Delivering 162 kW, this engine is one of the most powerful in its category. It delivers a peak torque of 265 Nm at 5000 rpm and takes 8.6 seconds to speed from 0 to 100 kmh. Its top speed is also one of the best in its category: 236 kmh. This performance is delivered through the Sportronic gearbox which offers the choice of normal automatic mode, performance self-shifting and Tiptronic style manual gear selection.

The Alfa 166, even before the advent of the 166 Ti, is well equipped, with electric windows, power locks and remotely controllable door mirrors, as well as cruise control, auxiliary power points front and rear and power seats in the front with memories and heating. There is also a GSM mobile phone, a central control system with a large LCD colour screen that controls the extensive CD stacker/cassette audio system, the ventilation system which features climate control, comprehensive trip computer and a GSM phone. The locks are not just remotely controlled with the boot also available to be remotely opened.

“The most recent cars to wear the Ti badge have been the Alfa Romeo 147 and 156, both of which proved very successful in all markets,” says Lawrie Malatios, General Manager for Alfa Romeo in New Zealand. “The new 166 Ti is a worthy successor to those cars and its predecessors that have carried the Ti badge for more than 55 years. The Ti package provides the 166 with a distinctive new appearance, it links the 166 to Alfa Romeo’s heritage and it provides a new level of luxury and equipment. But, unlike any previous Ti model before it, the 166 Ti does this without any increase in price, making it an outstanding proposition for enthusiastic drivers looking for a car that is stylish, different and uniquely an Alfa Romeo.”