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Alfa Romeo 166
Overview
Manufacturer	Alfa Romeo
Production	31 October 1998 – 30 June 2007 (LHD) 1 October 1998 – 1 October 2005 (RHD) (99,406)
Model years	1999–2007
Assembly	Rivalta, Turin, Italy (1998–2002) Mirafiori, Turin, Italy (2002–2007)
Designer	Walter de'Silva at Centro Stile Alfa Romeo
Body and chassis
Class	Executive car (E)
Body style	4-door saloon
Layout	Front-engine, front-wheel-drive
Related	Lancia Kappa Trumpchi Saloon Trumpchi GS5
Powertrain
Engine	2.0 L I4 petrol (Twin Spark) 2.0 L V6 t/c petrol 2.5 L V6 petrol 3.0 L V6 petrol 3.2 L V6 petrol 2.4 L I5 t/c diesel (JTD; LHD only)
Transmission	5-speed manual 6-speed manual 4-speed automatic (ZF 4HP20) 5-speed automatic (AW 50-5ECT-i)
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,700 mm (106.3 in)
Length	4,720 mm (185.8 in)
Width	1,815 mm (71.5 in) 1,800 mm (70.9 in) (from 2003)
Height	1,416 mm (55.7 in)
Curb weight	1,420–1,550 kg (3,130–3,420 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Alfa Romeo 164
Successor	None

The Alfa Romeo 166 (Type 936) is an executive car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo, between October 1998 and June 2007.

The car was designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, under the control of Walter de Silva, and was facelifted in September 2003.

History

The 166 was the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 164, and although the 164 had styling which was far from orthodox, the 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. Production began in late 1996, and model was available from 1998.

 

Alfa Romeo 166, prior to facelift

The car was initially available with an 2.0-litre Twin Spark (155 PS), an 2.5 V6 (190 PS), an 3.0 V6 (226 PS) or an V6 2.0 Turbo (205 PS) petrol engine. Diesel engines were a L5 2.4 10v common rail turbodiesel version with 136 PS (100 kW; 134 hp), 140 PS (103 kW; 138 hp) and 150 PS (110 kW; 148 hp) 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 gearbox. 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. Suspension systems comprised double wishbones at the front and a multi-link setup for the rear.

Though the car's handling characteristics, engine range and elegant exterior design received praise from many, including Top Gear's Jeremy Clarkson, it did not become a strong seller to rival the dominant German brands, in the European executive car sector.

2003 Facelift

 

Alfa Romeo 166, facelifted model

In September 2003, the 166 underwent a substantial revamp, with the début at the Frankfurt Motor Show. 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 marketing problems, the V6 2.5 was re-rated at 188 PS (138 kW; 185 hp) 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 1400 bar and 4 valves per cylinder, to output a class leading 175 PS (129 kW; 173 hp).

End of production

In October 2005, the Alfa Romeo 166 was officially withdrawn from sale in markets for RHD. Sales of the 166 never grew as Alfa had hoped, following the facelift in September 2003, and the additional lack of a diesel engine in the United Kingdom, Australian, and Irish markets limited its reach into company car sectors. This was as the 2.4 JTD diesel engine was only optional on markets for LHD.

In June 2007, production of the 166 effectively ended, with no direct successor. In September 2008, the platform was sold to the Chinese state run manufacturer GAC Group. In total, less than 100,000 units were made.

In August 2009, Autocar named the 166 as "Britain's Worst Depreciating Used Car", as it held just 14.4% of its original used value after three years.

Engines