Alfa Romeo Boosts 156 Equipment

Top three 156 versions now feature full Momo leather interior, sports instrument lighting, side skirt extensions, new larger alloy wheels and carbon fibre dash inserts all standard.

The top three Alfa Romeo 156 sedan versions sold in New Zealand are now fitted as standard with a sports equipment package providing them with a full Momo hand crafted leather interior, new 16 inch alloy wheels fitted with low profile tyres, side skirt extensions, sports instrument lighting and carbon fibre inserts for the dashboard.

The new equipment package applies to the 156 Selespeed, the 156 V6 24V six speed manual and the 156 V6 24V Q System automatic, while the 156 Twin Spark retains its value-for-money price of $56,995.

"The new equipment package for the top Alfa 156 versions - which has been made possible by the buying power of Ateco operating on both sides of the Tasman - reaffirms the 156's position as the best equipped car in its class," says Lawrie Malatios, General Manager for Alfa Romeo in New Zealand.

"While our competitors accumulate the charges with optional extras, the only long list associated with both entry level 156 and the newly equipped versions are their lists of standard equipment - and from today that list got even longer for the Selespeed and V6 versions of the 156."

All versions of the Alfa Romeo 156 are fitted as standard with ABS anti lock brakes with EBD, front and side air bags, climate control air conditioning, power steering, electric windows, door mirrors that are electrically heated and adjustable, remote control central locking, a CD powered stereo system with six speakers, front and rear fog lights, engine immobiliser and remote control alarm system.

Also standard is the acclaimed styling inside and out that has made the Alfa 156 a modern classic, a chassis that provides outstanding road holding, handling and refinement, and two engines that are race bred and offer outstanding performance.

The 2.0 litre Twin Spark is a remarkably efficient engine, producing 114 kW from a normally aspirated engine, which translates not just into excellent performance, but also low fuel consumption and good emissions. The 2.5 litre V6 is a variant of one of the classic engines of all time, a fact that is immediately obvious on opening the bonnet and seeing the chrome plated inlet manifold. The sound it produces is as glorious as the performance provided by the 140 kW quad camshaft race track bred engine.

The Alfa Romeo 156 offers a unique choice of gearboxes - indeed, there is a different gearbox in each version. The Twin Spark is fitted with a five speed manual gearbox, while the Selespeed enables the 156 driver to use the only Formula One derived gear shift system this side of a Ferrari. Using the same hard and software as the World Championship winning Ferrari Formula One car, the 156 Selespeed has a true racing sequential gearbox. It is a manual, with all the benefits of performance, instant response and economy, yet the Selespeed system operates the clutch and changes gears, either from instruction from the driver via the steering wheel mounted buttons or the gear stick, or it can change the gears entirely of its own volition. It truly offers the best of all worlds.

As befits the V6 version of the Alfa 156, the manual version gains an extra gear to become a six speed close ratio manual shift. The Q System, meanwhile, is another unique Alfa Romeo gearbox. It offers the driver the choice of a fully automatic electric gearshift, with a sport and snow setting, or the ability to change gears manually using a manual style 'H' gate.

The four version range of the award winning Alfa 156 now opens with the Alfa 156 Twin Spark at $56,995 and the 156 Selespeed, with its straight-from-Formula-One sequential gearbox, at $61,995. Topping the range is the Alfa Romeo 156 V6 24V. The athletic 140 kW quad cam V6 engine may be matched to either a six speed manual gearbox at $69,995 or the unique Q-System automatic, with its H Gate gear change, at $72,995.

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