Driving satisfaction, travelling satisfaction. The former has always been one of Alfa Romeo's strengths and the latter is compulsory in a car with the character of an Alfa and the class of a great saloon. Simply climb aboard to see for yourself.

The New Alfa 166 is an upper-crust car and its personality shines through during any road test. The reasons? Because it is as comfortable and quiet as you would expect from a flagship - and its roadholding and stability are all you would expect from an Alfa Romeo. Other typical Alfa Romeo features include limited roll, sure-footed rear suspension support on corners and prompt, gradual steering. 

The New Alfa 166 is also easy to drive because corrections made by the driver are accurately executed. A very direct steering wheel ratio ensures clean steering and makes the car a treat to drive. You never have to wrestle with your car. Quite the contrary: you can take every bend with style without taking your hands off the wheel. 

The secret of this performance lies in sophisticated mechanical systems. In the case of the suspension, for example, a high double wishbone configuration at the front is combined with a multilink system at the rear. From a technical viewpoint, this means that the front tyres always work in an ideal manner in relation to the ground with uniform specific pressures over the entire contact area. The rear tyres are led along trajectories that allow them to turn without ever sliding to ensure maximum roadholding in all situations.

This kind of behaviour is naturally very important when it comes to active safety. When the New Alfa 166 needs to avoid a sudden obstacle, it makes the most of its attributes at the most crucial stages of the manoeuvre: the beginning and end. In the former case, by responding quickly (due above all to the front suspension) and offering maximum lateral grip. In the latter case, by realigning smoothly and intuitively. This action is aided by the small steering actions imposed by the rear suspension. The car's performance is aided by a braking system that is closer in structure, size and materials to that of a sports car than the braking systems of other models in the same segment. 

It is easy to imagine the driving satisfaction afforded to aficionados by a car able to exploit the response of a truly outstanding suspension. The front suspension renders the car neutral and almost lacking in understeer so it can be directed exactly where the driver wishes. The rear configuration imposes a slight steering action on the rear wheel to address any bend smoothly and progressively. 

The Alfa Romeo flagship combines the great driving comfort assured by the suspension with ultra-low noise levels and outstanding climate control because safety begins here: i.e. the ability to control the car with full mental and physical wellbeing. The New Alfa 166 is also fitted as standard with a fully automatic climate control system able to assure the best possible comfort and safety conditions. Passenger compartment temperature, humidity and ventilation can all affect the driver's level of awareness and wellbeing. And of course the heating and ventilation system is also responsible for demisting the windscreen and side windows. And there is more. The Alfa 166 system is also fitted with a temperature estimator that records internal and external temperature by means of certain sensors and assesses the sensation of thermal well-being experienced by passengers, i.e. the energy exchange between human body and passenger compartment that is affected by humidity, temperature and treated air flow.

Another sensor located in the middle of the windscreen base detects solar radiation striking the car. In other words, the sensor allows the system to prevent an excessive increase in temperature inside the car caused by the sun and thus to inform the climate control system in time.

All these parameters are monitored continuously and used to update the distribution, ventilation and mixing automatically. Outlet air temperature and fan speed can be adjusted to maintain the sensation of thermal wellbeing preset by the user in the passenger compartment. The result is a very constant interior temperature, even with significant changes in external conditions. 

Each of these parameters may also be adjusted manually. Manual settings take precedence over the automatic system and are stored until the user cancels the command. 

Particular attention has also been directed to the quality of the air that reaches the car interior through a two-layer filter. The first traps particles that measure more than 0.5 microns in diameter and pollen (that can cause allergic reactions). The second active carbon filter reduces polluting substances and absorbs unpleasant smells. 

The recirculation function is activated automatically when the passenger compartment temperature has to be reduced quickly. It may also be activated manually to prevent unclean air entering when the car is in queues or driving through a tunnel. 

The 2.4 JTD version may even be equipped with an additional 5 kW heater to increase comfort in winter. The device begins to operate when the car is started up when exterior temperature and engine coolant temperature drop below a certain level. The device speeds up passenger compartment heating and allows the engine to reach the correct heat more quickly.