a xenon can be installed not only for the near, but also for high beam. Alfa ochkarik looks stunning, but everything seems to be simple as on a six Lada.
The rear lights are branded alpha, and although in recent years they have been trying to copy them all who is not too lazy, starting with Mazda and Seat and ending with Chevrolet Lacetti, they look amazing in the original.
The salon is finished with real aluminum. It is present at the central console, doors and even on the steering wheel. And what are the red scales of devices, each of which has its own well? Two main devices are located in a standard place, and three auxiliary, smaller ones are taken to the central console and deployed to the driver. However, I had to suffer to deal with all the functions of steering wheel switches: for some reason, the on-board computer menu here is very confusing. But then, I never had to be distracted by all the necessary information before my eyes.
The 2.2-liter engine primarily affects the response rate for any pressure on the gas pedal. Whatever the revolution of the motor, Alfa stubbornly follows the pedal. The motor is perfectly drawn from 1,500 rpm, and after 4000 a real hysteria begins at the engine at a sports roar, and the tachometer arrow rushes to the red zone. Just have time to sort through the programs. The process of switching fascinates so much that you do not have time to notice how the speedometer arrow exceeded the right side of the scale and this means speed over 180 km/h
Despite the combat character, the engine works quietly quite quietly: up to 4000 rpm is practically no heard in the cabin, and the tires are buzzing significantly less than you expect from a hot Italian. Even when the speed steps over the coveted line of 200 km/h, you can still talk in the cabin, albeit slightly raising your voice.
The gear shift mechanism, perhaps, could be made even shorter, but this is for an amateur. Of course, the Italians could not deny themselves pleasure and picked up the gear rates extremely close. The second rests on the limiter, without reaching hundreds, on the third you can accelerate only up to 135 km/h. And even in the last sixth gear, the engine speed is slightly higher than you expect. At 200 km/h, the tachometer arrow exceeds 5500 rpm, and the alpha reaches the maximum speed on the border of the red zone.
And what is the steering of the steering wheel from the stop to the stop less than 2.5 revolutions, and the alpha has excellent maneuverability, almost like the rear -wheel drive cars. At the same time, on the highway at a speed under two hundred, you can rush, holding the steering wheel with one hand, without a hint of steering. It seems that the Italians managed to achieve the incredible hardness of the body, and even with the adjustment of the suspension they were never mistaken. The 159th is collected on the road, like a rally car, and flies along the highway, completely not afraid of any of its flaws. It seems that Alfa Romeo has built an ideal car for Russian roads, he does not know what rocking or deep rolls, but he has enough energy intensity to digest any of our hardships.
In several places, the cabin of the cabin began to leave in several places, and the dangling tan of the checkpoint was decently annoyed. And what to do with this is absolutely incomprehensible: the car is excellent, but small flaws simply kill. Tired of Italian diseases, one of my friends, a fan of Alfa Romeo, brought for himself the most correct version of the alpha: a machine with a 2.0 or 2.2-liter engine, with a mechanical gearbox, devoid of any auxiliary electronics, it is desirable that even the windows are mechanical. Well, I completely agree with the first two positions, the 2.2-liter 159th with the mechanics is incredibly good, but the electronics work like tolerably, because the team of German engineers was engaged in the finishing of the sedan. They would even more justify them to work on the salon, and Alpha could not only compete, but also overtake the immigrants from Bavaria or Ingolstat. In addition, 7 airbags are a serious application for belonging to the premium segment.
Of course, at the base price of Alpha 159 2.2 in 32,500 euros, which is almost $ 44,000, most will choose a more powerful Toyota Camry V6 in maximum configuration or an extreme 260-horsepower Mazda6 MPS. Meanwhile, this price is comparable to the cost of a three -year -old BMW. Those who dare to choose a car not with a calculator in his hand and will allow themselves not only to study the lists of options, but will also decide on a test drive, they will definitely fall under the alpha spell to resist it !!! Even considering the fact that the tested car with a leather salon, rear climate control and other options cost all 50 thousand dollars.
Text: Leonid Pavlov
The price of the tested car -? 35,000
 
Complete the test of the tested car
Frontary airbags
Side airbags
Inflatable curtains
Knee pillow
Abs
Anti -boom system
The system of dynamic stabilization
Steering amplifier
Multifunctional steering wheel
Adjustable steering column in height
Adjustable steering column by departure
Steering wheel decoration with leather
Salon decoration with leather
Electric heating of the front seats
Remote Central Castle
Air conditioner
Climate control mono
Climate control is two-zone
Climate control is four-zone
Electric drive and heating of external mirrors
Electr -glass lifts are front
Rear electric windows
Back seat
Luke for long -meters
CD-audio system
Rain sensor
Trip computer
Parctronics
Fog lights
headlight washer
Alloy wheels
Full -size spare wheel
Coloring metallic
Electroregulation of the driver's seat
Electroregulation of the front seats
Cruise control
Xenon headlights
Specifications
Body
Body type 4-door sedan
The number of places 5
Trunk volume, l 555/1570
Equipped mass, kg 1490
Complete mass, kg 1945
Length, mm 4660
Width, mm 1828
Height, mm 1417
Wheel base, mm 2700
Road clearance, mm 150
Engine
Gasoline type with fuel injection and two candles per cylinder
Front location, transversely
Location and number of cylinders R4
Working volume, cm 2198
Cylinder diameter/piston stroke, mm 8694.6
The degree of compression is 11.3
The number of valves per cylinder 4
Maximum power, L.S./rpm 185/6500
Maximum torque, Nm/rpm 230/4500
Transmission
Gearbox 6-speed, mechanical
Front drive
The front suspension is independent, spring, on double levers
The rear suspension is independent, spring, multi -link
Front brakes Disco ventilated
The rear brakes are disk
Tires 215/55 R16
Dynamics
Maximum speed, km/h 222
Acceleration time 0-100 km/h, from 8.8
Fuel consumption, l/100 km
city cycle 13
country cycle 7.3
mixed cycle 9.4
Fuel tank capacity, l 70
Fuel AI-95 gasoline
  
 
   
 
 

Source: Carclub.ru