Details of Cars

Alfa Romeo 166 (Type 936): the front-wheel-drive executive saloon of 1996–2007

ALFA ROMEO

Alfa Romeo 166 executive saloon parked in China
Alfa Romeo 166 in China. Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Alfa Romeo 166 (Type 936) is an executive car produced by Alfa Romeo between 1996 and June 2007: a four-door saloon with a front-engine, front-wheel-drive layout that replaced the 164. It was designed by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo under Walter de Silva and was facelifted in September 2003.

Alfa Romeo 166 at a glance

Alfa Romeo 166 key specifications
Production 1996 – June 2007; facelift in September 2003
Body four-door saloon, front-wheel drive
Design Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, under Walter de Silva
Underpinnings modified Lancia Kappa platform
Petrol engines 2.0 Twin Spark 155 PS; 2.5 V6 190 PS; 3.0 V6 226 PS; 2.0 turbo V6 206 PS
Diesel 2.4 L five-cylinder 10-valve common-rail turbodiesel, 136 PS
Gearboxes 5-speed manual (2.0 TS); 6-speed manual (3.0 V6, 2.4, V6 Turbo); Sportronic automatic optional on 2.5 and 3.0
Replaced Alfa Romeo 164

This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.

History of the Alfa Romeo 166

The 166 served as the replacement for the 164. To keep the design fresh, Alfa Romeo made a series of modifications to the underpinnings that came from the Lancia Kappa, radically changing the suspension set-up, and took a clean-paper approach to the interior. The car was facelifted in September 2003 and production ended in June 2007.

Alfa Romeo 166 saloon seen from the side
Alfa Romeo 166 in China, side view. Photo by Dinkun Chen, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

Design and features

  • Equipment: the top “Super” models had a MOMO leather interior, 17-inch alloy wheels, rain-sensitive wipers, cruise control, climate control and an ICS (Integrated Control System) with a colour screen.
  • Options: xenon headlamps, GSM connectivity and satellite navigation.

Alfa Romeo 166 versions

  • 166 2.0 Twin Spark: the base petrol engine.
  • 166 2.5 and 3.0 V6: the V6 models with optional Sportronic automatic.
  • 166 2.0 V6 Turbo: the turbocharged V6; our older “166 2.0 V6 Turbo” page is covered here.
  • 166 2.4 JTD: the diesel.

More Alfa Romeo cars are in our Alfa Romeo collection, for example the Alfa Romeo 164 and the Alfa Romeo 159.

Alfa Romeo 166 questions and answers

What did the Alfa Romeo 166 replace?

The Alfa Romeo 164.

When was it built?

From 1996 to June 2007.

What is the 166 based on?

Modified Lancia Kappa underpinnings, with a radically changed suspension.

Who designed it?

Centro Stile Alfa Romeo under Walter de Silva.

What engines did it have?

2.0 Twin Spark, 2.5 and 3.0 V6, a 2.0 turbo V6 and a 2.4 five-cylinder turbodiesel.

Sources

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