Swansong Alfa 159 rivals tedious Teutons

02 October 2011 - 23:20 By THOMAS FALKINER
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The Alfa 159 has never been a big success here in South Africa. And from an aesthetic point of view I cannot understand why.

If you compare it to any of its rivals, Alfa's flagship sedan is a veritable supermodel. Driving a Honda Accord, Audi A4 or BMW3 Series is like dating that quietly attractive girl in the accounts department.

But the Alfa 159, with those fine Giugiaro-penned lines is akin to turning up at the office Christmas party with actress Emma Stone on your arm. Which would you rather have?

Sadly it seems our dour motoring public prefer the former.

Admittedly it may have something to do with Alfa's once dire reliability record but nowadays, thanks to all the wonders of modern technology, there is very little between something assembled in Germany and something assembled in Italy.

So, in a classic example of once bitten, twice shy, the Alfa 159 has remained on the periphery.

With this in mind you would expect Alfa to let the poor 159 retire gracefully; to let it quietly fizzle out unnoticed until the soon-to-be-released Giulia fills its shoes in 2012. Well, that's where you'd be wrong. This Italian saloon is making one last stand before it disappears forever.

While the last Alfa swansong - that overpriced GT Coupe Centenary Edition - was nothing more than the manufacturer's marketing department having a good fat laugh at the customer's expense, this twilight reinvention is actually worth every cent.

That's because the engineers have put the 159 on a strict diet. In fact, by grafting in aluminium body panels they've been able to burn 45kg worth of fat from its curb weight. This doesn't sound like much, but out in the real world it makes one heck of a difference to the way the 159 drives.

Previous incarnations were a little too soft and rolly-poly. Now there is a satisfying precision to the way this Alfa carves across the blacktop.

Tight and poised in the chassis department, there's also some mighty talkative steering to fuel your enthusiasm through the twisty bits.

For a six-year old design it is amazing how good it feels when stacked up against its rivals. In fact I'd make so bold as to say it's better than the fresher Giulietta hatch. Fun to drive, the "new" 159 is no straight-line slouch either, thanks to a choice of two muscular engines. My favourite has to be the meaty 3.2-litre V6.

A powerful multi-cylinder lump with an old-school flavour, it revs smoothly and delivers an addictive growl. The long gear ratios stacked inside its standard six-speed manual 'box do mean that it does feel a little lethargic coming out of the blocks.

But once you're up to speed, the motor comes into its own with some fairly brutal mid-range punch. Complemented by a comfortable and surprisingly forgiving ride, every one of the three V6 derivatives (Distinctive, Turismo Internazionale and the range-topping, all-wheel drive Q4 Auto Distinctive) is an effortless cross-country cruiser.

Of course, if this is not your thing you can always plumb for the more affordable 1750 TBi, a car that feels slightly quicker off the mark due to its shorter gear ratios and turbocharged four-pot motor.

Already proven in the Giulietta, it's an incredibly likeable unit. But shoe-horned into the more stately and grown-up metal of the 159, well, it just seems somewhat out of place.

As a sum of all its parts, the 1750 TBi also feels just a little too twitchy and hyperactive for my liking.

Whatever model you want to park in your driveway, both are available in the new Turismo Internazionale (Ti) specification. This optional package helps turn the elderly 159 into quite the boulevard panty-dropper.

You get a lowered sports suspension system; a sportier exhaust; side skirts and some killer-looking matte black multispoke alloy wheels.

So there it is, the Alfa 159 redux in a nutshell. As it stands it's a very accomplished luxury saloon that finally, after all these years, has the driving dynamics to back up those good looks.

But is it another tragic example of a car-maker doing too much too late? Definitely. Although the fact remains that - and if you've been searching for a worthy antidote to the humdrum Teuton brigade - there has never been a better time to snap up one.

The Specs:

Engine: 1742cc four-cylinder turbo; 3195cc V6

Power: 147kW at 5000rpm (1750 TBi); 191kW at 6200rpm (3.2 V6)

Torque: 320Nm at 1400rpm (1750 TBi); 322Nm at 4500rpm (3.2 V6)

0-100km/h: 7.7 seconds (1750 TBi); 7.1 seconds (3.2 V6)

Top Speed: 235km/h (1750 TBi); 250km/h (3.2 V6)

Fuel consumption: 7.8l/100km (1750); 11.0l/100km (V6)

CO2: 182g/km (1750 TBi); 260g/km (V6)

Price: 1750 TBi Progression R340000; 1750 TBi Ti R370000; 3.2 V6 Distinctive R398500; 3.2 V6 Ti R428500; 3.2 V6 Q4 auto Distinctive R430000

We like:

Still a looker. Now a fairly sharp driving tool. That 3.2 V6 will never get old

We don't like:

About to be replaced. 1750 TBi is skittish. Depreciation is a dirty word

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