The Alfa Romeo 156 (Type 932) is a
compact executive car
A compact executive car, also known as a compact luxury car, is a premium car larger than a premium compact and smaller than an executive car. Compact executive car is a UK term and a part of the D-segment in the European car classification.
A ...
produced by the Italian automobile manufacturer
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. () is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis. The company was founded on 24 June 1910, in Milan, Italy. "Alfa" is an acronym of its founding name, "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili." "A ...
. It was introduced at the
1997 Frankfurt Motor Show as the replacement for the
Alfa Romeo 155
The Alfa Romeo 155 (Type 167) is a compact executive car produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 1992 and 1998. It was unveiled in January 1992 at Barcelona, with the first public launch in March 1992, at the Geneva Motor S ...
. The 156 received a positive reception and in the following year went on to win the 1998
European Car of the Year award.
The 156
saloon was discontinued in Europe late in 2005, while the Q4 Crosswagon continued in production until the end of 2007.
Cars were assembled at the
Fiat Group factory in
Pomigliano d'Arco
Pomigliano d'Arco is a municipality in the Metropolitan City of Naples in Italy, located north of Mount Vesuvius.
It is known for its industrial pole among the largest and most influential in southern Italy. In the industrial area there is, among ...
, Italy and at a
General Motors facility in
Rayong, Thailand. Production in Thailand began in March 2002 and ran for only a couple of years. The cars produced there were targeted for the Asia-Pacific markets.
Between 1996
and 2007, 673,435 units of the 156 were produced.
The 156 was available in saloon, ''Sportwagon'' (
estate) and ''Crosswagon'' (
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
) bodystyles with seven engine configurations; it went through two
facelifts, first in 2002 and then in 2003. The Sportwagon advertising campaign was made featuring actress
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones (; born 25 September 1969) is a Welsh actress. Known for her versatility, she is the recipient of various accolades, including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and a Tony Award. In 2010, she was appointed C ...
.
In 2005, the
159
Year 159 ( CLIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time in Roman territories, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Quintillus and Priscus (or, less frequently, year ...
became the replacement for the 156.
Overview
Since the 156's introduction, various four cylinder engine configurations were available and included the ''
Alfa Romeo Twin Spark engine
Alfa Romeo Twin Spark (TS) technology was used for the first time in the Alfa Romeo Grand Prix car in 1914. In the early 1960s it was used in their race cars ( GTA, TZ) to enable it to achieve a higher power output from its engines. And in the ea ...
'' (1.6 L - , 1.8 L - and 2.0 L - ) 16
valve
A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fitting ...
models with
variable valve timing
In internal combustion engines, variable valve timing (VVT) is the process of altering the timing of a valve lift event, and is often used to improve performance, fuel economy or emissions. It is increasingly being used in combination with var ...
, along with the
straight-4 1.9 litre 8-valve . The range also included a
straight-5
The straight-five engine (also referred to as an inline-five engine; abbreviated I5 or L5) is a piston engine with five cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankshaft.
Although less common than straight-four engines and straight-six eng ...
2.4 litre 10-valve ''
JTD
Multijet is Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' term for its current common rail direct injection turbodiesel engine range. Most of the Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia range as well as certain Chrysler, RAM Trucks, Jeep and Maserati vehicles are equipped with Mu ...
''
common rail turbodiesel
The term turbo-diesel, also written as turbodiesel and turbo diesel, refers to any diesel engine equipped with a turbocharger. As with other engine types, turbocharging a diesel engine can significantly increase its efficiency and power output ...
engine. Until January 2002, the range-topping engine was the venerable 2.5 litre 24-valve
''Busso'' V6 - now with
double overhead camshaft
An overhead camshaft (OHC) engine is a piston engine where the camshaft is located in the cylinder head above the combustion chamber. This contrasts with earlier overhead valve engines (OHV), where the camshaft is located below the combustion cha ...
s and
four-valve heads - rated at .
Initially the 156 range was available with different options (packs) like a sport pack that included Blitz clothing,
Momo
Momo may refer to:
Geography
* Momo (department), a division of Northwest Province in Cameroon
* Momo, Gabon, a town in the Woleu-Ntem province of Gabon
* Momo, Piedmont, a town in the province of Novara, in northern Italy
* Joffrey Tower, in ...
leather interior and
Recaro
Recaro Holding, as the parent company of the Recaro Group, owns the Recaro brand and the independently operating companies Recaro Aircraft Seating (aircraft seats) based in Schwäbisch Hall and Recaro eGaming (gaming seats) based in Stuttgart, Germ ...
seats, it also included wheels, lowered suspension and leather-trimmed
steering wheel and
gear knob
A gear stick (rarely spelled ''gearstick''), gear lever (both UK English), gearshift or shifter (both U.S. English), more formally known as a transmission lever, is a metal lever attached to the transmission of an automobile. The term ''gear sti ...
. The Lusso pack added with Momo's
mahogany steering wheel and gear knob and for Nordic countries, a special winter pack consisting of fog lights, headlight washers, and heated seats was available.
Starting from 1999 a five-speed ''
Selespeed
Selespeed is the name of an automated manual transmission used in Alfa Romeo cars, developed by Italian company Magneti Marelli and made by Graziano Trasmissioni.
The Selespeed is an automated manual gearbox with an electronic clutch. In its curre ...
'' automated manual transmission was available as an option on the 2.0 litre Twin Spark version and a four-speed automatic ''Q-System'' on the 2.5 litre V6 version,
the Q-system provided the option of using the car as a normal automatic or being able to shift manually with
H-pattern
A gear stick (rarely spelled ''gearstick''), gear lever (both UK English), gearshift or shifter (both U.S. English), more formally known as a transmission lever, is a metal lever attached to the transmission of an automobile. The term ''gear sti ...
,
it has three automatic modes: city, sport and ice.
A significant addition to the 156 range came in 2000 with the introduction of the Sportwagon
Station wagon or estate bodystyle. The new bodystyle was in development from 1998 by
Stola
The stola () (pl. ''stolae'') was the traditional garment of Roman women, corresponding to the toga that was worn by men. It was also called ''vestis longa'' in Latin literary sources, pointing to its length. History
The ''stola'' was a staple ...
under the project code '932 AF'. According to Stola's records the initial considered name was "Powerwagon". While not a core part of the company's range, estate versions of the Alfasud and 33 - the first to carry the name Sportwagon - were produced and a 75 Sportwagon was shown at Geneva, but became an early victim of the Fiat takeover. The Sportwagon was also available with Boge-
Nivomat
ZF Sachs AG, also known as Fichtel & Sachs, was founded in Schweinfurt in 1895 and was a well-known German family business. At its last point as an independent company, the company name was Fichtel & Sachs AG.
In 1997, the automotive supplier wa ...
self-levelling hydropneumatic rear suspension.
The Sportwagon was marketed as a lifestyle estate without large carrying capacity.
The Sportwagon bodystyle filled a gap in the market that Alfa Romeo had distanced themselves from since the
33 SportWagon
A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...
of the 1980s.
In 2001 engines were upgraded to comply with the
Euro III standards and were rated at (1.6 L), (1.8 L), (2.0 L) and (2.5 L).
Design
Designed by Alfa Centro Stile under the guidance of head designer
Walter de'Silva the 156s shape was intended to be distinctly Alfa Romeo.
Its styling included high, curved flanks, retro styled front door handles, recessed rear door handles, and a deep
grille
Grill or grille may refer to:
Food
* Barbecue grill, a device or surface used for cooking food, usually fuelled by gas or charcoal, or the part of a cooker that performs this function
* Flattop grill, a cooking device often used in restaurants, ...
requiring an off-centre licence plate holder. The design featured visually deemphasized rear door handles and accentuated front handles, giving the illusion of a coupé profile. The design was influenced by the Alfa Romeo 1900, Giulietta and Giulia.
The 156 achieved a
drag coefficient
In fluid dynamics, the drag coefficient (commonly denoted as: c_\mathrm, c_x or c_) is a dimensionless quantity that is used to quantify the drag or resistance of an object in a fluid environment, such as air or water. It is used in the drag e ...
(''C''
d) of 0.31.
Interior
The original interior uses a scalloped upper dashboard and a simple centre console. The main controls and displays are angled to the driver. The interior design lacks cup holders.
The 156 Sportwagon features fold-down rear seats to increase the luggage area normally covered by a privacy screen.
2002 saw an update to both the interior and exterior of the 156.
Facelifts
2002 facelift (first series)
2002 also saw the arrival of a
facelifted interior with different matte-finish surfacing and chrome highlights.
This new version featured the
147's dual-zone digital
climate controller while the interior climate could also be controlled via an air quality sensor.
A different choice of colours were available for the interior, with the option of a two-tone interior very much like that on offer from its European rivals. A wider range of options including
xenon
Xenon is a chemical element with the symbol Xe and atomic number 54. It is a dense, colorless, odorless noble gas found in Earth's atmosphere in trace amounts. Although generally unreactive, it can undergo a few chemical reactions such as the ...
lighting, tele-informatics (CONNECT and CONNECT NAV) and a
Bose
Bose may refer to:
* Bose (crater), a lunar crater
* ''Bose'' (film), a 2004 Indian Tamil film starring Srikanth and Sneha
* Bose (surname), a surname (and list of people with the name)
* Bose, Italy, a ''frazioni'' in Magnano, Province of Biella ...
stereo system were available, the stereo system could now also be operated via buttons on the steering wheel. Also, the ''Selespeed'' gearbox control system was updated, buttons on the steering wheel were replaced by paddle shifters, as seen on the earlier
Alfa Romeo 147
The Alfa Romeo 147 (Type 937) is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 2000 to 2010. The 147 was voted European Car of the Year in 2001.
The 147 was launched at the Turin Motor Show in June 2000 as a replacement for ...
. In the center console, the designers added a multifunctional display with
trip computer
A trip computer is a computer fitted to some cars; most modern trip computers record, calculate, and display the distance travelled, the average speed, the average fuel consumption, and real-time fuel consumption.
The first, mechanical trip co ...
, fault, and service monitor.
The upgrade also included
electronic stability control VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) with an emergency brake assist device and slip control
ASR
The Asr prayer ( ar, صلاة العصر ', "afternoon prayer") is one of the five mandatory salah (Islamic prayer). As an Islamic day starts at sunset, the Asr prayer is technically the fifth prayer of the day. If counted from midnight, it is ...
(Anti Slip Regulation) came as standard. Additionally, an MSR (Motor Schleppmoment Regelung) was added to the car, this device prevents wheel skidding by restoring torque to the engine for example when the gear is shifted down abruptly under conditions of low grip. Passive safety was also made better, all versions got window
airbags as standard. The 2.0 L ''
JTS'' engine with
gasoline direct injection replaced the 2.0 litre Twin Spark engine, offering more low end torque and more power than the Twin Spark. The diesel engines were also uprated. The only notable difference exterior-wise was body-coloured mirrors and bumper strips which were earlier black.
2003 facelift (second series)
Late 2003 saw the launch of a facelifted 156, with new front and rear
fascias designed by
Giorgetto Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro (; born 7 August 1938) is an Italian automotive designer. He has worked on supercars and popular everyday vehicles. He was born in Garessio, Cuneo, Piedmont.
Giugiaro was named Car Designer of the Century in 1999 and inducted ...
.
A new top-of-the-line model was added to the line up called TI (Turismo Internazionale) designating a sporty kit, this version was equipped with modified suspension, bigger wheels (215/45 17") and leather-trimmed interior. The GTA models never received the exterior update. Diesel engines underwent a major overhaul which included a new four-valve per
cylinder head
In an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head (often abbreviated to simply "head") sits above the cylinders and forms the roof of the combustion chamber.
In sidevalve engines, the head is a simple sheet of metal; whereas in more modern ...
s and a second stage common rail injection with 1400 bar maximum injection pressure with up to five injections per cycle for lower noise, consumption, and higher performance. They were rated at 140/150 PS (103/110 kW) for
straight-4 1.9 litre 16-valve and for
straight-5
The straight-five engine (also referred to as an inline-five engine; abbreviated I5 or L5) is a piston engine with five cylinders mounted in a straight line along the crankshaft.
Although less common than straight-four engines and straight-six eng ...
2.4 litre 20-valve.
Variants
156 GTA
The 156 GTA and 156 Sportwagon GTA were launched at the
Frankfurt Motor Show
The International Motor Show Germany or International Mobility Show Germany, in German known as the ''Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung'' (''IAA'' – International Automobile Exhibition), is one of the world's largest mobility shows. It cons ...
in September 2001. The GTA was named after the
Alfa Romeo GTA from the 1960s, the letters GTA meaning Gran Turismo Alleggerita ( en, lightened Grand Tourer). Developed alongside the
147 GTA,
it was an exclusive high-performance model hand assembled on a dedicated production line separate to the standard 156 models.
Development of the GTA styling models and engineering design was entrusted in early 2000 to
Stola
The stola () (pl. ''stolae'') was the traditional garment of Roman women, corresponding to the toga that was worn by men. It was also called ''vestis longa'' in Latin literary sources, pointing to its length. History
The ''stola'' was a staple ...
with styling data provided by Centro Stile. Stola completed six prototypes that were further mechanically assembled by Alfa Romeo. Two of those protypes were presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show.
1,973 berlinas and 1,678 Sportwagons were built until the GTA production stopped in October 2005, as the V6 engine as unable to meet emissions regulations and due to the 156 being replaced by the
159
Year 159 ( CLIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time in Roman territories, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Quintillus and Priscus (or, less frequently, year ...
.
The GTA was sold in limited numbers, with right-hand drive vehicles holding a premium over left-hand drive vehicles due to their rarity.
The very first GTA was sold via online auction, from 13 to 23 September, the duration of the Frankfurt Motor Show. Winning bid was €48,691.26, which was donated to "Telethon" charity fund.
![Alfa Romeo 156 GTA (40920850890)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Alfa_Romeo_156_GTA_%2840920850890%29.jpg)
The 3.2-litre ''Bussone''
V6 engine
A V6 engine is a six-cylinder piston engine where the cylinders share a common crankshaft and are arranged in a V configuration.
The first V6 engines were designed and produced independently by Marmon Motor Car Company, Deutz Gasmotoren Fabr ...
(The big Busso, so-called after legendary Alfa Romeo engineer
Giuseppe Busso). This engine is praised universally for its sound and revving capabilities.
This was the largest iteration of the engine built by Alfa Romeo. The engine has a bore and a stroke, displacing at . It was rated at and of torque. Overall, the car weighed more than the standard V6 156.
The GTA variants shared a common interior with post-facelift 156 variants. The doors, boot lid and bonnet were also shared. All else was unique to the GTA, with the engine specifically made by
Fiat and
Maserati Research Centres.
The GTA did not receive the
Giugiaro
Giorgetto Giugiaro (; born 7 August 1938) is an Italian automotive designer. He has worked on supercars and popular everyday vehicles. He was born in Garessio, Cuneo, Piedmont.
Giugiaro was named Car Designer of the Century in 1999 and inducted ...
designed facelift introduced on the 156 in 2003, but continued with the acclaimed
Walter de Silva
Walter Maria de Silva (born 27 February 1951 in Lecco, Italy) is an Italian car designer and former head of Volkswagen Group Design, until 2015. Since beginning his car design career in 1972 as trainee car designer for Fiat's Style Centre. De Sil ...
design to the very end of production.
The steering was also made faster, only 1.7 turns from lock to lock compared to 2.1 in normal models. The GTA had also larger brakes (
Brembo), at front 305 millimetres (12 in) discs and rear 276 millimetres (10.8 in). The front discs were later upgraded to 330 millimetres (13 in) to cope with the performance potential.
156 Sportwagon Q4
In 2004 Sportwagon Q4, an
all-wheel drive
An all-wheel drive vehicle (AWD vehicle) is one with a powertrain capable of providing power to all its wheels, whether full-time or on-demand.
The most common forms of all-wheel drive are:
;1x1 : All unicycles Reflecting one axle with one w ...
version of the Sportwagon was launched in some markets. The Q4 (short for Quadrifoglio 4) system used three differentials, the central one being of the
Torsen
Torsen Torque-Sensing (full name Torsen traction) is a type of limited-slip differential used in automobiles.
It was invented by American Vernon Gleasman and manufactured by the Gleason Corporation. Torsen is a portmanteau of Torque-Sensing. ''TO ...
C
limited slip type; it added about to the vehicle weight.
Graziano Trasmissioni
Dana Graziano (former Graziano Trasmissioni) is an Italian company based in Turin manufacturing gearboxes, drivelines and their mechatronics components.
It makes the "Pre-Cog" seven-speed Seamless-Shift gearbox (SSG) dual-clutch transmission used ...
, the Turin-based transmission specialist, developed this system. A raised ride height meant the Sportwagon Q4's was tall. Other than the ride height, special 5-spoke 17 inch wheels and a "Q4" badge on the tail set the Sportwagon Q4 apart from the front-wheel drive 156 versions. The Sportwagon Q4 was only available on
LHD markets, with no
RHD models being built or sold. The only available engine was 1.9 M-Jet diesel with .
156 Crosswagon Q4
![2005-03-04 Motorshow Geneva 150](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/2005-03-04_Motorshow_Geneva_150.JPG)
The Crosswagon Q4 was launched in 2004 with a
crossover
Crossover may refer to:
Entertainment
Albums and songs
* ''Cross Over'' (Dan Peek album)
* ''Crossover'' (Dirty Rotten Imbeciles album), 1987
* ''Crossover'' (Intrigue album)
* ''Crossover'' (Hitomi Shimatani album)
* ''Crossover'' (Yoshino ...
look and enhanced off-road capabilities. The Crosswagon's ride height was raised further compared to the Sportwagon Q4, giving the car better
approach and departure angles
Approach angle is the maximum angle of a ramp onto which a vehicle can climb from a horizontal plane without interference. It is defined as the angle between the ground and the line drawn between the front tire and the lowest-hanging part of the ...
; at
it was taller than a standard 156. Tall-sidewall
all-season tyres on 17 inch wheels were standard. The only available engine was 1.9 M-Jet diesel rated at . The Crosswagon was made to look more like an all-terrain vehicle by unique front and rear bumpers and door sills with steel inserts. After the introduction of the
159
Year 159 ( CLIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time in Roman territories, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Quintillus and Priscus (or, less frequently, year ...
in 2005 the Crosswagon remained in production, and in 2007 it was the last 156 model to be discontinued.
Special versions
Alfa Romeo 156 GTAm
The Alfa Romeo 156 GTAm was shown at the
Bologna Motor Show
The Bologna Motor Show (known as the "''Salone internazionale dell'auto e della moto di Bologna''" in Italian) was an auto show which was scheduled to be held annually in December, in Bologna, Italy.
The editions of 2009 and 2012 were the shor ...
in December 2002. The car was built by Fiat Group's partner
N.Technology N.Technology is an Italian auto racing team, founded by Mauro Sipsz and Monica Bregoli.
Team history
N.Technology (originally named Nordauto Squadra Corse or Team Nordauto) were set up to manage the worldwide sporting activities of the Fiat Gro ...
. The GTA engine was bored to and power was increased to .
The car had widened wheel arches, 19 inch tyres and was equipped with N.Technology
limited slip differential
A limited-slip differential (LSD) is a type of differential that allows its two output shafts to rotate at different speeds but limits the maximum difference between the two shafts. Limited-slip differentials are often known by the generic tr ...
. This car never reached production phase.
Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon GTA 3.5 Autodelta
At the
2004 Geneva Motor Show Italian-based
tuning
Tuning can refer to:
Common uses
* Tuning, the process of tuning a tuned amplifier or other electronic component
* Musical tuning, musical systems of tuning, and the act of tuning an instrument or voice
** Guitar tunings
** Piano tuning, adjusti ...
firm
Autodelta
Autodelta SpA was the name of Alfa Romeo's competition department. Established in 1961 as Auto-Delta, the company was started by Carlo Chiti and Lodovico Chizzola, former Alfa Romeo and Ferrari engineers. The team was officially made a departm ...
unveiled a 156 Sportwagon prototype equipped with a V6 engine that developed at 6,800 rpm.
The car was fitted with Bilstein adjustable shock absorbers, Eibach springs and
Brembo front brakes with a diameter of . Weight was reduced using a composite engine bonnet.
Autodelta 156 GTA 3.7 V6
![Alfa Romeo 156 GTA](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Alfa_Romeo_156_GTA.jpg)
London-based
tuning
Tuning can refer to:
Common uses
* Tuning, the process of tuning a tuned amplifier or other electronic component
* Musical tuning, musical systems of tuning, and the act of tuning an instrument or voice
** Guitar tunings
** Piano tuning, adjusti ...
firm
Autodelta
Autodelta SpA was the name of Alfa Romeo's competition department. Established in 1961 as Auto-Delta, the company was started by Carlo Chiti and Lodovico Chizzola, former Alfa Romeo and Ferrari engineers. The team was officially made a departm ...
made two high performance versions based on 156 GTA, in GTA AM version
Alfa Romeo V6 engine was bored to , which was capable of developing at 7,300 rpm. With this, the car could attain a top speed of and accelerate to 100 km/h in 5.2 s.
The GTA AM Super was an upgrade of the first version, now fitted with Rotrex
supercharger and rated at .
Specifications
Platform and suspension
The 156 uses a platform derived from the
Alfa Romeo 155
The Alfa Romeo 155 (Type 167) is a compact executive car produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 1992 and 1998. It was unveiled in January 1992 at Barcelona, with the first public launch in March 1992, at the Geneva Motor S ...
, which in turn was derived from the Fiat Group's "Tipo" platform. However it is sufficiently different from the original "Tipo" one to be seen as a new platform.
The 156 is a highly developed
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
car; (the Cross/Sportwagon Q4 offered
four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer cas ...
in
left-hand drive
Left-hand traffic (LHT) and right-hand traffic (RHT) are the practices, in bidirectional traffic, of keeping to the left side or to the right side of the road, respectively. They are fundamental to traffic flow, and are sometimes referred to ...
markets) with a double high
wishbone
Wishbone commonly refers to:
* Furcula, a fork-shaped bone in birds and some dinosaurs
Wishbone may also refer to:
* Wish-Bone, an American salad dressing and condiment company
* Wishbone formation, a type of offense in American football
* Wish ...
front suspension and updated version of
MacPherson type rear suspension,
which consists of a telescopic vertical strut with coaxial spring and two transverse links of different lengths and a longitudinal strut. This structure means that the rear wheels have a tiny
passive steering ability.
Weight saving materials (mainly aluminium) have been used in several parts both front and rear suspension.
For the 156 GTA, weight saving materials were also used in many other parts like magnesium framed front seats and dashboard frame. The 156 GTA only shared common parts with other 156 variants with respect to the facelift interior, doors, bonnet and boot lid.
Engines
The 156 offered various engines and power output choices during its lifespan, four and six cylinder petrol engines and four and five cylinder
diesel engines, all produced at
Pratola Serra except the V6 engines, which were produced at
Alfa Romeo's Arese plant, with the GTA engines being produced at the
Maserati Research Centre.
The 2.4 JTD diesel was world's first common rail diesel engine in a passenger car.
Use in law enforcement
The Alfa 156 sedan and the station wagon were widely used by the Italian and other police and other law enforcement forces. In Italy it was used by
Carabinieri
The Carabinieri (, also , ; formally ''Arma dei Carabinieri'', "Arm of Carabineers"; previously ''Corpo dei Carabinieri Reali'', "Royal Carabineers Corps") are the national gendarmerie of Italy who primarily carry out domestic and foreign polic ...
,
Polizia di Stato
The ''Polizia di Stato'' (State Police or P.S.) is one of the national police forces of Italy.
Alongside the Carabinieri, it is the main police force for providing police duties, primarily to cities and large towns, and with its child agencie ...
,
Polizia provinciale,
Polizia Penitenziaria
The ''Polizia Penitenziari''a (in English, "Penitentiary Police"), formally the ''Corpo di Polizia Penitenziaria'' is a law enforcement agency in Italy which is subordinate to the Italian Ministry of Justice and operates the Italian prison sy ...
and
Guardia di Finanza
The ''Guardia di Finanza'' (G. di F. or GdF) () (English: literal: ''Guard of Finance'', paraphrased: ''Financial Police'' or ''Financial Guard'') is an Italian law enforcement agency under the authority of the Minister of Economy and Finance. ...
. Subsequently, the 156 was replaced by the more modern Alfa Romeo 159.
File:Polizia.di.stato.car.arp.jpg, One of the two Alfa 156 III series of Polizia di Stato, equipped with a 2.5 V6 engine.
File:Alfa Crosswagon polizia provinciale.jpg, A 156 Crosswagon of Polizia provinciale.
File:Alfa Romeo 156 Crosswagon Finanza.jpg, 156 2nd series Crosswagon of Guardia di Finanza.
File:Alfa Romeo 156 della Polizia Civile.jpg, The 156 of Corpo de Polizia Civile (Civil Police of San Marino).
Awards
In 1998, an international jury of 56 journalists (40 of whom voted for the 156) representing 21 countries awarded the Alfa 156 the
European Car of the Year award;
it was described as having a "very refined suspension layout so to offer an impeccable roadholding".
The 2.5 V6 engine was awarded with the
International Engine of the Year award in 2000.
The 156 has won more than 35 awards,
including:
*''Technical Innovation Award'' – Common Rail 1998 – (''
Autocar'' – Great Britain)
*''Best Compact Executive'' 1998 – (''
What Car?
''What Car?'' is a British monthly automobile magazine and website, currently edited by Steve Huntingford and published by Haymarket Consumer Media. Other team members include deputy editor Darren Moss and test editors Will Nightingale, Neil ...
'' – Great Britain)
*''Best Compact Executive Car'' 1998 – (''
Auto Express
''Auto Express'' is a weekly motoring magazine sold in the United Kingdom published by Autovia Limited. The editor-in-chief is Steve Fowler.
History and profile
Launched in September 1988, its 1,000th issue was published on 20 February 2008. ...
'' – Great Britain)
*''Die Besten Autos'' 1998, Paul Pietsch Preis – Innovation prize for Common Rail, (''
Auto, Motor und Sport
''Auto Motor und Sport'', often stylized as auto motor und sport and abbreviated AMS or AMuS, is a German automobile magazine.
It is published fortnightly by Motor Presse Netzwerk's subsidiary Motor Presse Stuttgart, a specialist magazine publis ...
'' – Germany)
*''Auto 1 Europa'' 1998 – (panel of engineers, drivers, and journalists from the eleven European magazines, headed by ''
Auto Bild
''Auto Bild'' is a leading German automobile magazine based in Hamburg, Germany.
History and profile
''Auto Bild'' was first published on the last week of February 1986. The magazine is published by Axel Springer AG on a weekly basis. The webs ...
'')
*Auto Trophy 1998 – (''Auto Zeitung'' – Germany)
*Trophee Du Design 1998 – (''Automobile Magazine'' – France)
*''European Award for Automotive Design'' – (Belgium, 1998)
*Car of the Year 1998 in Denmark, Spain, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Portugal, France, and Croatia
*Car of the Year in South Africa 1999 – (''South African Guild of Motoring Journalists'')
*''Prix de l’Innovation Technique pour le Common Rail'' 1997 (France)
*''L’automobile più bella del mondo'' ("The most beautiful car in the world") 1997 (Italy)
Motorsport
The 156 competed in various motor racing championships including the
World Touring Car Championship
The FIA World Touring Car Championship was an international touring car championship promoted by Eurosport Events and sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). It has had several different incarnations, including a sin ...
,
European Touring Car Championship
The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004. In 2005 it was superseded by the World ...
and the
British Touring Car Championship
The Kwik Fit British Touring Car Championship is a touring car racing series held each year in the United Kingdom, currently organised and administered by TOCA. It was established in 1958 as the British Saloon Car Championship and was renamed as ...
. The 156 touring car program was run by Fiat Group's partner N.Technology S.p.A., founded as
Nordauto Squadra Corse, to compete in the
Italian Touring Car Championship. In 1994, the name was changed to Nordauto Engineering, and to
N.Technology N.Technology is an Italian auto racing team, founded by Mauro Sipsz and Monica Bregoli.
Team history
N.Technology (originally named Nordauto Squadra Corse or Team Nordauto) were set up to manage the worldwide sporting activities of the Fiat Gro ...
in 2001.
In 1998, the 156
Group N
In relation to international motorsport governed by the FIA, Group N refers to regulations providing 'standard' large scale series production vehicles for competition. They are limited in terms of modifications permitted to the standard specifi ...
version was offered for sale to the public.
The 156 Group N had no carpets, seats or upholstery, but included additional track safety devices.
The following titles have been won by 156 drivers:
*1998
Italian Super Touring Car Championship - Alfa Romeo 156 D2,
Fabrizio Giovanardi
Fabrizio Giovanardi (born 14 December 1966 in Sassuolo) is an Italian racing driver. During his career he has won ten touring car titles, including European and British crowns making him the most successful touring car driver worldwide. He has ...
*1999 Italian Super Touring Car Championship - Alfa Romeo 156 D2,
Fabrizio Giovanardi
Fabrizio Giovanardi (born 14 December 1966 in Sassuolo) is an Italian racing driver. During his career he has won ten touring car titles, including European and British crowns making him the most successful touring car driver worldwide. He has ...
*2000
European Super Touring Car Cup Winner - Alfa Romeo 156 D2,
Fabrizio Giovanardi
Fabrizio Giovanardi (born 14 December 1966 in Sassuolo) is an Italian racing driver. During his career he has won ten touring car titles, including European and British crowns making him the most successful touring car driver worldwide. He has ...
*2000
South American Super Touring Car Championship
The South American Super Touring Car Championship (known locally as the Copa de las Naciones Super Turismo then as the Copa de Superturismo Sudamericano) was an international touring car racing series in South America which used FIA Super Touring ...
,
Oscar Larrauri
Oscar Rubén Larrauri (born 19 August 1954) is a racing driver from Argentina. He participated in 21 Formula One Grands Prix, all with the EuroBrun team, debuting at the 1988 Brazilian Grand Prix. He scored no championship points, only qualifyi ...
*2001
FIA
FIA is the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (English: International Automobile Federation), the world's governing body for all forms of motor sport where four or more wheels are used.
Fia or FIA may also refer to: People
* Fia Backs ...
European Touring Car Championship
The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004. In 2005 it was superseded by the World ...
- Alfa Romeo 156 D2,
Fabrizio Giovanardi
Fabrizio Giovanardi (born 14 December 1966 in Sassuolo) is an Italian racing driver. During his career he has won ten touring car titles, including European and British crowns making him the most successful touring car driver worldwide. He has ...
*2002 FIA European Touring Car Championship - Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Super 2000,
Fabrizio Giovanardi
Fabrizio Giovanardi (born 14 December 1966 in Sassuolo) is an Italian racing driver. During his career he has won ten touring car titles, including European and British crowns making him the most successful touring car driver worldwide. He has ...
*2003 FIA European Touring Car Championship - Alfa Romeo 156 GTA Super 2000,
Gabriele Tarquini
Gabriele Tarquini (born 2 March 1962) is an Italian racing driver. He participated in 78 Formula One Grands Prix, debuting on May 3, 1987. He scored a single championship point, and holds the record for the most failed attempts to qualify. He h ...
File:Gabriele Tarquini - Alfa Romeo 156 GTA (40453437380).jpg, GTA Racing Team Nordauto Alfa Romeo 156 GTA, Gabriele Tarquini in Donington Park 2003 ETCC
File:Alfa Romeo 156 N Technology James Thompson WTCC 2007 Curitiba.jpg, A 156, driven by N.Technology N.Technology is an Italian auto racing team, founded by Mauro Sipsz and Monica Bregoli.
Team history
N.Technology (originally named Nordauto Squadra Corse or Team Nordauto) were set up to manage the worldwide sporting activities of the Fiat Gro ...
driver James Thompson, during the Curitiba round of the 2007 World Touring Car Championship
The 2007 World Touring Car Championship season was the 4th season of FIA World Touring Car Championship motor racing. The championship, which commenced on 11 March and ended on 18 November, after twenty-two races, was open to Super 2000 Cars, Die ...
File:David Pinkney Alfa Romeo 2007.jpg, David Pinkney
David Pinkney is a British businessman and auto racing driver. He competed in the British Touring Car Championship on and off between 1989 and 2011.
Racing career
James Weaver talked David into racing and he started out in the Uniroyal Saloon ...
driving a 156 at the Snetterton
Snetterton is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, England. The village is about east-northeast of Thetford and southwest of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of . The 2011 Census recorded a parish population of 201 people living in 74 h ...
round of the 2007 British Touring Car Championship
File:Alfa 156 ETCC Engine.jpg, The Alfa Romeo straight-4 Twin Spark racing engine used in 156 in the European Touring Car Championship
The European Touring Car Championship was an international touring car racing series organised by the FIA. It had two incarnations, the first one between 1963 and 1988, and the second between 2000 and 2004. In 2005 it was superseded by the World ...
Specifications for touring car versions:
Coloni S1 Alfa Romeo 156
![Alfa Romeo 156 Coloni](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f8/Alfa_Romeo_156_Coloni.jpg)
Italian race car constructor
Coloni made a one-off racing car prototype for FIA Group-E Formula Libre called the Coloni S1 Alfa Romeo 156, or 156 Maxiturismo.
The car is a carbon fibre
silhouette racing car A silhouette racing car is a race car which, although bearing a superficial resemblance to a production model, differs mechanically in fundamental ways. The purpose of silhouette cars is to provide a manufacturer with a tangible link to their con ...
on a tubular frame,
powered by a 3.0 litre Alfa Romeo V6 engine rated between and . The car has a 6-speed
Hewland
Hewland is a British engineering company, founded in 1957 by Mike Hewland, which specialises in racing-car gearboxes. Hewland currently employ 130 people at their Maidenhead facility and have diversified into a variety of markets being particul ...
-Coloni sequential gearbox and weighs around . It is capable of attaining speeds of over .
References
External links
Alfa Romeo 156 resources (International)
*
{{Alfa Romeo modern timeline
2000s cars
156
Year 156 (Roman numerals, CLVI) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Silvanus and Augurinus (or, less frequently, year 90 ...
All-wheel-drive vehicles
Cars introduced in 1997
Compact executive cars
Alfa Romeo 156 Crosswagon Q4
Front-wheel-drive vehicles
Sports sedans
Station wagons
Touring cars