Alfa Romeo 149

Introduction

The Alfa Romeo 149 is the replacement for the model Alfa Romeo 147. The expected date of release for the 149 is end-2009/beginning-2010 according to mailings to dealerships. Before that we can expect to see it during one of the major motor shows this year.

The 149 is long, measuring some 4.3 metres, which is not far off the old Alfa 156. Only the five-door derivative, which platform is based on the Fiat Bravo’s, will be available for sale. This means fewer models to choose from than before, but certainly does not necessarily mean fewer engines. The range of powerplants will include the new 1.4 T-Jet and M-jet family of engines producing 120BHP/89kW and 265BHP/198kW for the GTA version, which should sport a V6 under the hood. A six-speed manual and automatic will be choice gearboxes for customers.

Alfa Romeo customers are typically aged between 27 and 40, so the absence of a three-door derivative makes sense as these folks are likely to be family-oriented, not only looking for sporty inclination in their cars, but also for space. The new MiTo will fill the vacancy of a small three-door Alfa Romeo. The 149 will be well-pitched to help Alfa regain its footing in the leading US market where the brand has just returned. For this particular market the automatic gearbox will be choice one, and their semi-automatic gearbox Selespeed may not be an option. European pricing will be around €20 000 for the base model.

The 149 is being designed with a target of a 6-star EuroNCAP safety rating.

Engines

It is expected that Alfa Romeo may use a new engine in the 149, this engine uses a system known as Multiair, This system controls the amount of air going into the engine by controlling when air is allowed into the engine and how much the inlet valve opens. The system works by inserting a "tappet" between the cam shaft and the valve and the engine management system can control the amount of oil that is allowed into the "tappet" thus changing the effective opening profile of the inlet valve. The system can also change the overlap of the inlet and exhaust valves as well as changing the amount of lift and this allows the engine to maintain a steady pressure in the inlet manifold which is used to increase the amount of torque the engine produces while maintaining the efficiency of the engine. The system is said to increase torque by 20% while reducing emissions by a similar amount. All this technology is supposed to increase the fun factor giving better and more positive throttle response.

Gallery

References

* [http://www.italiaspeed.com/2007/cars/alfa_romeo/06/morgan_stanley_investor_presentation/2806.html Italiaspeed/Morgan Stanley Conference in a presentation by brand CEO Antonio Baravalle]
* [http://www.infomotori.co.uk/a_4_EN_17436_1.html infomotori.co.uk]
* [http://paultan.org/archives/2006/06/29/20072008-alfa-romeo-149-artist-impression/ Alfa Romeo 149 Artist Impression]
* [http://paultan.org/archives/2006/11/06/more-previews-of-the-alfa-romeo-149/ Preview of the Alfa Romeo 149]