Overview

The Alfa Romeo 155 is an entry level luxury car manufactured by the Italian car maker Alfa Romeo, a division of FIAT Group. Alfa Romeo produced the 155 from 1992 until 1998 at its plant in Pomigliano d'Arco, Italy. The Alfa Romeo 155 replaced the Alfa Romeo 75 and its self was replaced by the Alfa Romeo 156.

The Alfa Romeo 155 was built on a variants of the FIAT Group's Tipo platform. The car was designed by Italian designer Ercole Spada from I.D.E.A. Institute. The design of the 155 was evolutionary from the Alfa Romeo 75. The car had a drag coefficient of only 0.29 Cd and featured a generous boot space of 139 gallons (525 liter).

Alfa Romeo changed the drive of the car to the front, this being the most significant technical change from the 75. The change was not received well by hardcore Alfa Romeo fans and journalists considering that the 155 was not in the tradition of Alfa's sporting saloons. Beside the criticism the change gave cost an packing benefits.

Variants

Beside the front wheel drive, Alfa Romeo offered a four wheel drive version named 155 Q5 that featured a 2.0 liter turbocharged engine and a full time four wheel drive derived from the one that was used for the legendary Lancia Delta Integrale.

The standard Alfa Romeo 155 was offered with no less than 10 engines, eight petrol - a 1.7 liter 8V, a 1.8 liter 8V, a 2.0 liter 8V, a 1.6 liter 16V, a 1.8 liter 16V, a 2.0 liter 16V, a 2.0 liter 16V Turbo, and a 2.5 liter - and two diesels - a 1.9 liter and a 2.5 liter -. All engines had a straight four configuration except for the petrol powered 2.5 liter which was a V6.

The 1.7 liter engine produced 115 hp @ 6000 rpm and a maximum torque of 110 lb/ft @ 3500 rpm. The engine came with a five speed manual transmission that delivered the power to the front wheels. In terms of performance, the car was capable to get to 60 mph in 10.4 seconds, cover a quarter mile in 18.0 seconds and get to a top speed of 119 mph. As for the fuel consumption the car returned 27.3 mpg.

The 1.8 liter eight valve engine made 127 hp @ 6000 rpm and 123 lb/ft @ 5000 rpm, the sixteen valve 1.8 liter made 140 hp @ 6300 rpm and same amount of torque. The 8V unit was offered until 1996 when it was replaced by the 16V unit. A five speed manual transmission was offered for both engines. If fitted with the 1.8 liter 16V the car could sprint from zero to 60 mph in 9.6 seconds, cover a quarter mile in 17.3 seconds and get to a top speed of 127 mph. On average the Alfa Romeo 155 1.8 returned 27.8 mpg / 25.8 mpg (16V / 8V).

The 2.0 ltier 8 valve unit produced 141 hp @ 6000 rpm and maximum torque of 139 lb/ft @ 5000; in 1996 it was replaced by the 16 valve 2.0 liter that produced 150 hp @ 6200 rpm and same torque but at 4000 rpm. The five speed manual transmission was offered for both engines. In terms of performance the 155 2.0 16V could go from zero to 60 mph in 8.6 sec, cover a standing quarter mile in 17.1 seconds and get to a top speed of 131 mph. The fuel economy of the 155 2.0 was 24.6 mpg / 25.3 mpg (8V / 16V).

The 2.0 liter turbocharged petrol engine was available only on the 155 Q4 and had an output of 186 hp @ 6000 rpm and maximum torque of 216 lb/ft @ 2500 rpm. The engine was mated to a five speed manual gearbox. The Alfa Romeo 155 Q4 could do 60 mph in 6.7 seconds, a quarter mile in 16.2 seconds and a top speed of 140 mph. The 155 Q4 returned an average of 23.8 mpg.

The 2.5 liter V6 unit produced 163 hp @ 5800 rpm and maximum torque of 159 lb/ft @ 4500 rpm. The five speed manual was offered as standard. With this engine the Alfa Romeo 155 got to 60 mph in 8.1 seconds, covered a standing quarter mile in 16.9 seconds and get to a top speed of 134 mph. On average the car returned 21.9 mpg.

The entry level 1.9 liter diesel generated 90 hp @ 4200 rpm and peck torque of 137 lb/ft @ 2500 rpm. The five speed manual gearbox was offered as standard. In terms of performance the car could get from zero to 60 mph in 13 seconds flat, cover a quarter mile in 19 seconds flat and to a top speed of 112 mph. The fuel consumption was good, returning 32 mpg on average.

Top of the line in the diesel range, the 2.5 liter V6, produced 125 hp @ 4200 rpm and maximum torque of 217 lb/ft @ 2000 rpm. The engine was mated to the five speed manual transmission. Not to 60 mph takes 10 seconds, the standing quarter mile is covered was covered in 17.1 seconds and the top speed was 121 mph. Fuel consumption was reasonable with an average of 26.8 mpg.

Additional Information

In 1995 the Alfa Romeo 155 was facelifted and featured a wider front and rear tracks with subtle enlargement to the wheel arches for the changes underneath the skin to fit.