RE: Alfa Romeo 156 GTA: Unsung Hero

[velocemitch]

The 3.2 in the 166 was the same as the GTA engine.
I loved my 156GTA Sportwagon just wished I could have kept it. Ive had a yearly update from its new owner by text every New Years eve....... For seven years now, how many cars garner so much love from their owners.
Agreed on the comment that a pre face lift 156 is probably the best looking mass market saloon ever designed.

[Ali_T]

31mph said:

Really wish they'd done a 159 GTA

There was a mule made with the Maserati V8 and 4wd. But then the economy crashed and the plan was scrapped, as was the mental MiTo GTA with the Giulietta QV engine.

[43034]

Oh yes. I fking adore mine, the sound the looks the speed

Puts a smile on my face everytime I drive it.

Paid £4500 for mine with 92k on the clock (although full engine rebuild by Autolusso at 88k).

Surprisingly I only have a few pics of it...





Filthy


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tpKlvLrq5jg

93db static which is rather loud...

ETA:
This thread made me go out and take another photo. Needs a clean though.

Edited by 43034 on Thursday 2nd April 15:43

[MiniMan64]

bananachips said:

If any wants to make an offer on my 156 2.5 V6 Sportwagon which is 1 of 37 left registered in the UK be my guest.

Edited by bananachips on Thursday 2nd April 14:22

Wow.

Didn't realise there were only 37 in the UK! I bought mine by accident a year ago and love it, no wonder I haven't seen another for sale since.

That said with a clutch slipping, a cambelt due and the usual front suspension its either about to get very expensive or about to go.

[craig_m67]

Parabola said:

Are any of these tweaks worth doing on lesser 156's? I.e my 2003 156 2.4 JTD Sportwagen!?

Yes.

My '03 1.9JTD Sportwagon has B6 dampers, 330Brembos and GTA Speedlines.
It's a beautiful thing. Going in for a respray in AR442 GTA Brilliant Blue later in the year.
I'm yet to find another car as useful or beautiful to replace it (hence the colour change to make it perfect).

Edited by craig_m67 on Thursday 2nd April 16:21

[SturdyHSV]

Ali_T said:

There was a mule made with the Maserati V8 and 4wd. But then the economy crashed and the plan was scrapped, as was the mental MiTo GTA with the Giulietta QV engine.

No way, really? That body, with that noise?

I need a moment alone to think about that.

[carinaman]

MiniMan64 said:

Wow.

Didn't realise there were only 37 in the UK! I bought mine by accident a year ago and love it, no wonder I haven't seen another for sale since.

That said with a clutch slipping, a cambelt due and the usual front suspension its either about to get very expensive or about to go.

I suspect that figure may be incorrect.

156 GTAs hardly sold by the bucket load, and I am struggling to understand how the V6 Sportswagon can be so much rarer than the GTAs.

There was a black with black 02 or 03 plate V6 CF3 Sportswagon for sale recently. It had the same wheels as the one posted and I thought it may have been the same one for a while. That was up for £2250 in Feb/March. It didn't have roof rails and it didn't have the Cloverleaf shield on the front wings.

[bananachips]

MiniMan64 said:

Wow.

Didn't realise there were only 37 in the UK! I bought mine by accident a year ago and love it, no wonder I haven't seen another for sale since.

That said with a clutch slipping, a cambelt due and the usual front suspension its either about to get very expensive or about to go.

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/vehicle/alfa_romeo_156_v6_sportwagon

Yup I just wish I could hold onto it, all in all I think the total number of 2.5 V6 156's is something like 270 odd so less than GTA's.

Oh you're in for a fun ride with all that work. Had my cambelt replaced last year for £600.

[vtecyo]

I remember my dad wanting one of these as a company car when they first came out. I must have been about 10 or so. Brochure had a red one with a hefty wing on the cover.

Company wouldn't give him one because of the depreciation and bork factor.

Fabulous looking thing though, inside and out.

[bananachips]

carinaman said:

I suspect that figure may be incorrect.

156 GTAs hardly sold by the bucket load, and I am struggling to understand how the V6 Sportswagon can be so much rarer than the GTAs.

There was a black with black 02 or 03 plate V6 CF3 Sportswagon for sale recently. It had the same wheels as the one posted and I thought it may have been the same one for a while. That was up for £2250 in Feb/March. It didn't have roof rails and it didn't have the Cloverleaf shield on the front wings.

The distinction between the models is vague at times I will admit.

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=✓&q...

[petergrimsdale]

Three years into GTA ownership I've only got good things to say. Before I had the "ordinary" 156 V6 from new for 14 trouble free years so I am a bit hooked... Anyway the GTA is a complete joy mainly because of the incredibly quick rack. No big issues running if properly serviced (Day and White's at Brands Hatch who sold it to me. Only criticism is the children hate the hard ride in the back. My mileage is very low so thirst is not an issue and my age makes the insurance quite reasonable.Can't imagine what I'd replace it with - certainly not a 159 which has nothing like the character. Probably just get another!

[MiniMan64]

bananachips said:

MiniMan64 said:

Wow.

Didn't realise there were only 37 in the UK! I bought mine by accident a year ago and love it, no wonder I haven't seen another for sale since.

That said with a clutch slipping, a cambelt due and the usual front suspension its either about to get very expensive or about to go.

Oh you're in for a fun ride with all that work. Had my cambelt replaced last year for £600.

Shouldnt be as bad as I originally thought to be honest. I was already planning a cambelt change for around 600 when the clutch started going and since the whole lump needs to come out for that anyway they'll do the belt too for not much more.

2 buggery jobs for the price of 1 in my man maths head!

[Chimune]

Ran one for 5 years.
Utterly addictive but as the article says, the stock dampers and diff will do your head in (as will all the 5 point turns) on UK roads.

Take the snorkel off the airbox for a frankly spine tingling induction roar.

Id have another in a flash (love that charcoal grey!).

Edited by Chimune on Thursday 2nd April 17:18

[Craikeybaby]

bananachips said:

If any wants to make an offer on my 156 2.5 V6 Sportwagon which is 1 of 37 left registered in the UK be my guest.

Edited by bananachips on Thursday 2nd April 14:22

No wonder I was struggling to find one when I looked!

[Pwig]

Chimune said:

Ran one for 5 years.
Utterly addictive but as the article says, the stock dampers and diff will do your head in (as will all the 5 point turns) on UK roads.

Take the snorkel off the airbox for a frankly spine tingling induction roar.

Id have another in a flash (love that charcoal grey!).

Edited by Chimune on Thursday 2nd April 17:18

That particular car I bought off you and then took it to Autodelta, spent thousands on it and then sold again

Got the Q2 on it and what have you.

Saw it on the A1 a few months ago. Sold it to a guy in Morpeth.

[carinaman]

Craikeybaby said:

No wonder I was struggling to find one when I looked!

I've previously mentioned what seemed a good one for £2250 for sale in Feb. It had the same or similary spoked alloys.

The How Many Left website isn't that accurate.

There are a few late registered pre-Facelift ones that were on a ship to the Far East that caught fire. I don't know if any those V6s were Sportswagons or if they were all saloons.

One of the reasons I am repeating what others have said about the inaccuracy of the How Many Left website is to help people see through some of the fluff in advertisements for what seems like many cars, not specifically Alfas.

43034 said:

Oh yes. I fking adore mine, the sound the looks the speed

Puts a smile on my face everytime I drive it.

Paid £4500 for mine with 92k on the clock (although full engine rebuild by Autolusso at 88k).

Surprisingly I only have a few pics of it...

I'm disappointed with myself that I only remembered the car and you from the youtube video.

Regarding your thread for your GTA, I think that Scudetto you had that wouldn't fit may have been from a GTV/916, though I am happy to be corrected if you found out that it fitted another Alfa.

[Ali_T]

SturdyHSV said:

No way, really? That body, with that noise?

I need a moment alone to think about that.

More here...

http://www.eurocarblog.com/post/500/the-alfa-romeo...




The only picture of it's engine bay anyone can find...

[crostonian]

velocemitch said:

The 3.2 in the 166 was the same as the GTA engine.

Are you sure?

[DeltaEvo2]

@43034

Excellent spinning in first and then in second gear...
These are gorgeous!

[z06tim]

crostonian said:

velocemitch said:

The 3.2 in the 166 was the same as the GTA engine.

Are you sure?

Same engine, but detuned by 10bhp to 240bhp, as in the GT. I think it could be as simple as just the map on the engine managent that is different.