Alfa Romeo 166 Ti Gives Alfa’s Flagship a Sporting Edge

The Ti badge on the back of an Alfa Romeo has, for more than 50 years, indicated a model that leans a little more towards Alfa Romeo’s unique sporting heritage with an equipment and trim package that sharpens looks and boosts sports equipment levels.

This has made the Alfa Romeo Ti models some of its most sort-after models and the latest Alfa Romeo to join this illustrious group is Alfa’s flagship model, the Alfa 166, with the arrival of the Alfa Romeo 166 Ti.

With a recommended retail price of $84,990, the new Ti is instantly recognizable thanks to its unique Ti 18 inch alloy wheels, which even carry the Ti logo moulded into the aluminium alloy. Inside a new style of black leather is used on the sports seats contrasts with the classic Alfa Romeo logo in silver stitching. Additional equipment includes a slide/tilt sunroof, rear parking sensors, Xenon headlights and unique the unique Ti badging that has been fitted to generations of Alfa Romeo cars.

The Alfa Romeo 166 Ti is an elegant blend of classic Alfa Romeo themes and a modern athletic shape that clothes a stylish and spacious interior. It is powered by the 3.0 litre V6 engine that has become a legendary byword for performance, aural pleasure and even stylish good looks with its polished chrome inlet manifold. Delivering 162 kW, this engine is one of the most powerful in its category. It delivers a peak torque of 265 Nm at 5000 rpm and takes 8.6 seconds to speed from 0 to 100 kmh. Its top speed is also one of the best in its category: 236 kmh. This performance is delivered through the Sportronic gearbox which offers the choice of normal automatic mode, performance self-shifting and Tiptronic style manual gear selection.

The Alfa 166, even before the advent of the 166 Ti, is well equipped, with electric windows, power locks and remotely controllable door mirrors, as well as cruise control, auxiliary power points front and rear and power seats in the front with memories and heating. There is also a GSM mobile phone, a central control system with a large LCD colour screen that controls the extensive CD stacker/cassette audio system, the ventilation system which features climate control, comprehensive trip computer and a GSM phone. The locks are not just remotely controlled with the boot also available to be remotely opened.

“The most recent cars to wear the Ti badge have been the Alfa Romeo 147 and 156, both of which proved very successful in all markets,”says Lawrie Malatios, General Manager for Alfa Romeo in New Zealand. “The new 166 Ti is a worthy successor to those cars and its predecessors that have carried the Ti badge for more than 55 years. The Ti package provides the 166 with a distinctive new appearance, it links the 166 to Alfa Romeo’s heritage and it provides a new level of luxury and equipment. But, unlike any previous Ti model before it, the 166 Ti does this without any increase in price, making it an outstanding proposition for enthusiastic drivers looking for a car that is stylish, different and uniquely an Alfa Romeo.”

(ENDS)

Editor’s Note: Alfa Romeo models to carry the Ti badge include:
1950 1900 Ti 1980 Alfasud Ti 1.5 Quadrifoglio Verde
1953 1900 Ti Super 1982 Giulietta 2.0 Ti
1957 Giulietta Ti 1995 Alfa 146 Ti
1963 Giulia Ti Super 2003 Alfa 147 Ti
1970 Giulia 1300 Ti 2004 Alfa 156 Ti
1977 Alfasud Ti 2006 Alfa 147 Ti

ENDS

Gordon Campbell: On John Key’s Agenda For The Nation

There seemed to be three main components to John Key’s speech :

a) tax cuts largely paid for by a hike in GST
b) mining in national parks and on conservation land, while building more roads.
c) giving firms easier access to the r&d from Crown Research Institutes, so that business can continue to get the taxpayer to pick up the tab for the research that keeps them competitive.

After all, corporate welfare is always such a blessed thing – its only social welfare that corrodes enterprise and ambition. More>>