Year of Alfa Romeo 155




Alfa Romeo 155 photos, specs - Car Pictures & Images

The Alfa Romeo 155 is a compact executive car produced under the Italian Alfa Romeo marque between 1992 and 1998.

Built to replace the 75 and based on the parent Fiat Group's Tipo platform, the 155 was somewhat larger in dimension than the 75 but evolved its styling from that of its predecessor. The 155 was designed by Italian design house I.DE.A Institute. A exceptional drag coefficient of 0.29 was achieved with the body design.

The single most significant technical change from the 75 was the change to a front-wheel drive layout. This new configuration gave cost and packaging benefits but many Alfa die-hards and the automotive press lamented the passing of the "purer" rear-wheel drive layout on a car from this sporting marque — the 155 was considered not in the tradition of Alfa's sporting saloons.[citation needed]

Also available was the 155 Q4 which had a 2.0litre turbocharged engine and a permanent four-wheel drive powertrain both derived from the Integrale; it was essentially a Lancia Integrale with a different body.

The new model came in "Sport" and "Super" guises. 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 new model was generally luke-warm. The 75 had been conceived prior to Fiat's acquisition of the Alfa brand, so as "the last real Alfa" it cast rather a shadow over the 155; the loss of rear-wheel drive was frequently cited as the main cause of the disappointment. Nevertheless, the 155 was entered in Touring Car racing and was successful in every major championship it entered which gradually improved its image.

Belatedly the factory introduced a wider version in 1995 (the "wide-body") which as well as a wider track and revised steering based on racing experience or requirements, also brought in new 16-valve engines for the 1.8 and 2.0litre and also some improvements to cabin materials and build quality. The Q4 was discontinued but the V6 continued.[clarification needed]

There were several Sport Packs available, including a race-inspired body kit (spoiler and side skirts) and black or graphite coloured 16" Speedline wheels. The more genteel could opt for the Super which came with wood inserts in the cabin and silver painted alloy wheels.

The 155 was never produced as a Sportwagon (Alfa's term for an estate / station wagon) but Sbarro made a proposal for such a vehicle in 1994.

Production of the 155 ceased in 1998 when the 155 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 square styling of the Giulietta Nuova.

  • 1992: 155 launched
  • 1993: Grill changed from flushed to recessed
  • 1994: 155 Silverstone introduced to the British market, 155 Q4 and turbodiesels to some markets
  • 1995: New "widebody" series 2 155 launched with wider track, initially only with 2.0 16v engine. Quickrack fitted
  • 1996: Widebody with 1.8 16v engine introduced
  • 1998: Production ends



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Alfa Romeo 155 Pictures by Years

1999
1999 alfa romeo 155
1996
1996 alfa romeo 155
1995
1995 alfa romeo 155
1994
1994 alfa romeo 155
1993
1993 alfa romeo 155
1992
1992 alfa romeo 155
1983
1983 alfa romeo 155
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