Alfa Romeo 166
| Alfa Romeo 166 | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer: | Alfa Romeo |
| Production: | Left-hand drive: 1998-present |
| Body Styles: | FF full-size sedan |
| Engines: | Right-hand drive: 2.0 Twin Spark 2.5 V6 3.0 V6 Left-hand drive: Petrol and Diesel versions. |
| Predecessor: | Alfa Romeo 164 |
| Successor: | Still in production |
| Competitors: | Audi A6 BMW 5-Series Mercedes-Benz E-Class Peugeot 607 Renault Vel Satis Volvo S80 |
The Alfa Romeo 166 is a full-size sedan automobile produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo since 1998.
The 166 was the replacement for the Alfa Romeo 164, and though the 164 had had styling that was far from orthodox, the odd-looking 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. The car was available with a 2 litre Twin Spark engine as well as 2.5 and 3.0 V6 units. Though the car's handling characteristics, engine range and elegant exterior design received praise from many, including Jeremy Clarkson, it did not become a strong seller to rival the dominant German brands in the European luxury car sector.
The 166 underwent a substantial revamp in 2003. 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.
As of October 2005, the Alfa Romeo 166 was withdrawn from sale in right-hand drive markets. Sales of the 166 never grew as Alfa had hoped following the 2003 facelift, and the additional lack of a diesel engine in the UK, Australian and Irish markets limited its reach into company car sectors. It was also reported that the engine emissions were also unlikely to meet forthcoming regulations, and a revised engine would not have been justified on the low volume 166. Sales of left-hand drive cars will continue until its replacement, the 167, is launched in the near future.