ALFAGTV6.COM

[torres]

"Alfa Romeo is seriously considering giving a hard time to the biggest German manufacturers. A V8 powered 159 GTA is currently under testings and will be unveiled next year at the Geneva Motor Show. When it will go on sale in early 2009 it will compete with the BMW M3, Audi RS4 and Mercedes C63 AMG...."

This is from a new review on 2009 Alfa Romeo 159 GTA, from Top Speed. It includes info on the design and performance of the model, as well as other features like history and competitors. Also available is a wallpaper / photo gallery.



Here is the link to the full article:
2009 Alfa Romeo 159 GTA - Top Speed

And the link to the picture gallery:
2009 Alfa Romeo 159 GTA wallpapers and high resolution photos - Top Speed

[nisaar]

Good Its about time alfa got of there ass and did something about those BMW's

[MD]

I would like to agree with you but the reality is that Alfa has dropped the ball big time. They are playing catch up.

By 2009, they will be driving BMW's on Mars....

[Rookie ROX]

Oh dear lord I must get myself a ride in one of these when they're released

First the 8C, now the GTA, bring it on sauerkraut's!

ROCK ON
R~R

[Mats]

That front end is the spitting image of the Zender front for the 156...

mmm, AWD...

[fedezyl]

Excellent news!!!! time to start saving....

[joey]

damn the 159 is a beautiful car. Too bad it is a dud build and driving experience....

perhaps the stick is better, but the selespeed i tried is freakin' schizophrenic. effin held 2nd gear and would not let go @ 70km/h and this was in 'normal' mode.... freakin terrible. The dealer tried to 'splain it away as 'adapting' to my driving style.... whatever... the slightest fuller depressing of the gas- normally requesting a little more in-gear accel, would instead kick down a gear but then stubbornly hold the gear even when decelerating.... stuble reduction of the gas which would normally instruct most auto boxes to push into a taller gear did nothing to stimulate this monstorousity.... i'm left to embrassingly engine brake all the way from 5k and then 'cruise', still in 2nd gear, @ the road limited speed of 60km/h... POS.... jmo.

Not a single seat did not have a fault in it.... some down right ugly.... The steering wheel while leather-clad feels like blow moulded hollow plastic especially where the 'grips' lay... and the overall steering feedback and weighting is far too light...

its a shame since it is an alfa and it looks to me, in the standard red, freaking beautiful.... the split/fold rear seats is also a bonus (to ferry around my italian road bike to the races!) but the driving experience was a total let down.... shoulda tried the stick !!

even so, i would have zero confidence in this car. Perhaps alfa should release an m3 beater when they get their sh*t togother on the 2.2 cooking model...??

also after this, i have lost what little confidence i once had in the motoring press...

[Rookie ROX]

Really? I thought it was a great drive actually.

I had a similar problem with the semi-auto, only a different gear, and yes it has to do with the adaptive gearbox that learns your driving style (or at least the driving style of the salesperson who drives it the most) and uses it as a memory feature. Quite a lot of semi-auto/selespeed/Qtronic/whatever you want to call it do that.

ROCK ON
R~R

[Barry]

Drove the Audi R8 yesterday..........Now there`s a car!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mats]

hey joey, you know that the selespeed is a manual right? It has some kind of "city mode" that can mimic an auto box but it's basically a manual with electronic activation (controlled by you).

[Zamani]

BTW, given a choice, which would you guys pick?
Audi S4 4.2
BMW E46 M3

I checked the S4's fuel consumption. It's actually really pathetic. Maybe that is why the prices for them are very reasonable. And the V8 rumble just doesn't do it for me. 15 mpg for city driving and 19mpg highway. However, it is a 4-door (I have kids), and price wise, it represents a better value than the M3.

[Mats]

BMW. The E46 is not available as a limo like the E36?

The Audi is nice but it sounds like it's running on 7 cylinders and have (IMO) some terrible drivtrain issues like power hump when you make a tight turn. Very heavy too.

[joey]

Really? I thought it was a great drive actually.

I had a similar problem with the semi-auto, only a different gear, and yes it has to do with the adaptive gearbox that learns your driving style (or at least the driving style of the salesperson who drives it the most) and uses it as a memory feature. Quite a lot of semi-auto/selespeed/Qtronic/whatever you want to call it do that.

ROCK ON
R~R

yeppo it is adaptive. However, the other adaptive boxes (which all are these days) exhibited NONE of these vices..... I was heavy w/ the audi (which granted was a CVT) and its owner is very soft... It did everything i wanted first time... Its a pretty great box actually... Manual mode is pretty redundant, the 'box cpu does too good of a job to make it worth while..

Bazza !

Mats, of course i know that ! but check out other boxes... The 'city' mode is s'posed to fikken work by itself - it doesn't. The shifting was pretty cool tho, and i love the kick-down accompanied by perfect engine blipping, but even so... it was a horror overall. I was also dissappointed by the NVH - its too good.. can hardly hear the engine and when u can (at high revs - usually involuntarily thanks to the psycho box cpu) its not worth waiting for.... sad... The suspension is very good - firm but quiet and comfortable.... this was on 17" rims and the sports package ! equal to the audi a4 IMO.

Z, yep, audi is great.. I've tried the A4 not the S... but the build and materials used are FAR superior. Audi has my confidence, Alfa no way. u'd dig the materials that Audi uses, apparently the structural member in the engine bay is Ti...?? Panels are bolted on not welded, some alu is used. For where the A4 competes at this is all very impressive.... The high end and compared to the BM m3 is something else i cant comment on - i'd imagine the Bimmer is also very well built with some exotic materials...but at least over here the audi dealers take care of you, the car is rock solid - its a great company at the moment IMO.

[Mats]

I have never seen the use of Selespeed to be honest, maybe I haven't driven enough single seaters to know why paddles are a must.

btw, I was talking about the RS4 earlier. Sorry if I confused someone.