It really is. I've been lucky to own and drive all kinds of superb cars, including exotics, but my heart still flutters when I remember my dad coming home with a dark green Alfa 156 2.5 V6 with velours seats and the wooden steering wheel for a several-day test drive (and as I had recently gotten my license I was allowed to take it for several drives with my friends). I think the original 'base' 2.5 V6 looks even better than the GTA. It's so elegant, smooth and like it was styled from one huge piece of metal. I usually can't stand FWD cars, and at the time my dad had an E34 535i and I had an E30, but the Alfa still impressed with its fantastic (though flawed due to FWD...) handling! The shape, the interior, the engine, even that asymmetrical license plate position...so stylish! If it was RWD it would've been perfection and one of my favourite cars ever!
It is beautifully done. Chrysler Corp did very similar things in the 60s and 70s, on American Sattelites and Aussie Valiants. But they weren't beautiful cars like the 156.
A pleasure and privilege to own and drive an 156, in the UK, France and finally on the autobahn where it effortlessly ate up the miles. True story. I was crawling in slow traffic near Hammersmith. A pedestrian walked across the road, staring so intently at my 156, he nearly got run over. I had the 2.0L Twinspark engine and its metallic rasp made me smile every time.
Still have mine after 23 years it's my daily driver. Regular maintenance keeps me a happy driver. I get comments, smiles, people wanting photos, dad's pointing it out to their kids, thumbs up almost weekly. Such a great feeling to own something unique that can be appreciated by most people.
Fascinating fact: the Fiat C-platform which was used as the foundation for 156 as well as 147 and GT is also called ‘Type Two rev. 3’ as it is in fact the third revision of the Type Two/Three platform. The immense variety of models which can trace their roots back to 1988 Fiat Tipo is astounding and could make for an interesting subject for a future Big Car episode.
Way back I was one of those company car drivers. All my colleagues had A4's and BMW 3 series. Thankfully our CFO was a car guy and suggested I really look at the options. Low down the list was the 156 which I duly ordered. It was so funny when a lot of my colleagues asked how did you get that as it stood out in the company car park. I loved that car and it was faultless in the 20,000 miles I had it. Awesome car
@@zerocool5395 some people, get cars as part of their jobs eg sales reps. Others get them as a perk. I think in the 70’s the uk had very high wage taxes so as a way around this management gave cars instead of salary as a way of rewarding people without the tax burden. I live in the us now and miss that perk
What a great car. A few years ago I had my job @ a Alfa Romeo Dealer. We had two 156 SW 2.4 JTD for personal use. 300000 km and 400000 km - still driving well day by day. EDIT: Is there anyone out there not getting addicted after driving a Busso V6 ?
That Busso is a six cylinder legend. More than one automobile afficionado has crowned it the best sounding v6 ever created. Now if only they weren't so pricey to keep up in the states.... If I ever get my car collection going, an Alfa with the sweet six is on my short list of must own cars. We'll never have an engine like that sold new again.
Still daily driving one today. Had the Sportwagon Selespeed for 250K km. until I cooked the selector hard driving over mountains. Now on a regular 156 TS manual with only 80K km on the clock. Great cars. Relatively easy to work on and not-so-uneconomical at cruising speeds, even by today’s standards. Little or no salting of the roads in winter here in Japan helps ward off bodywork and chassis issues I’ve seen on other European cars.
Oh yes! As an Alfisti, I appreciate anything about Alfa Romeo. My dad had an Alfa 155 2.0 Twin Spark and it was a brilliant car and there were NO issues with it whatsoever, so I believe the quality issues were already sorted with the 155 and it was a great car to drive. I would love to see a video about the 155.
It was / is a lovely car. One that I wished I'd have owned. Gotta say, I liked how the number plate was fitted asymmetrically. For me, it added to its Latin flair and individuality.
I owned 164,146,and 156 until last year..Then I got a rosso 147 2.0 and still puts smile on my face while driving her.. Its a design masterpiece , beautiful inside and out!
One of the very few cars (at least in mk1 form) that doesn’t have a single detail that isn’t perfect. I had one - a 2.5 Lusso - a special order in red with red leather. Incredibly retro. I loved it. Thanks Andy for another brilliant video.
Not the biggest Alfa fan out there, although I think they created some of the most beautiful cars ever designed. Alfa fan or not I can warmly recommend visiting the AR Museum outside Milan should you get the chance. The 8C alone is worth the visit, but there are many other beauties and great stories to experience there.
One of the best cars I've ever owned! I bought a 10 year old V6 Sportwagon for half the price of a comparable BMW back in 2010 and took the odometer from 75 to 210 thousand miles without an ounce of hassles barring fair wear and tear. Cheap to buy, cheap to insure and relatively cheap to run with the body of a supermodel, an engine note like a siren's song and handling to match - what's not to like?
I had the 2.5 V6 about 20 years ago, and the JTS a few years later. The V6 was hella thirsty (17 mpg), but sounded fantastic and pulled like a train. Both were great fun to drive despite having their share of issues!
Interesting - I've had three V6s and have been quite surprised by their frugality. All three - including my current GTA - have averaged about 10-11L/100km (~22-23mpg) and that's doing the daily commute (70km/work day in peak hour on the local freeway). If I only drove it on the weekends, I reckon it would average more like 8-9L/100km.
I had a 156 with a Selespeed gearbox which broke down every six weeks or so. The leather came off the steering wheel, and - for a while - two loose wires made the horn beep every time I turned left. Best car I ever had.
I bought a year old 156 SW in 2002. Made me smile getting in it for 14 years! It possibly had the smallest estate boot ever but I made it work. Steering was prone to front wheel mis-aligning on minor bumps and pot holes. After 14 years things started to go wrong both with the engine and trimming and time came to say goodbye. I then bought a five year old 159 SW and love it more!
Lucky to have had the 156 as my first ever car. It was such a fun machine even though my example was only the 1.6 liter version. It's the car that got me hooked on to the Alfa Romeo brand and made me follow up with a 147 shortly after. Despite not having an Alfa today, I miss those two very badly.
I had the 2005 model. The dash always light up like a Christmas tree, there was leakage and rust… but even though I would complain and swear while in the car walking away from it in the parkinglot with a big huff… I would always turn around just before it got out of eyesight and look at it proudly…. I own this beautiful mess😂❤ Ohh Alfa🤷♂️🍺
Thanks for your comprehensive, well-balanced and enthusiast videos! I own a 2004 156 1.8 Twin Spark Sportswagon and I'm taking really good care of it. Finished in Azzurro Gabbiano (Seagull Blue). Car has run about 255 K km and has no particular issues. It still looks marvellous and modern after almost 20 years service ...
Having ridden around in the back of a 156 quite a bit I can guarantee you it's one of the few cars where the low roof line isnt an issue. Even with two sizeable men sitting in line the low rear seating position (a rather rare thing might I add) isn't an issue, and it guarantees your noggin is very unlikely to make contact with the headliner with anything but an insane driver behind the wheel.
You have no idea how excited I get when I see that there is a new video!! The 156 is the sexiest car ever made, only the facelift took away from it. P.S. My dad wanted to buy a 156, a 159 and a Guilia - but the German dealers always failed him with terrible service / arrogant sales behavior / lackluster tries 😢 He went for a 406 Coupé, Lexus GS and a Lexus IS instead…so it wasn’t the cars alone, it was the network
I had a 156. It was beautiful. It also had lights on all over the dashboard almost constantly. It went into limp mode for no discernible reason. Beautiful manual change hampered slightly by it dying for no reason between 3rd and 4th. Practically lived at the specialists. I stopped adding the repair bills up when they exceeded the purchase price...
As the owner of three V6 156s over the last 12 years - currently have a 2002 GTA as my daily driver (almost 260,000km and counting...) - I consider it the best looking sedan of the last 30 odd years. Still contemporary, and stands out among the ubiquitous Beemers, Benzes and Audis in the office car park. Also have to say they are the best handling FWDs I've ever driven, and in GTA form (admittedly mine has adjustable coilovers, bigger brakes, custom exhaust and strut brace) is in a whole other league. My 2nd was a top spec Q-auto - the nicest slushbox I've ever driven, able to be driven in manual mode with a traditional H-gate shift pattern (totally conventional Aisin trans with torque converter, unrelated to the Selespeed). Probably the nicest cruiser I've owned in 35 years, especially with its "italian bordello" red leather interior. Without wanting to put the mockers on, they have generally also been very reliable with fastidious maintenance and 6 monthly servicing by my local independent Alfa workshop.
Phenomenal information in this one! When I was 19 I saved up while working and bought myself a 2nd hand 159, I was the second owner. To this day its my favourite car of the 00s (even if its a bit sluggish and chunky). In 2017 I went and ordered a brand new Giulia 2.0t super sport and enjoyed the hell out of it for 4 years.. in the time I've had alfas I've nearly bought 2 156's on seperate occasions, they're just absolutely lovely looking cars in every single regard. Trouble is, it's hard to say which looks better, the original or the facelift! Excellent video, love seeing Alfa in the spotlight, and even a nod to the xc70, oh how I hope someday you do a doc on 4x4 estates (currently own a 2008 xc70!)
Still remember the shock when I first saw a picture of this car in my local car magazine. I wanted to have one, even if I was only 17 and did not have any money...
I remember being at miriafiori and looking at this car still with disguise that masked the rear door and when they then showed me one without disguise I was blown away - bearing in mind the boxy 155 it was amazing and the real pride in it from everyone was absolutely palpable. However I never thought it drove as well as it looked - but it should have been with the 147 a start of a revolution but somehow they then dropped the ball - again!
I've had 156 sportwagon facelift with 1.9 jtd-m engine. Bought it as my first car for next to nothing and enjoyed every second of the ownership. Even though it had it's age and faults I still regret selling it. The handling was a pure pleasure with the super direct steering.
To those that haven't yet driven one... it is floaty, but in such a joyful playful way, and feels light. The steering is again, not not too precise, but has a nice resistance mid way through the turn... omg I love love love this car. May buy one just to keep in the garage.
We own the sister car 147 since 2005. Words can't describe how good those cars where made. Quality of the materials. Quality of the build. After more than 15 years nothing is rattling inside. Still puts a smile on my face on twisty roads. Still have power. And reliable. Nothing failed on this car
Digital cockpit, plug in hybrid and would sell today! Amazing how far ahead they were! I drove it twice, ended up not getting the money together back then. Today I'd buy one!
2002 156 2.5 V6 owner here. I just love it - the timeless style, the performance, the engine note, the exhaust, the M/T gearbox, and the handling. I wouldn't swap it for any other saloon, not even the latest Giulia as it doesn't offer with M/T.
I rember valeting a Dark Green Alfa 156 with a goregous red leather interior. I need to own a Alfa at some point in my life, you cannot call yourself a Petrolhead until you have had a Alfa. A great, well presented video.
The bloody GT.. on and off i been looking at them, always on the verge of buying one, a decent one of course, but never pulled the trigger on it. i was living in Madrid some years back and bought a giulietta which i loved, Wife ended up with it after we suddenly and most unexpectedly became not married🤣 later bought a brera in a moment of madness and loved it! tho to be fair not the greatest car ever but sold it at a decent profit as they are getting into that collectable stage of existence, if ya can get a good one. Currently back in a giulietta giulietta. Just love a little fizzy Alfa! who doesn't. But i reckon i'll always regret not getting a GT when i had the chance. They just looked awesome!
Big Car has everything you need to know & nothing you don’t. Well researched, written & presented. When I was looking for a new, quirky, daily driver, I bought an old Citroen. I must say, the cockpit of the 156 looks very appealing. It might be time for a new car!
Had a 98 2.0 TS, cosmos blue, with velour seats! I kept it for 3 years. Since then I've had several cars including Mercedes and BMWs. But that 156 is still my favorite car that I've owned. I took a guilia out for a test drive the week they were released here in the US. Drove on the twisties in the hills west of Portland, Oregon. It was nice but it didn't make me feel the same way the 156 did the first time I drove it.
Those were STUNNING when they first came out... I lovef the 155 too.. They still look beautiful today. A truly timeless design.! Thank you for another top notch video.. Please stay safe out there mate & best wishes from Scotland 🏴 🙏 ❤️ 👍 👍
Drove a 2002 2,4 diesel engine Alfa 156 for 8 solid years. My first car ever and the most difficult parting I ever had to do with such a beautiful machine. Unfortunately here taxes are quite huge for big engines and the maintenance costs and paintwork was starting to pile up, nobody wanted to purchase it during covid due to financial constraints I guess, had to scrap it unfortunately. I still miss the car and every time I see one on the road it puts a smile on my face.
Most alfas are beautiful but I’ve never had the courage or spare cash to own one 😅 the GT, Brera spider, 159 wagon and GTV V6 are probably my stand out favourites ❤
The 156 was a stunning design, both inside and out and, arguably, looked even better in sportwagon guise. Despite the sales, I believe the 159 only improved the looks. If one became available then it would be a serious purchase consideration...
I live on a small italian town and where i live i see a lot of 156 (the most common is the Turbodiesel 1.9 JTD 8v version but i've seen models with the 16v engine and even a 2.0 Twin Spark petrol engine) version)
Been my dream car for a while, now I have one and I'm not disappointed The drivability of this thing is awesome, the people in the Alfa community are also very nice, like every Alfa driver waves, the first time I was pretty surprised, just nodded back, like "do I know you bro?"
I was looking for a cheap runaround car. An Alfa 147 was in budget and I took it instead of a Hyundai. I converted it to LPG and the running costs are comparable to a diesel. Truth be said you need to keep an eye on the engine oil. The front suspension never ceases to invent new sounds. The sun shade has landed on my lap a few times. The window switch is cobbled together with small framing nails. The trim next to the back seat decided to leave the chat. But show her some bends, this chassis comes alive. Accurate steering for a FWD, very little understeer, the rear helps oh so slightly with the geometry, brakes are excellent. I am waiting for the Giulias to come down in price, it seems it will take a while!
I've got a 1998 V6 with the mahogany trim pack and red leather seats. After 14 years of ownership I still love it and have no plans of moving it on. It's in need of a repaint due to the sun. It eats gas but I can't help flooring it just to hear that glorious V6 engine.
Have had two 156's and loved them both..❤..the first was a green metalic 1998 156..we drove from Sweden to Nurburgring in Germany for the 2007 Formula One Grand Prix in it and had no problems there and back..loved it! The second one was a 2004 facelift that vere just stunning..👌🍀..I now own a Alfa Romeo 939 Spider 3,2 V6 that I'm obsessed with..😂...will stick with Alfa Romeo til the end now!🙏
I've had an 1.6 an then a V6 Sportwagon. 4 years later I am still crying I no longer own them. The looks and crazy V6 music made everyday so much better.
I had previously owned 2 of them both are twinspark engine. One assembled in Thailand and another from Italy. Both are Salespeed models, scary to some but not for me if you know how to maintain it.
Bought one of the last ones 2005, and loved it from day one, until only 9k miles, kaput, took to dealer, broken clutch, Alfa said driver error, to a class one police trained driver.Got it fixed at last, still loved it, even went back to get a GT, then the resale hit. A terrible trade in , so off to Volvo for a C30 sport, over 1k more trade in, so been with Volvo ever since.Still a Alfisti at heart though.
Beautiful car. Terrific video! Was the 156 the best selling Alfa model of all time? The sport wagon is one of my all time favourite estate cars, just perfect imo
I get so happy every time i see someone driving a new Alfa here in America because I think people forget we have them here and they look so soulful too
My dad bought a 156 Sportwagon in 2001. It was a beautiful car and as far as I can remember, very reliable. It was a 1.8 twin spark Velco with leather, having the trademark Alfa circles in a circle wheels.
Lovely episode, I still have my Grigio Chiaro V6 Berlina. Slightly altered the original design by adding the subtle Zender body kit, and I still love it. Fits like a glove, drives like it's on rails!
I was manning the IAM Stand at the London Motor Show the year it launched - you couldn't get near the Alfa display; I fell in love with it at first sight!
I drove one for 6 years. Loved it. Couldn’t bring myself to sell it and had nowhere to store it so unfortunately I let it deteriorate behind the house. The handling was fantastic (SP3 pack), it looked beautiful, it sounded nice, when you got the revs up it was rapid. The interior was gorgeous. The Passat I bought afterwards felt mushy and functional. What the Alfa did go was make me an even bigger fan that I was before and I will own another one.
My 156 2.0 litre twin spark was a real looker. Fun to drive but suffered with a veritable smorgasbord of electrical issues. There was always a warning light to greet me until I covered the display with insulation tape. Job done. Giulia QV owner these days and no such problems. Thanks for your great content! 🍀 🇮🇹
Thank you for such an interesting tale, well up to your usual thoroughly thought out stories. Most enjoyable and I need to start looking for a 156 all over again!
I had a black 156 with beige leather interior. Can't remember with what engine it was equiped, but it was a petrol engine. One of the best cars I've ever owned or have driven. And the license plate on the side wasn't odd, on the contrary - it gave the car even more of a sporty look!
Some opinions: -159 sold less than the 156 because recession hit hard in 2008. 156 enjoyed the European boom in car sales during the late 90’s early 00… the 159 although having some disappointing petrol engines, was way better build and even more beautiful… - 156 also came with a clutchless manual/automatic called Q system. -Competition was really fierce. Audi A4 (B5) and BMW (e46)were very good. It was peak european competition
I owned one for 9 years and regret selling it to this day. Mine was the 2.0 litre Veloce with leather and daisy clover wheels. Throughout the ownership it ran like a dream and was mechanically looked after. It was in fabulous condition when it went for £600. My son got an absolute bargain.
I had a 156 2.0 Twin Spark with the Teledial alloys and Momo all leather interior. Loved that car. We celebrated its 10th birthday and 100,000 miles with a 2,000 mile round trip for four adults to Nice. The only fault was a headlight bulb failure. The journey back was made more memorable by coming back to Rheims via the Route Napoleon.
Biggest issue with this car for the Australian market was the appalling air conditioning. I instead purchased the 147 in which the air was not too bad (for an Alfa anyway!).
I had a red Twin Spark with the Sport 2 pack (the big telephone dial wheels, uprated and lowered suspension, sport steering wheel etc.) and the handling was phenomenal. It could go into corners 10 - 20mph faster than the BMW 325i it replaced in my collection. The interior was better made than the BMW too, BMW were already cutting corners on the E36. It was fantastic to look at, fantastic to be in, and fantastic to throw into corners at very high speeds.Much missed motor.
Loved them as a child, rarely see them now and love them even more. When I get the funds or lose my rational decision making ability I would love to buy a sub 50k km one.
Hard to believe this car was launched 26 years ago. Still a stunning design and could be sold today brand new.
Could be... And nobody would buy it, because it's a 90's design and technology.
@@ace9xx The design is much better than the currently over-designed crap being pushed.
Agreed!
@@kercYou call the new Giulia overdesigned crap?
159 could maybe be sold today (exterior wise), but the 156 looks very early 2000s
One of the most beautiful compact sedans ever made, still brings a smile to my face whenever I spot one in the traffic.
It is indeed - I’d rank it second to the XJ series 3 myself.
It really is. I've been lucky to own and drive all kinds of superb cars, including exotics, but my heart still flutters when I remember my dad coming home with a dark green Alfa 156 2.5 V6 with velours seats and the wooden steering wheel for a several-day test drive (and as I had recently gotten my license I was allowed to take it for several drives with my friends).
I think the original 'base' 2.5 V6 looks even better than the GTA. It's so elegant, smooth and like it was styled from one huge piece of metal.
I usually can't stand FWD cars, and at the time my dad had an E34 535i and I had an E30, but the Alfa still impressed with its fantastic (though flawed due to FWD...) handling! The shape, the interior, the engine, even that asymmetrical license plate position...so stylish! If it was RWD it would've been perfection and one of my favourite cars ever!
Still brings a smile to my face every time I drive mine.
Best rear wing integration ever on the wagon.
It is beautifully done. Chrysler Corp did very similar things in the 60s and 70s, on American Sattelites and Aussie Valiants. But they weren't beautiful cars like the 156.
Indeed. I own a 156 SW. Gorgeous looking model
A pleasure and privilege to own and drive an 156, in the UK, France and finally on the autobahn where it effortlessly ate up the miles. True story. I was crawling in slow traffic near Hammersmith. A pedestrian walked across the road, staring so intently at my 156, he nearly got run over. I had the 2.0L Twinspark engine and its metallic rasp made me smile every time.
Still have mine after 23 years it's my daily driver. Regular maintenance keeps me a happy driver. I get comments, smiles, people wanting photos, dad's pointing it out to their kids, thumbs up almost weekly. Such a great feeling to own something unique that can be appreciated by most people.
Fascinating fact: the Fiat C-platform which was used as the foundation for 156 as well as 147 and GT is also called ‘Type Two rev. 3’ as it is in fact the third revision of the Type Two/Three platform. The immense variety of models which can trace their roots back to 1988 Fiat Tipo is astounding and could make for an interesting subject for a future Big Car episode.
Fun Fact the C1 Platform also had the Fiat Multipla
@@nowind37 - yes, only it was rev. 2 and widened compared to Bravo/Brava/Marea.
YES YES YES. Tracing the lineage of a platform would make a great series. One for the nerds!
Yes, but the 147 used the original 2540mm wheelbase.
The 156, Lybra, GT 2600mm extended wheelbase version of that platform.
Way back I was one of those company car drivers. All my colleagues had A4's and BMW 3 series. Thankfully our CFO was a car guy and suggested I really look at the options. Low down the list was the 156 which I duly ordered. It was so funny when a lot of my colleagues asked how did you get that as it stood out in the company car park. I loved that car and it was faultless in the 20,000 miles I had it. Awesome car
I'm in the US, could you explain how the company car works over there?
Thanks...
@@zerocool5395 some people, get cars as part of their jobs eg sales reps. Others get them as a perk. I think in the 70’s the uk had very high wage taxes so as a way around this management gave cars instead of salary as a way of rewarding people without the tax burden. I live in the us now and miss that perk
Faultless? So you had someone convert it to RWD?? 😉
Lucky you.
What a great car. A few years ago I had my job @ a Alfa Romeo Dealer. We had two 156 SW 2.4 JTD for personal use. 300000 km and 400000 km - still driving well day by day.
EDIT: Is there anyone out there not getting addicted after driving a Busso V6 ?
I got my 156 2.0 jts sportwagon before my 166 with the 3.0 busso. I do love opening the bonnet on the 166 though.
After a friend had me drive his Busso, I had to buy my own 😬
That Busso is a six cylinder legend. More than one automobile afficionado has crowned it the best sounding v6 ever created. Now if only they weren't so pricey to keep up in the states.... If I ever get my car collection going, an Alfa with the sweet six is on my short list of must own cars. We'll never have an engine like that sold new again.
Still daily driving one today. Had the Sportwagon Selespeed for 250K km. until I cooked the selector hard driving over mountains. Now on a regular 156 TS manual with only 80K km on the clock. Great cars. Relatively easy to work on and not-so-uneconomical at cruising speeds, even by today’s standards. Little or no salting of the roads in winter here in Japan helps ward off bodywork and chassis issues I’ve seen on other European cars.
Oh yes! As an Alfisti, I appreciate anything about Alfa Romeo. My dad had an Alfa 155 2.0 Twin Spark and it was a brilliant car and there were NO issues with it whatsoever, so I believe the quality issues were already sorted with the 155 and it was a great car to drive. I would love to see a video about the 155.
Great to hear that! On a side note, the singular of "Alfisti" is "Alfista", so you should proudly bear that name ;)
I had one too, absolutely loved it, the later wider track version, Alfa used it as prep for the 156 to work on some of the quality issues.
It was / is a lovely car. One that I wished I'd have owned.
Gotta say, I liked how the number plate was fitted asymmetrically. For me, it added to its Latin flair and individuality.
You can get a good one now for a ridiculous amount of money 😊
I owned 164,146,and 156 until last year..Then I got a rosso 147 2.0 and still puts smile on my face while driving her.. Its a design masterpiece , beautiful inside and out!
One of the very few cars (at least in mk1 form) that doesn’t have a single detail that isn’t perfect.
I had one - a 2.5 Lusso - a special order in red with red leather. Incredibly retro. I loved it.
Thanks Andy for another brilliant video.
Not the biggest Alfa fan out there, although I think they created some of the most beautiful cars ever designed. Alfa fan or not I can warmly recommend visiting the AR Museum outside Milan should you get the chance. The 8C alone is worth the visit, but there are many other beauties and great stories to experience there.
I had a 156 in 1996 and did over 100k miles in it with no problems. It was a great car and looked superb
You make me crinch
a pre-production model?
It was not introduced until 1998 and sales did not really take off until 1999!!
One of the best cars I've ever owned! I bought a 10 year old V6 Sportwagon for half the price of a comparable BMW back in 2010 and took the odometer from 75 to 210 thousand miles without an ounce of hassles barring fair wear and tear. Cheap to buy, cheap to insure and relatively cheap to run with the body of a supermodel, an engine note like a siren's song and handling to match - what's not to like?
My daughter had one (that she let me drive every now and then) and although it had many issues, it looked fabulous and drove like a dream.
Have mine for 4 years now as my first car :) really nice silver Sportwagon 2003 1.8 TS model (old nose, new interior). Great fun, she's a keeper.
I had the 2.5 V6 about 20 years ago, and the JTS a few years later. The V6 was hella thirsty (17 mpg), but sounded fantastic and pulled like a train. Both were great fun to drive despite having their share of issues!
I am still crying I don't have my V6 anymore.
Interesting - I've had three V6s and have been quite surprised by their frugality. All three - including my current GTA - have averaged about 10-11L/100km (~22-23mpg) and that's doing the daily commute (70km/work day in peak hour on the local freeway). If I only drove it on the weekends, I reckon it would average more like 8-9L/100km.
Yeah mine was economical. And also quick when you needed it to be
@@psk5746 I was surprised both by how economical if very conservativelt driven and how thirsty if you had it singing it could be.
@@johnphaceas7434 I was a youngster back then and still drove like a bit of a loon 😇. Also, nearly all my driving was urban at that time.
What a beautiful car! Here in Italy lots of them are still running today!
Love the 156! Currently putting a 2.5 from one into a Xantia 😏
Damm. That sounds like a nice swap
My two favourite Alfas. 156 and 159, my opinion they're both the most beautiful Alfas ever made
I had a 156 with a Selespeed gearbox which broke down every six weeks or so. The leather came off the steering wheel, and - for a while - two loose wires made the horn beep every time I turned left. Best car I ever had.
Your mistake was buying a selespeed
I bought a year old 156 SW in 2002. Made me smile getting in it for 14 years! It possibly had the smallest estate boot ever but I made it work. Steering was prone to front wheel mis-aligning on minor bumps and pot holes. After 14 years things started to go wrong both with the engine and trimming and time came to say goodbye. I then bought a five year old 159 SW and love it more!
I also owned a 156 and then a 159. I loved a lot more the 159 although the 156 had less issues.
Lucky to have had the 156 as my first ever car. It was such a fun machine even though my example was only the 1.6 liter version. It's the car that got me hooked on to the Alfa Romeo brand and made me follow up with a 147 shortly after. Despite not having an Alfa today, I miss those two very badly.
I absolutely loved my 156, no other car has excited me as much!
I had the 2005 model. The dash always light up like a Christmas tree, there was leakage and rust… but even though I would complain and swear while in the car walking away from it in the parkinglot with a big huff… I would always turn around just before it got out of eyesight and look at it proudly…. I own this beautiful mess😂❤ Ohh Alfa🤷♂️🍺
Thanks for your comprehensive, well-balanced and enthusiast videos! I own a 2004 156 1.8 Twin Spark Sportswagon and I'm taking really good care of it. Finished in Azzurro Gabbiano (Seagull Blue). Car has run about 255 K km and has no particular issues. It still looks marvellous and modern after almost 20 years service ...
Having ridden around in the back of a 156 quite a bit I can guarantee you it's one of the few cars where the low roof line isnt an issue.
Even with two sizeable men sitting in line the low rear seating position (a rather rare thing might I add) isn't an issue, and it guarantees your noggin is very unlikely to make contact with the headliner with anything but an insane driver behind the wheel.
What an absolute beauty! As a young boy and early teen, I lusted after the 156 and 156 Sportwagon.
You have no idea how excited I get when I see that there is a new video!! The 156 is the sexiest car ever made, only the facelift took away from it.
P.S. My dad wanted to buy a 156, a 159 and a Guilia - but the German dealers always failed him with terrible service / arrogant sales behavior / lackluster tries 😢 He went for a 406 Coupé, Lexus GS and a Lexus IS instead…so it wasn’t the cars alone, it was the network
The 3 alternatives are probably the same substitute choices I'd have made. Nice cars.
I had a 156. It was beautiful. It also had lights on all over the dashboard almost constantly. It went into limp mode for no discernible reason. Beautiful manual change hampered slightly by it dying for no reason between 3rd and 4th. Practically lived at the specialists. I stopped adding the repair bills up when they exceeded the purchase price...
As the owner of three V6 156s over the last 12 years - currently have a 2002 GTA as my daily driver (almost 260,000km and counting...) - I consider it the best looking sedan of the last 30 odd years. Still contemporary, and stands out among the ubiquitous Beemers, Benzes and Audis in the office car park. Also have to say they are the best handling FWDs I've ever driven, and in GTA form (admittedly mine has adjustable coilovers, bigger brakes, custom exhaust and strut brace) is in a whole other league. My 2nd was a top spec Q-auto - the nicest slushbox I've ever driven, able to be driven in manual mode with a traditional H-gate shift pattern (totally conventional Aisin trans with torque converter, unrelated to the Selespeed). Probably the nicest cruiser I've owned in 35 years, especially with its "italian bordello" red leather interior. Without wanting to put the mockers on, they have generally also been very reliable with fastidious maintenance and 6 monthly servicing by my local independent Alfa workshop.
Phenomenal information in this one! When I was 19 I saved up while working and bought myself a 2nd hand 159, I was the second owner. To this day its my favourite car of the 00s (even if its a bit sluggish and chunky). In 2017 I went and ordered a brand new Giulia 2.0t super sport and enjoyed the hell out of it for 4 years.. in the time I've had alfas I've nearly bought 2 156's on seperate occasions, they're just absolutely lovely looking cars in every single regard. Trouble is, it's hard to say which looks better, the original or the facelift! Excellent video, love seeing Alfa in the spotlight, and even a nod to the xc70, oh how I hope someday you do a doc on 4x4 estates (currently own a 2008 xc70!)
Still remember the shock when I first saw a picture of this car in my local car magazine. I wanted to have one, even if I was only 17 and did not have any money...
I remember being at miriafiori and looking at this car still with disguise that masked the rear door and when they then showed me one without disguise I was blown away - bearing in mind the boxy 155 it was amazing and the real pride in it from everyone was absolutely palpable. However I never thought it drove as well as it looked - but it should have been with the 147 a start of a revolution but somehow they then dropped the ball - again!
I've had 156 sportwagon facelift with 1.9 jtd-m engine. Bought it as my first car for next to nothing and enjoyed every second of the ownership. Even though it had it's age and faults I still regret selling it. The handling was a pure pleasure with the super direct steering.
This is the episode I never realised I was waiting for. I still love these. I remember the first time I saw one as a teenager and thinking ’wow’…
To those that haven't yet driven one... it is floaty, but in such a joyful playful way, and feels light. The steering is again, not not too precise, but has a nice resistance mid way through the turn... omg I love love love this car. May buy one just to keep in the garage.
wonderful car. my dad had one. he never let me drive it though. still gutted about that!
We own the sister car 147 since 2005. Words can't describe how good those cars where made. Quality of the materials. Quality of the build. After more than 15 years nothing is rattling inside. Still puts a smile on my face on twisty roads. Still have power. And reliable. Nothing failed on this car
Digital cockpit, plug in hybrid and would sell today! Amazing how far ahead they were! I drove it twice, ended up not getting the money together back then. Today I'd buy one!
2002 156 2.5 V6 owner here. I just love it - the timeless style, the performance, the engine note, the exhaust, the M/T gearbox, and the handling. I wouldn't swap it for any other saloon, not even the latest Giulia as it doesn't offer with M/T.
Greatings from Bari! The city where the common rail system, powering first the jtd, than any other disel car in the world, was invented.
I rember valeting a Dark Green Alfa 156 with a goregous red leather interior.
I need to own a Alfa at some point in my life, you cannot call yourself a Petrolhead until you have had a Alfa.
A great, well presented video.
Cool car, always loved the 156.
Had two 156's and also two GT coupes. All reliable mechanically apart from very minor annoying trim faults !
The bloody GT.. on and off i been looking at them, always on the verge of buying one, a decent one of course, but never pulled the trigger on it.
i was living in Madrid some years back and bought a giulietta which i loved, Wife ended up with it after we suddenly and most unexpectedly became not married🤣
later bought a brera in a moment of madness and loved it! tho to be fair not the greatest car ever but sold it at a decent profit as they are getting into that collectable stage of existence, if ya can get a good one. Currently back in a giulietta giulietta. Just love a little fizzy Alfa! who doesn't.
But i reckon i'll always regret not getting a GT when i had the chance. They just looked awesome!
Big Car has everything you need to know & nothing you don’t. Well researched, written & presented. When I was looking for a new, quirky, daily driver, I bought an old Citroen. I must say, the cockpit of the 156 looks very appealing. It might be time for a new car!
Had a 98 2.0 TS, cosmos blue, with velour seats! I kept it for 3 years. Since then I've had several cars including Mercedes and BMWs. But that 156 is still my favorite car that I've owned. I took a guilia out for a test drive the week they were released here in the US. Drove on the twisties in the hills west of Portland, Oregon. It was nice but it didn't make me feel the same way the 156 did the first time I drove it.
1:33 In what way is Pininfarina and Italdesign,Alfa's internal design team?
Those were STUNNING when they first came out...
I lovef the 155 too..
They still look beautiful today.
A truly timeless design.!
Thank you for another top notch video..
Please stay safe out there mate & best wishes from Scotland 🏴 🙏 ❤️ 👍 👍
My father owned a 156 1.9 JTD. Now he sold it to my mother's uncle and it's still going strong 🔥
Drove a 2002 2,4 diesel engine Alfa 156 for 8 solid years. My first car ever and the most difficult parting I ever had to do with such a beautiful machine. Unfortunately here taxes are quite huge for big engines and the maintenance costs and paintwork was starting to pile up, nobody wanted to purchase it during covid due to financial constraints I guess, had to scrap it unfortunately. I still miss the car and every time I see one on the road it puts a smile on my face.
Most alfas are beautiful but I’ve never had the courage or spare cash to own one 😅 the GT, Brera spider, 159 wagon and GTV V6 are probably my stand out favourites ❤
Been looking forward to another one of your awesome videos. Thanks for sharing.
The 156 was a stunning design, both inside and out and, arguably, looked even better in sportwagon guise. Despite the sales, I believe the 159 only improved the looks. If one became available then it would be a serious purchase consideration...
I live on a small italian town and where i live i see a lot of 156 (the most common is the Turbodiesel 1.9 JTD 8v version but i've seen models with the 16v engine and even a 2.0 Twin Spark petrol engine) version)
Lovin' this AR since seeing in it GT2 as a kid, and still love it now!
Been my dream car for a while, now I have one and I'm not disappointed
The drivability of this thing is awesome, the people in the Alfa community are also very nice, like every Alfa driver waves, the first time I was pretty surprised, just nodded back, like "do I know you bro?"
I was looking for a cheap runaround car. An Alfa 147 was in budget and I took it instead of a Hyundai.
I converted it to LPG and the running costs are comparable to a diesel. Truth be said you need to keep an eye on the engine oil. The front suspension never ceases to invent new sounds. The sun shade has landed on my lap a few times. The window switch is cobbled together with small framing nails. The trim next to the back seat decided to leave the chat.
But show her some bends, this chassis comes alive. Accurate steering for a FWD, very little understeer, the rear helps oh so slightly with the geometry, brakes are excellent.
I am waiting for the Giulias to come down in price, it seems it will take a while!
I've got a 1998 V6 with the mahogany trim pack and red leather seats. After 14 years of ownership I still love it and have no plans of moving it on. It's in need of a repaint due to the sun. It eats gas but I can't help flooring it just to hear that glorious V6 engine.
Have had two 156's and loved them both..❤..the first was a green metalic 1998 156..we drove from Sweden to Nurburgring in Germany for the 2007 Formula One Grand Prix in it and had no problems there and back..loved it! The second one was a 2004 facelift that vere just stunning..👌🍀..I now own a Alfa Romeo 939 Spider 3,2 V6 that I'm obsessed with..😂...will stick with Alfa Romeo til the end now!🙏
I've had an 1.6 an then a V6 Sportwagon. 4 years later I am still crying I no longer own them. The looks and crazy V6 music made everyday so much better.
I had previously owned 2 of them both are twinspark engine. One assembled in Thailand and another from Italy. Both are Salespeed models, scary to some but not for me if you know how to maintain it.
What a great looking car, one of Alfa Romeo 's best ever designs, a real modern classic.
Bought one of the last ones 2005, and loved it from day one, until only 9k miles, kaput, took to dealer, broken clutch, Alfa said driver error, to a class one police trained driver.Got it fixed at last, still loved it, even went back to get a GT, then the resale hit. A terrible trade in , so off to Volvo for a C30 sport, over 1k more trade in, so been with Volvo ever since.Still a Alfisti at heart though.
Had a 147 Ducati for 10 years. Superb. The GT v6 is what I really want...
I had 156 2,4 JTD Sports Wagon. Driven like heaven. Best driver I ever had. Economic, powerfull engine. Best audio system I ever had in car (Bose).
Beautiful car. Terrific video! Was the 156 the best selling Alfa model of all time? The sport wagon is one of my all time favourite estate cars, just perfect imo
The best selling Alfa was the 1980s 33, 989k units made
I'm in the process of getting a 156 Busso imported to the US and I'm so thrilled. 😍😍
I get so happy every time i see someone driving a new Alfa here in America because I think people forget we have them here and they look so soulful too
My dad bought a 156 Sportwagon in 2001. It was a beautiful car and as far as I can remember, very reliable. It was a 1.8 twin spark Velco with leather, having the trademark Alfa circles in a circle wheels.
Lovely episode, I still have my Grigio Chiaro V6 Berlina. Slightly altered the original design by adding the subtle Zender body kit, and I still love it. Fits like a glove, drives like it's on rails!
I was manning the IAM Stand at the London Motor Show the year it launched - you couldn't get near the Alfa display; I fell in love with it at first sight!
I had one!! Brutish racing green. Never ever gave me trouble. It was a mistake to sell it.
An absolute gorgeous machine!
I drove one for 6 years. Loved it. Couldn’t bring myself to sell it and had nowhere to store it so unfortunately I let it deteriorate behind the house.
The handling was fantastic (SP3 pack), it looked beautiful, it sounded nice, when you got the revs up it was rapid. The interior was gorgeous. The Passat I bought afterwards felt mushy and functional.
What the Alfa did go was make me an even bigger fan that I was before and I will own another one.
My 156 2.0 litre twin spark was a real looker. Fun to drive but suffered with a veritable smorgasbord of electrical issues. There was always a warning light to greet me until I covered the display with insulation tape. Job done. Giulia QV owner these days and no such problems. Thanks for your great content! 🍀 🇮🇹
The selespeed was fun, broke a lot, but it was fun!
Still cost me less than the GTV in repairs, and the interior was class 👌
My late uncle owned one..wonderful wonderful car...my heart skips a beat to this day when i see one..
Thank you for such an interesting tale, well up to your usual thoroughly thought out stories. Most enjoyable and I need to start looking for a 156 all over again!
Great Vid! If you ever make GTV video, im sure im not the only one who's going to be absolutely grateful! Thank you for making great content!
Still miss my 156 Sportwagon JTS such a lovely car.
I had a black 156 with beige leather interior. Can't remember with what engine it was equiped, but it was a petrol engine. One of the best cars I've ever owned or have driven. And the license plate on the side wasn't odd, on the contrary - it gave the car even more of a sporty look!
Still the 156 and 166 are such a pretty and timeless design! 👌🏼
Purley on looks, I absolutely love the 155 & 156. That's the facelift wide arch 155 BTW lol
Some opinions:
-159 sold less than the 156 because recession hit hard in 2008. 156 enjoyed the European boom in car sales during the late 90’s early 00… the 159 although having some disappointing petrol engines, was way better build and even more beautiful…
- 156 also came with a clutchless manual/automatic called Q system.
-Competition was really fierce. Audi A4 (B5) and BMW (e46)were very good. It was peak european competition
Great mini documentary as always....Great presenter and super interesting. Keep it up
I owned one for 9 years and regret selling it to this day. Mine was the 2.0 litre Veloce with leather and daisy clover wheels. Throughout the ownership it ran like a dream and was mechanically looked after. It was in fabulous condition when it went for £600. My son got an absolute bargain.
😂😂
I see a lot of 156 daily drives still today, and that demonstrates the brilliant reliability
I had a 156 2.0 Twin Spark with the Teledial alloys and Momo all leather interior. Loved that car. We celebrated its 10th birthday and 100,000 miles with a 2,000 mile round trip for four adults to Nice. The only fault was a headlight bulb failure. The journey back was made more memorable by coming back to Rheims via the Route Napoleon.
Biggest issue with this car for the Australian market was the appalling air conditioning. I instead purchased the 147 in which the air was not too bad (for an Alfa anyway!).
Will still be stunning en any era. Alfa Romeo must never disappear, let's hope they get out of Stellantis urgently
The 155 is truly beautiful designed by Ercole Spada, I think so underrated.
I had a red Twin Spark with the Sport 2 pack (the big telephone dial wheels, uprated and lowered suspension, sport steering wheel etc.) and the handling was phenomenal. It could go into corners 10 - 20mph faster than the BMW 325i it replaced in my collection. The interior was better made than the BMW too, BMW were already cutting corners on the E36. It was fantastic to look at, fantastic to be in, and fantastic to throw into corners at very high speeds.Much missed motor.
I have exactly a same configuration 156 now in my garage
Certainly good looking car, I do like the 159 as well. Surprised to hear it didn't sell as much as 156.
How about the new Giulia?
@@pinut187 Pretty nice for modern car, but somehow I still like more the 156 and 159.
Because the experience of buying and owning an new 156 made a lot the these new to Alfa customers swore to never by an Alfa again.
Loved them as a child, rarely see them now and love them even more. When I get the funds or lose my rational decision making ability I would love to buy a sub 50k km one.
I had a red 156 Veloce, loved it, looked like one person styled it - not a committee.
The Alfa 156 GTA was simply one of the best looking cars of all time. I'd love to own one
For me, the design still holds up. It's beautiful and it can't be mistaken for any other car.