Comments on: 2009 Alfa Romeo 149 spied

By: Gordon

Gordon — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 01:29:40 +0000

It will always make sense for a low volume manufacturer to offer or share the basic platform with another company (Porsche / VW anyone?) as it reduces the overall cost and increases the profit margin so why not?
With engine, suspension body styling etc two platforms can be completely different on the end product. If it means Alfa can make a rear wheel drive mainstream car again, I’m all for it, I still have very fond memories of my old 2 ltr Alfa GTV, rusty old unreliable shytebox that it was, no car since has put a bigger smile on my dial!
If the 159 replacement takes styling cues from the miTo and 8c, and returns to RWD I’ll buy it.

By: FRUGAL--ONE

FRUGAL--ONE — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 22:55:25 +0000

[”Your comment is awaiting moderation.”....I THINK NOT!!]

NO!

This is NOT a golf fighter, this is infact the cloned Audi [aka AutoUnion] A3 fighter.

golf fighter is FIAT’s job.

Cheers,

F-0

By: nick

nick — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:52:41 +0000

Phillip, the original selespeed i test drove was excelent. It was smooth, free flowing and made sence for city driving. However i ended up buying a different 147 and despite several computer upgrades this selespeed just hasnt been the same. I regret choosing the selespeed, but not buying an Alfa. They are amazing cars and i still smile every time I jump behind the wheel.

By: Mark B

Mark B — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:47:12 +0000

Ahh… I wasn’t aware of the tata-fiat tie-up. Learn something new every day :-)

Cheers.

By: Myke

Myke — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:14:57 +0000

Look up the Alfa Romeo 169 in Google and a few sites suggest it will be built on the Jag XF platform. TATA and Fiat had an agreement a while back to build cars in India and the owner of TATA was a member on the Fiat board. There was a rumour way back, that Alfa would use GM RWD platforms or a cut down Quattroporte, but obviously it didn’t work out.

By: Mark B

Mark B — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 02:02:08 +0000

Sorry Myke, but I find it a little hard to believe the 169 will be based off the new Jag XF. Jag was owned by Ford and is now owned by Tata, never under the Fiat group; and I’d expect the XF and 169 to go more or less head-to-head in the marketplace – so why would Jag sell their platform to a competitor?

You only really see platform-sharing between companies under the one umbrella, e.g. VW Golf and Audi A3, Holden Commodore and Chev Camaro etc. Fiat and GM used to be in bed together, so perhaps at one stage they might have looked to using a Caddy RWD platform for the 169, but then GM and Fiat had a pretty nasty divorce so I don’t think that idea would have survived. Best bet for RWD 169 is a chopped-down version of Maserati’s Quattroporte platform, but seeing how much more expensive Maser is than Fiat that seems a pretty long stretch as well…

If only Mitsu Australia had tried to slip an old C-class chassis under the 380 back when Mercedes was paying Mitsu’s bills. They’d prolly still be building them in Adelaide today if they were RWD… because RWD is awesome, of course. 6.3L AMG V8 in a 380, anyone?

By: Elitist

Elitist — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 00:19:22 +0000

For quality, when questioning Italian cars many are stuck in the 70’s, now italian cars use Bosch eletronics and have a german from BMW for quality control.

The 14? brand was always a car that shared parts with Fiat.
It was never around before Fiat acquired them.

The 15? and 16? models SHOULD not share Fiat parts.. Sadly the 166 did..

Q4 systems use Torsen which is similar to Audi etc. Good system.

By: Wheelnut

Wheelnut — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:32:40 +0000

I believe that the Alfa Romeo Schigera [concept] was RWD.
Mind you it would have to be to deal with all that power and performance.

By: Myke

Myke — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 23:22:38 +0000

Actually Cupid, there have been rumours about Alfa making the switch back to RWD and the first car to do it is the 166 replacement, the 169. It will apparently be built on the Jag XF platform.

By: maurizio

maurizio — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 20:41:36 +0000

The new 149 is a car made to cheat the Alfisti. As a matter of fact Fiat did not yet learn how to handle “multibrand” marketing strategy as the VW group does. As FIAT guys are from Torino their natural aim is to kill the Alfa Romeo brand with horrible models. So they will try to sell a BRAVO/RITMO with some body panles as an Alfa Romeo: god save us ! Maurizio From Italy

By: Cupid Stunt

Cupid Stunt — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 16:52:20 +0000

Aaaw here we go again RWD diehards attempts to get the FWD manufacturers to go RWD!! It’ll never happen.

By: Regazzoni

Regazzoni — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:16:21 +0000

Don’t get fooled by the look of a very row test mule.
Alfa 149 (project 940) uses a platform that is an evolution (deeply changed) of the one of the Ritmo/Bravo.
But the analogy stops there.

On this mule, the only exterior part coming from 149 is the front bumper. The rest of the body is one of the Ritmo/Bravo, but only for secrecy purpouse.
The whole design, will be different, both in the interior and the exterior, so will be the suspensions and even many of the engines.

We must wait 4-5 months more to see the real design. ;)

By: adam smith

adam smith — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 12:05:31 +0000

i own a 159 ti and she is an absolute beauty as good as the compettion.
as for fwd the 159 tucks corners brilliantly and handling in the wet is way better than the competition.

build quality? brilliant.
reliability? brilliant.
value for money? way better than the competition.
and the looks department? just look at the bloody thing, sensational.

By: phillip

phillip — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:35:04 +0000

Nick, why on earth did you buy the selespeed? They are awful to drive and the manual is one of the easiest and enjoyable manuals I’ve ever driven. You’re missing out mate!

By: Elitist

Elitist — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:26:10 +0000

Wonder how long till Mazda or other Japanese cars will copy those breaklights?

By: realcars

realcars — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:21:38 +0000

Agree 10,000% Alfa RWD would be the way to go!

By: Flying High

Flying High — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:57:49 +0000

They need to do away with their propensity for FWD vehicles. If they want to differentiate, make a RWD for the same price, otherwise it will be same old same old. Hopefully the performance of the vehicles will be worthwhile. Just for a change.

By: realcars

realcars — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:51:40 +0000

A whole gaggle of Japers have copied the 156 styling including current Lancer and current and previous Accord Euro.Previous Euro so close u could nearly swap panels.

The last iteration of the 156 is classic alfa IMO.

Imagine if Alfa got this reliability monkey off their back even if it isn’t the case anymore.

U wouldn’t buy anything else!

By: nick

nick — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 09:20:29 +0000

i have a 147 and I’m glad to see they’ve replaced the selespeed with a conventional auto. When the selespeed is good it’s great, but when it’s bad it’s horrible. It constantly locks in gears or neutral, randomly clicks out of city and can have a horrible low speed ride.

The 149 looks alot like the Bravo/Ritmo from the rear but i’d still buy the Alfa over the Fiat. There’s something special about driving an Alfa that i havn’t felt in any other car and apart from the occasional transmition issue i havn’t had any build quality problems.

The one thing i don’t understand is why they arn’t sticking with the naturaly aspirated 2.0L Twin Spark, it has plenty of power, is fun, energetic and as a P-Plater I can drive it. Unless the 149 has gained substantial wieght over its predecessor (which may be the case due to its 156 like size) i don’t see a turbo bieng a nessesity

By: AAA

AAA — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 08:49:09 +0000

How’s the reliability of Alfas these days?