Should Italy's Fiat Group succeed in returning the Alfa-Romeo lineup to North America in 2007 or thereabouts, two of the models that will lead the way are the 159 sedan and the Brera coupe.
Both models will make their world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week, and both have charms that would clearly appeal to Canadians and Americans. The two cars are said to mark the start of a new generation of cars for Alfa Romeo.
The Alfa Romeo 159, the first of a new family of sedans that is supposed to become the new benchmark for the segment. It has ''an elegant, sinuous line, which combines generous dimensions with the compactness typical of Alfa Romeo sports cars, thanks to a balanced play of proportions and volumetric ratios. The result is a prestigious car that combines refined 'Italian' styling with Alfa Romeo's sporty elegance.''
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in collaboration with the Alfa Romeo Styling Centre, the new car has a ''strong and essential'' front, with the line of the entire car springing from here, combining a light stylistic 'aggressiveness' with strikingly elegant forms.''
The overall affect is a sedan that is ''sleek but solid, dynamic but robust: only outstanding stylistic balance can combine such different characteristics. For example the 'muscular' wing which, next to the generous wheels, marks the widest point of the car, unequivocally conveying the ideal of a car that is firmly anchored to the ground.''
Key dimensions for the 159 include a length of 4,660 mm on a wheelbase of 2,700 mm, a width of 1,828 mm and a height of 1,417 mm. Those are numbers which suggest that the car might do a decent job of carrying four full-size North American adults.
From a style perspective, the interior of the Alfa Romeo 159 is said to represent ''an evolved expression of the sportiness and elegance embodied by Alfa. It was defined around the driving position, focusing attention on the driver: excellent ratios for the distances between pedals, seat, steering wheel and gearbox give him a sense of total control over the car, which produces the enjoyable driving so typical of Alfa Romeo.''
The fascia and wrap-around centre console incorporate all the driving instruments and are turned ergonomically towards the driver. The speedometer, tach and other all-analogue instruments are circular, with clear, refined, extremely legible graphics. The anti-glare lip accentuates the 'boat' shape of the main instruments, confirming a feature peculiar to Alfa Romeo design that is ''based on a deep-rooted attention to volumes and mature treatment of surfaces.''
The console is raised as if stretching towards the fascia and has a sporty gearlever with short, precise movements, and a comfortable armrest that incorporates a large insulated storage compartment. The interior ''achieves a perfect balance between elegance and sportiness, an equation that Alfa Romeo translates into refined colour combinations, quality fabrics, precious fine grain leather and such luxurious materials as the aluminum mouldings.
As evidence that Alfa Romeo is about more than style, the Italian car maker says the 159 is aimed to position itself at the top of the class for passive safety, thanks to a new floor pan, active head restraints, and the application of multiple airbags and anti-crash technologies.
The ''striking aesthetic styling'' of the 159 is set off by a broad, comprehensive range of engines including three petrol and four diesels, though it's not likely they'll all appear in North America.
Both models will make their world debut at the Geneva Motor Show next week, and both have charms that would clearly appeal to Canadians and Americans. The two cars are said to mark the start of a new generation of cars for Alfa Romeo.
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| Alfa Romeo 159 |
Designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro in collaboration with the Alfa Romeo Styling Centre, the new car has a ''strong and essential'' front, with the line of the entire car springing from here, combining a light stylistic 'aggressiveness' with strikingly elegant forms.''
The overall affect is a sedan that is ''sleek but solid, dynamic but robust: only outstanding stylistic balance can combine such different characteristics. For example the 'muscular' wing which, next to the generous wheels, marks the widest point of the car, unequivocally conveying the ideal of a car that is firmly anchored to the ground.''
 |
| Alfa Romeo 159 |
From a style perspective, the interior of the Alfa Romeo 159 is said to represent ''an evolved expression of the sportiness and elegance embodied by Alfa. It was defined around the driving position, focusing attention on the driver: excellent ratios for the distances between pedals, seat, steering wheel and gearbox give him a sense of total control over the car, which produces the enjoyable driving so typical of Alfa Romeo.''
The fascia and wrap-around centre console incorporate all the driving instruments and are turned ergonomically towards the driver. The speedometer, tach and other all-analogue instruments are circular, with clear, refined, extremely legible graphics. The anti-glare lip accentuates the 'boat' shape of the main instruments, confirming a feature peculiar to Alfa Romeo design that is ''based on a deep-rooted attention to volumes and mature treatment of surfaces.''
The console is raised as if stretching towards the fascia and has a sporty gearlever with short, precise movements, and a comfortable armrest that incorporates a large insulated storage compartment. The interior ''achieves a perfect balance between elegance and sportiness, an equation that Alfa Romeo translates into refined colour combinations, quality fabrics, precious fine grain leather and such luxurious materials as the aluminum mouldings.
 |
| Alfa Romeo 159 |
The ''striking aesthetic styling'' of the 159 is set off by a broad, comprehensive range of engines including three petrol and four diesels, though it's not likely they'll all appear in North America.