The Alfa Romeo 156, manufactured by Alfa Romeo, was introduced in 1997 as replacement for the 155. Its distinctive style with its high curved flanks made it, to some, the best looking car in it's class.

156 GTA Facts

A significant addition to the 156 range was the Sportwagon estate in 2000. Alfa 156 GTA marks the return of the logo that is a legendary part of motoring history: the exterior styling is aggressive and elegant, while the interiors are lavishly appointed with a distinctly sporty feel. The powerful new 3.2 V6 24v engine offers exceptional performance and tremendous handling even in day-to-day driving. A car that can put real pleasure back into driving.

Alfa Romeo 156 won the European Car of the Year prize in 1998, described as having "very refined suspension layout so to offer an impeccable roadholding".

In February 2002 the 156 GTA and SportsWagon GTA were launched. A 3.2l V6 with six speed gearbox, this car was aimed at the Audi S4 performance market. The GTA was subsequently stopped production in October 2005, citing poor sales and the upcoming replacement to the 156, the Alfa Romeo 159.

Engines

The brand-new 3.2 V6 24v petrol engine is an evolution of the 3.0 V6 engine already available on the sporty GTV and Spider, with power output increased from 220 to 250 BHP at 6200 rpm. Both the 6-speed manual gearbox and the F1-derived Selespeed transmission considerably enhance the engine's sporting qualities. The car can go from 0 to 60 mph in 6.3 seconds, with a top speed of 155 mph and average fuel consumption in the combined cycle of 12.1 liters per 100 km, figures that sum up the potential of the new GTA, which boasts a torque curve reaching 221 lbs-ft at 4800 rpm, giving thrilling performance for both sporty driving and everyday use.

Exterior

The reappearance of the legend represented by the GTA logo comes with a look that cannot hide the potential of engineering that has undergone an almost complete reworking with respect to the new Alfa 156. The Alfa 156 GTA makes a strong visual impact: new lighting clusters, a pronounced central air intake, redesigned mirrors, front spoiler with enlarged air intakes, new bumpers in the same color as the bodywork and larger fenders accommodating the generous 17" wheels. The result is a beautiful yet aggressive car, one that looks firmly anchored to the road.

Interior

The sporty feel of the exterior styling also carries over into the inside of the car. The passenger cabin of the new Alfa 156 GTA has several features that stress the car's sporting temperament, such as the wrap-around seats with leather upholstery and with a horizontal pattern on the seat reminiscent of Italian sports car styling of the past, the aluminum pedals and footrest, and the central glove compartment in metalluro.

The three-spoke steering wheel (with metalluro inserts) incorporates the radio controls, while the instrumentation on a black background has a new look including a screen for the engine oil temperature on the multi-function display.