Tuesday 17th February 2004

Alfa 4x4

156 Estate joins the crossover crowd

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Alfa Romeo will once again produce a 4x4, this time in the guise of the 156 Crosswagon.

To be unveiled in Geneva, the Estate version of the successful 156 will adopt a similar stance to vehicles from Volvo and Audi with a jacked up look, a splash of chrome work and a nappy at the front.

The Alfa Crosswagon transmission features 4 permanently engaged drive wheels, three differentials and torque distribution preferentially to the rear. The Torsen C differential continuously modulates torque distribution between front and rear axles according to to the levels of grip that it senses.

The new model is equipped with the 1.9 JTD 16v Multijet developing 150 bhp with a 6 speed manual gearbox with 'sports' ratios. ABS and stability control systems come as standard.

The car will go on sale later this year.

[dinkel]

Help, my Alfa turning into a Volvo!

What Tonka-styling does to a beautiful product.

[klassiekerrally]

O my God...
I am beginning to hate marketing-people who seem to decide that the world needs such cars...

[Mon Ami Mate]

So, can we please take the 4x4 technology and transfer it to the GTAs, without the tractor styling and associated pig-on-stilts handling?

If Alfa brought out a 4x4 or rear drive GTA I'd buy it tomorrow. Or sooner even...

[RichardR]

That just looks ridiculous!

[v8thunder]

I suppose if a law came in ordering everyone to buy a silly crossover 4x4 thingy I'd go for this one.

Problem is, cars seem to be getting taller everywhere - what's this doing to the handling/weight distribution/aerodynamics?

[B10]

Whats the point.

[Bodo]

They've killed it

[anonymous-user]

Mon Ami Mate said:

So, can we please take the 4x4 technology and transfer it to the GTAs, without the tractor styling and associated pig-on-stilts handling? If Alfa brought out a 4x4 or rear drive GTA I'd buy it tomorrow. Or sooner even...

The 157 is supposedly going to be RWD with the GTAs 4WD.

This 4WD having "torque distribution preferentially to the rear" sounds interesting, especially when they do include the 3.2 V6 in the engine line up.

As for the styling, I actually quite like it. I should think that someone will pretty quickly produce a suspension kit to drop it back down to normal levels too.

[Twin Turbo]

Now I know why these things are called crossovers....'cos every time I see one of these things, I get cross over it

[Pete Nik]

The 157 series - when they emerge in a couple of years - are supposed to include a 4WD GTA. I reckon I'll be buying the Sportwagon to replace my Audi A4 Avant, especially if it looks like the new coupe and sounds like my wife's 3 litre GTV (with 4 branch exhaust admittedly).

[pwig]

We will sell alot of them though, which means they can spend more money on the performance models

[ninjaboy]

why did they do it

[sagalout]

The way the roads are getting with potholes everywhere, we'll need these or probably a Landie before long. 50mm Ground clearance is no good when the potholes are 100mm deep!!!!!

[Farmer]

drop it down and I'd buy it , it looks far too tall, the Outback gets it more right , but if you want to off road get a Landie . If all you want is traction then get a car with 4wd

[chickensoup]

A low GTA with 4x4 would be interesting; but I cannot see this doing much. If you took the kids on the school run (it is a 4x4 after all) you would need to do two trips as the boot is so bloody small Tarquin & Jemmima could not fit their satchels & packed lunches in there (or can you get roof bars to hold the sandwiches)

[roop]

Looks pants but at least it's got a proper Torsen center diff.