Alfa Romeo 159 – upgrades for 2010

Alfa Romeo has updated the 159 for 201 with new trim levels and two new engines

Alfa Romeo has announced a chunk of revisions for the Alfa Romeo 159, including new engines and trim levels.

The Alfa 159 is arguably the best looking compact executive saloon on the market. We know, it doesn’t sell as well as the German competition, but it is a fine looking car and has a great deal of ‘Alfa-ness’ about it.

But Alfa has decided a few tweaks are needed, so it’s throwing a couple of new engines at the 159 and having a play with the trim options.

The new engine options are the 1750iTBi Petrol engine and the 2.0 litre JTDm diesel. The 1750i Turbo manages to deliver 200bhp and a decent wodge of torque- 236lb/ft from only 1400rpm – but still manages to emit just 189g/km of CO2 and does the 0-60 mph sprint in 7.7 seconds. And that torque makes the Alfa 1250 very flexible, which should translate in to less gear changing in normal driving- hence the more than decent economy for a car with this performance of 35mpg.

The 2.0 litre JTDm gets 170 horses and has more torque than the 1750i – 270lb/ft – which gives this diesel Alfa a 0-60mph time of 8.6 seconds and economy of 52.3 mpg. CO2 emissions come in at 142g/km.

Apart from dumping in the two new engines (which will also turn up in the Alfa Brera and Alfa Spyder later this year) Alfa has had a play with the trim levels, which are now Turismo, Turismo Sport, Elegante, Lusso and TI. The Turismo Sport and the Elegante are the new levels here. The Turismo Sport gets 17″ alloys, Blue&Me, sporty upholstery, sports dials and sports steering wheel (good thing they called it the ‘Sport’, then). The Elegante gets a ‘Visibility Pack’, rear parking sensors and special upholstery.

The tweaks to the 159 range – particularly the new engines – should help sales. The 159 deserves to sell better than it does.

Alfa Romeo 159 2010 Models and Prices