Italian Maestro (Alfa Romeo 156 1.6 Twin Spark)

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Product:	Alfa Romeo 156 1.6 Twin Spark
Date:	03/12/00 (892 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent Looks

Disadvantages: Few, if any

The 156 replaces the 155, and will tussle for sales with the major league sporting exec-mobiles: BMW's 3-Series and Audi's A4 to name two.

It comes with the choice of a 144bhp 1.8-litre four-cylinder 16v engine, a 155bhp two-litre version of the same, and a 190bhp 2.5-litre 24v V6.

Its interior design, choice of materials, noise suppression, driving position, comfort, power delivery, ride quality, handling, roadholding, overall build quality and finish are all impressive. The 156 is a very good car indeed.

It's front-wheel drive, but that isn't a hindrance to covering ground swiftly and safely. On the motorway it's everything an executive saloon should be - adequately speedy, quiet, comfy and classy.

On mountain roads its sporting prowess comes to the fore. Its steering is unusually direct. It turns in rapidly and, when powering out of a tight corner, the inside front wheel grips tightly, thanks to a rigid chassis and completely new part-aluminium double wishbone suspension. The braking is excellent and the gearchanging fluid.

The V6 offers more in terms of price, tyre sizes, engine and stereo, and, most significantly, offers six speeds. With much more power and torque it's perhaps illogical to add an extra ratio, but it does the car no harm.

Apart from an obvious but not startling difference in performance there's little to choose between the two-litre and the 2.5 V6. The V6 has a glorious if slightly too muted engine sound, but the four-cylinder's steering feels a touch more accurate and responsive. The V6's extra urge more than compensates.

The 1.8-litre version provides adequate performance: a top speed of just over 130mph, and only 0.7 sec slower than the two-litre to 62mph. With its slightly smaller front discs and narrower wheels and tyres it's not so suitable for serious hard chargers.

The 156 is well-equipped, and offers excellent power fo
r pound value. Only the Volvo S40 T4 looks like beating it - and the Alfa has at least as much comfort, style and presence as any of its competitors. And it drives brilliantly.

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