First Look: Chris and Mark's Alfa 155
The DTM hero, the weird kid from around the block, the evolution of the GTV6 and Milano. All these facts are true, yet very few know about the Alfa Romeo 155. Compared to most classic Alfas, it is a bit of an oddity. The 155 is front wheel drive and born in the 90’s, meaning that collectors have largely ignored these little cars.
This February, we welcomed a beautifully spec’d 155 to the Cellar. This particular car is a 1996, V6 sport pack with factory speedline wheels and clover decals; it’s being split by Mark and Chris as a fun, Italian daily driver. After one week of driving, we are all in love.
On paper, the 155 is nothing special. Less than 200 hp and front wheel drive, it is lower in performance than say a Fiesta ST, or even an early 2000’s Saab. But the magic in this car isn’t in the specs, it’s in the charm. It has great visibility, and the gears are short. Every trip up to 40 mph gets you through four out of the five gears. In classic Italian fashion, the gauges (which don’t work) are impossible to see unless you position the steering wheel uncomfortably high. It has a coolant type of smell as it gets up to temperature, and it runs rich enough when cold that black soot quickly coats the back panel like a baby that keeps shitting its diaper.
The 155 is built well for an Italian car. The doors close solid but squeak over bumps as they probably did from the factory; it’s designed for the eccentric. The front window switches are on the door, but the rear switches are in the center. The trunk release is in the glovebox, and the warning lights are simply impossible to understand. It drives front heavy with a lot of body roll and mediocre brakes. Our version is has the Busso V6, which we agree is a fantastically smooth and lovely motor, but isn’t as lifechanging as Jeremy Clarkson would have you believe.
On backroads it’s a fun, front wheel drive experience, but the real magic is in the daily commute. The controls are smooth, and the short gearing is perfect for making every drive to the office fun. People wave and honk when they see it on the road, and it will stop you in your tracks like a 90’s Italian supermodel when you see it parked in the garage. It’s a car you want to be seen
I’ve never understood the obsession with Alfa Romeo, but after a week with our new 155, I can say that I’ve never fallen in love with a car so quickly. Is it good? No, like every Alfa Romeo, it’s full of flaws, but like the dog that keeps soiling the rug, we will fight anyone who tries to take it away.
