For now, the Alfa Romeo 156 was the only model from the Italian brand to win the Car of the Year trophy in Portugal — also coinciding with its election as European Car of the Year in the same year.
The 156 would become a landmark model for the Italian brand on many levels, and it ended up becoming one of its biggest commercial successes ever — more than 670,000 units sold from 1997 to 2007. Since then, no Alfa Romeo has ever been seen again. managed to reach volumes of this caliber.
It took the place of the often criticized 155 and with it brought greater sophistication and ambition, whether in terms of design or its technical characteristics.
of master
It immediately made a strong impact on its design, with Walter da Silva, Alfa Romeo's design director at the time, being responsible for the lines.
It was not a retro proposal, far from it, but it incorporated elements that evoked other eras, especially when we looked at it from the front.
The Alfa Romeo 156's distinctive face was marked by a scudetto that “invaded” the bumper (recalling models from other eras) and forced the number plate to the side — since then, it has almost become a of the brand images of the… Italian brand.
Despite being an “all ahead” (engine in front transverse position and front wheel drive), the proportions of this three-pack saloon with relatively compact dimensions were of very good standard. Its profile was reminiscent of a coupé, and the rear door handle integrated into the window, next to the C-pillar, reinforced this perception — the 156 was not the first with this solution, but it was one of the main responsible for popularizing it.
Its surfaces were clean, with the exception of two creases on the axes that also defined the waistline. The aesthetic was topped off by optical groups, both front and back, slender and of modest dimensions, in contrast to much of what was seen at the time.
In 2000 the 156 Sportwagon was introduced, marking the return of the Alfa Romeo to vans, something that hasn't happened since the Alfa Romeo 33 Sportwagon. Like the saloon, the Sportwagon also stood out for its very appealing appearance — note aside, who remembers the ad for Sportwagon with actress Catherine Zeta-Jones? — and, curious fact, despite being the most familiar bodywork of aptitudes, its trunk was slightly smaller than that of the sedan.
Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon emerged nearly three years after the sedan
The truth is that even today, more than two decades after its launch, the Alfa Romeo 156 remains a stylistic landmark, combining elegance and sportiness like few others. One of the most beautiful sedans ever? No doubt.
If on the outside it was impressive for its appearance, on the inside it wasn't much different. The interior more clearly evoked an Alfa Romeo from other eras, visible above all in its instrument panel with two “hooded” circular dials and in the auxiliary dials integrated in the center console (and facing towards the driver).
The first common rail
Under the hood we found several atmospheric four-cylinder gasoline engines in line, with displacements between 1.6 and 2.0 l, all of them Twin Spark (two spark plugs per cylinder) and powers between 120 hp and 150 hp.
When the 156 was launched, the Diesels were already gaining prominence in the market and, therefore, could not fail to be present. The best known was the Fiat Group's 1.9 JTD, but above this we found an inline five cylinder with 2.4 l capacity that stood out for being the first Diesel introduced on the market with the Common Rail injection system (common ramp), with powers between 136 hp and 150 hp.
The five-cylinder common rail
After the restyling operated by Giorgetto Giugiaro's Italdesign, known in 2003, there were more mechanical innovations, such as the introduction of direct injection in the 2.0 l gasoline engine, identified by the acronym JTS (Jet Thrust Stoichiometric) making the power grow up to 165 hp. Diesel engines also gained multi-valve versions, both in the 1.9 (still in 2002) and in the 2.4, which began to be identified as JTDm, with power rising, in the latter, up to 175 hp.
Associated with the gasoline and diesel engines were five- and six-speed manual gearboxes, while the 2.0 Twin Spark and JTS could also be paired with the Selespeed, a semi-automatic robotic gearbox.
V6 Busso
But in the spotlight, of course, was the revered V6 Busso. First in the version with 2.5 l capacity, capable of delivering 190 hp (later 192 hp), which could be associated with an intriguing Q System automatic transmission, which had a manual mode that maintained an H pattern, like a manual transmission, to its four speeds.
Later the “father” of all Busso arrived with the 156 GTA, the sportiest version of the range. Here, the 24-valve V6 grew to a capacity of 3.2 l and power up to 250 hp, at the time considered the limit value for a front-wheel drive. But about this very special model, we recommend that you read our article dedicated to it:
refined dynamics
It was convinced by its design and mechanics, but its chassis was also not to be neglected. The modifications made to the Fiat Group's C1 platform not only ensured a superior wheelbase compared to other models that used it, but also gained independent suspension on both axles. At the front was a sophisticated overlapping double triangle scheme and at the rear a MacPherson scheme, ensuring a passive steering effect.
With restyling in 2003, the 156 got new rear optics and bumpers…
Despite ensuring a refined dynamic, the suspension was still a headache. It was common for this to be misaligned, leading to premature wear of the tires, while behind the bell blocks proved to be fragile.
Let's not forget to mention its direction, which is quite direct — it still is — with only 2.2 laps from top to top. Tests at the height revealed a saloon with dynamic handling with a strong sporty attitude and a responsive chassis.
Also made history in the competition
If when it triumphed in the election of Car of the Year in Portugal and Europe it was a new model, just hit the market, when its career ended its legacy on the circuits was vast. The Alfa Romeo 156 has been a regular presence in multiple touring championships, continuing the historic legacy of the 155 (which also stood out in the DTM).
He was champion of the European Tourism Championship three times (2001, 2002, 2003), having also conquered several national championships at this level and, in 2000, he also conquered the South American Super Tourism championship. Trophies were not lacking in the 156.
Succession
The Alfa Romeo 156 would end its career definitively in 2007, 10 years after its launch. It was one of Alfa Romeo's last great successes (along with the 147) and marked a generation of enthusiasts and alfisti.
It would be succeeded, still in 2005, by the Alfa Romeo 159 which, despite having stronger attributes in parameters such as sturdiness and safety, never managed to equal the success of its predecessor.
Do you want to meet the other Car of the Year winners in Portugal? Follow the link below: