The Alfa Romeo 155 (Type 167) is a compact executive car produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 1992 and 1998. It was unveiled in January 1992 at Barcelona, with the first public launch in March 1992, at the Geneva Motor Show. A total of 195,526 units were made before it was replaced by the 156.
Design
Developed to replace the 75 and based on the parent company Fiat Group's Type Three platform, the 155 was somewhat larger in dimension than the 75 and had evolved styling from that of its predecessor. The 155 was designed by Italian design house I.DE.A Institute. An exceptional drag coefficient of 0.29 was achieved with the body design. The boxy design of the 155 allowed for a big boot space .
The most significant technical change from the 75 was the switch to a front-wheel drive layout. A four-wheel-drive model called the 155 Q4 was also available, which had a turbocharged engine and a permanent four-wheel drive powertrain, both derived from the Lancia Delta Integrale; it was essentially a Lancia Delta Integrale with a different body.
The new model came in "Sport" and "Super" trims. The Sport had a slightly lowered ride height and more aggressive dampers while the Super had the option of wooden trim and electronically controlled dampers and seat controls.
Reception of the 155 was generally lukewarm. The 75 had been conceived prior to Fiat's acquisition of the Alfa brand, so as the last independent Alfa Romeo automobile made it cast a shadow over the 155; the loss of rear-wheel drive was frequently cited as the main cause of disappointment. Nevertheless, the 155 was entered in Touring Car racing and was very successful in every major championship it entered, which gradually improved its image.
The 155 received a facelift in 1995 and changes included a wider body as well as a wider track and revised steering based on Alfa Romeo's racing experience. The facelift also brought in new 16 valve engines for the 1.8 and 2.0 litre models, whilst retaining the 2.5 litre V6 and making some improvements to cabin materials and build quality.
There were several Sport Packs available, including a race inspired body kit (spoiler and side skirts) and black or graphite coloured 16 inch Speedline wheels. The luxury oriented Super trim came with wood inserts in the cabin and silver-painted alloy wheels.
The 155 was never produced in the Sportwagon bodystyle (Alfa Romeo's term for an estate or station wagon), but Sbarro made a proposal for such a model in 1994 which was not put into production.
Production of the 155 ceased in 1998, when it was replaced by the 156, which was a further development in terms of quality and refinement, and finally moved away from the wedge styling — leaving the 155 as the pinnacle of that particular design stream which dated back to 1977, with the dramatic squared-off styling of the Giulietta Nuova.
Timeline
1992 – 155 launched
1993 – Grill design changed from “flushed” to “recessed” 1994 – 155 1.8 T.Spark Silverstone introduced to the British market, 155 Q4 and turbodiesels to some markets 1995 – New "widebody" series 2 155 launched with wider track and quick rack steering wheel, initially only available with 2.0 L 16v engine 1996/6 – Widebody with 1.6 L 16v and 1.8 L 16v engines introduced 1998 – Production ends
Specifications and special editions
The 155 was initially available with 1.7 L Twin Spark, 1.8 L Twin Spark, and 2.0 L Twin Spark petrol engines, the latter two were equipped with variable valve timing. The 1.7 L was not sold in the United Kingdom.
Two four cylinder turbocharged diesel engines, a Fiat derived 1.9 L () and a VM Motori 2.5 L () were available in some markets, except for the United Kingdom.
At the top of the 155 range were the 2.5 L V6, using a engine derived from the 3.0 L V6 used in the larger 164, and the Q4 which used a drivetrain derived from the Lancia Delta Integrale which meant a 2.0 L 16V turbocharged engine and permanent four-wheel drive.
The Q4 also incorporated three differential gears (normal at the front, epicyclic at the centre (including a Ferguson viscous coupling) and torsen self-locking at the rear). Both the 2.5 V6 and Q4 models were also available with electronically adjustable suspension with two damper settings (automatic and sport).