5 Things You Didn't Know About The Fabulous Alfa Romeo 166

[@alexg2622]

I love my 166 3.0 Busso. For me it's an escape in the past, when everything was made with no cost reduction in mind. The leather on the seats and steering wheel is genuine Italian leather, not some imitation, the headlights are made of glass, not plastic, the engine sounds like an engine, with no engine sound in the speakers like nowadays, the ride is smooth and confortable with no annoyng driving aids. Just pure driving pleasure, nothing fake about it. It may not be as beautiful as the 156, but it's got a discreet elegance about it that makes it very special. Definitely a car worth collecting, a future classic.

[@studiocalder818]

I often regret the healthy glass headlights (apart from the 159 I only have cars with glass headlights in fact 😊). By the way, do you also think that the rear lights of the current models are more suitable for the amusement park?

[@alexg2622]

@@studiocalder818 I do actually. I don't really get the point of dynamic turn signals that seem like Christmas lights. Who needs that? Also I don't see the point of driving mods. I think one setup that gives the character of the car is enough. Now they are all the same, you press a magic buton and you are in "sport" mode, with muscle car sounds in the speakers. This feels like PlayStation to me. Less and less real cars nowadays.

[@bgsancho]

Made with no cost-reduction? You have to be kidding me. You are talking about 164. AlexG, as an ex-owner of not one or two 166s, I have to remind you about the quality of: -armrest cover, also his leather (eco leather) -sunglass glovebox in the middle of dashboard not opening -cracking tail lamps, that ones on the bonnet -sticky dashboard coating -very often failing central locking -not forget also about the blower heater fan, I had 2 of them failing with flames, for the past 2 years -eletric windows buttons -relays down there below heater plus automatic gearbox ecus, living in antifreeze coolant -upper wishbones In my last 166 I've counted 17 faults of mentioned above, for 36 000km. My previous 166 s weren't better.

[@alexg2622]

@@bgsancho always some internet expert to comment on reliability of 20 year old cars. Hello, it's a 20 year old car, it needs maintenance like every other car this age, get over it. Yes, tail lights crack after 20 years of exposure to the sun. Big deal. I don't know why we are having this ridiculous debate, allthough I am curious why if it's such a bad car, you felt the need to buy more than one of them.

[@bgsancho]

Just observing and saying the truth. I have now 2 x 164. In the past few more 164.They are not 20 yrs old. They are more close to 30. Never had that kind of problems with them. Being 31 years old is not a problem neither for heater blower, neither for central locking. 166 is just big degradation in class E after the pretty successful 164. I had 166s because I wanted. I wanted to have it, to drive it, to put beautiful wheels on it, to repair it, to make photos with it, to travel to Italy and so on. Also my opinions for 166 are starting from year 2012 with 2005 20V Distinctive, 7 years old car. I don't know why you are feeling forced to accept my expirience and opinion. I love Alfas but some of them are really unreliable. Like 166. Have a nice ride!

[@mitjademitrijcernac9204]

I owned two of Alfa 166 - best car I owned till that time!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Cool!

[@iliyailievski9139]

I have 166 pre-face lift, one of the best car ever made Car, with soul.

[@petedenton9434]

I think the pre-facelift 166 is the most elegant looking saloon (sedan) Alfa has made. I love mine :)

[@studiocalder818]

the side was fantastic, unique in my opinion, the front was aerodynamic, courageous, but it was not understood because it was too much understated compared to the importance of the car

[@danielemeytre4010]

Is TRUE!

[@Vonstroke]

I agree.

[@johnphaceas7434]

Totally agree the pre-facelift is the best. Preferably in metallic Cosmo Blue with teledial rims.

[@LeandreTexier]

I always loved the way 166 pre-facelift looked and i wanted to have one. Sadly enough there were absolutely none in sale with 3.0 V6 and decent condition so, i bought myself 156 2.5.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Well done. The 2.5 is perhaps the sweetest Busso of all.

[@sotirisbakaimis3276]

@@Matteo_Licata and the most durable

[@anakondase]

I always felt like it looked like a sad dog. Never could take the early 166 to my heart like many other Alfas. Loved the facelift though.

[@nickgav7390]

Makes sense. I only saw 2 of these in my life You must be very lucky to find one for sale

[@lucae6817]

My grandfather drove a night blue 166 3.0 with light brown/wooden interior. 270 000km without any problems. He cleaned it every week and it looked like new and a modern car after 20 years. Then it burned down on the highway because the mechanic made a mistake in the normal service… It was for me the most influental car(more than his testarossa) and I learned driving with it.

[@DaanvanGruisen]

Loved my 166 2.5 v6 in the color nuvola azzuro. Toured it across Italy and the rest of Europe.

[@chrisvanhoeflaken7412]

I have exactly that car with that spec and color.

[@DaanvanGruisen]

@@chrisvanhoeflaken7412 Shoot Chis now I am jealous!

[@AdamAus85]

Good tourer hey? Wonder how one would go driving long stretches of highway in Australia.

[@sainta2667]

I think that the 166 Pre facelift is the last true Alfa design, many people preferred the 156 , but if you look today, the 166 aged much better, it's classic , elegant and sexy - Every time I see one , it proves me again how special it is.

[@luka6239]

Alfa generally ages much better than others, BMW, audi... for example. And I love that :)

[@webmasterg3526]

I drove a 3litre 166 for 12 years from new - including driving her to Milan oveer the Alps for the Alfa 100 event. Followed that with a 170 QV-Linea Guiletta for 7 years but recently traded her in for a a Guilia. I beleive the Guilia is the last pure Alfa - certainly the last pure ICE one. I loved the Busso 'song' when galloping up a hill but the Guilia is a better drive and faster too. A beautiful car that turns heads - no idea why they don't sell but that is others loss as far as I'm concerned.

[@ibamarcel4577]

​@@luka6239sorry but that is not true.I was alfa Romeo owner 15 years.I had 156,gt,159...really Nice car and I loved them...but BMW E46 especially in coupé version or BMW E39 are beautiful cars also and aged very well too.maybe better than Alfa...if I choose nie between Alfa 166 or E39 pick BMW.and the i6 BMW engines are legendary.I had BMW E36 325i coupé and this machine was amazing

[@rover-t]

I have a 2005 2.0 TS with cream leather interior and 6 speed gearbox, which gets lots of tlc. So few 166s left on UK roads so it’s important to keep the model alive for future generations to appreciate.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I agree with you, the 166 deserves to be preserved. It was a great car that didn't get the respect and success it deserved when new, which is a pity. By then, Italian buyers in this segment were hooked on German cars and Alfa had a tough time selling 166s

[@Sharp931]

M. Schumacher used one 166, as a daily driver in his prime days at Ferrari.

[@sevenseems4917]

I always loved the style of 166, except... except the front of pre-facelift version. I could never get over that. For me personally, it's a face that even a mother could not love. However, I absolutely adore the front of facelift 166, from every angle, and I get to love and appreciate the entire design. Having a 166 with 3.2 busso, every drive is a special experience, one of the most magnificent engines in the world, in one of most elegant cars in the world.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I totally agree!

[@RollinRoadsUK]

I bought one in January for a bargain £1000. It went staright through the mot after just a little bit of soldering. The 3.0 v6 is such a silky smooth engine and feels alot more powerful than figures suggest! Im in love and have since bought a 159 as my daily

[@Matteo_Licata]

Oh wow! So great to hear you're enjoying your 166 so much that you bought another Alfa too. Alfas tend to have this effect on people ;)

[@Aygo84]

I've actually read a couple of times that the 166 was actually developped before the 156 and was planned to come out in 1996, but Fiat forced Alfa to put it on hold and bring out the 156 first... Which also might explain why the 166 looks more dated than the 156.

[@Matteo_Licata]

It's true. Work on the 164's successor started all the way back in 1990, and its gestation was so convoluted it went through two project codes!

[@Strike86]

Amazing information as always Matteo - we're so grateful you can translate and broadcast these little-known facts that seem only to exist in the Italian-speaking world. I wonder if any of Walter de Silva's original 166 design sketches still exist?

[@Matteo_Licata]

You’ve perfectly captured the whole idea behind Roadster Life: sharing Italian motoring culture with the world :) I don’t know for sure if the sketches still exist, but I think they do. When the Arese styling studio was closed, the material went to the Museum’s archives, so it should all be safe and preserved, as the people there care about Alfa and its history

[@andri1940]

One example of 166 GTA is on the Alfa Romeo museum, at least according to some websites. They are a few photos with the prototype on the net. I do own a 166 2.5 V6 (the 3.0 has terrible taxes in my country) and is a great machine, but i a also have a TS GT and i owned a 156 jts as well :) Great driving machines, all of them.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I got a complete list of the Museum's collection updated to 2013. It lists two 166, a phase 1 V6 from 1998 (which I've seen with my eyes) and another from 2004, listed as "silver GTA," which I haven't had the pleasure to see. It does seem prototypes were made, at least for the styling. But my source excluded any substantial development work on the powertrain.

[@ThePhilosopher01]

I bought myself a 2.5 v6 166 recently, I love the Engine.

[@donny2327]

My first Alfa. It was 'only' a TS but I can tell you it was one of the most special cars I've driven. Thanks for the Video

[@Matteo_Licata]

Cool! I'm glad you loved so much your 166 and you liked the video, thank you!

[@KoenigF50]

Would love to see more content on the Lancia k. Great video on a superb car as always.

[@rangleri]

So much interesting history! After seeing this video, I spent a long time in Google Maps Street view, at the streets around that former Fiat Rivalta facility. The place is huge, and the view to the mountains from there is incredible! There were some classic Pandas on the streets and one very nice pre-facelift 166, but a Carabinieri car was a Renault.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you enjoyed it! Now the Rivalta site is becoming a giant parts warehouse and dispatch center for the Stellantis group, so it's not abandoned, even if it hasn't produced cars for 20 years already.

[@nrs6956]

Viva Alfa Romeo!

[@Zocky73166]

my favourite Alfa thank you for this video

[@gearhead9828]

Did I understood correctly, you're working on a 166 book? That would be great! Thanks a lot for this interesting video, ciao 🙋‍♂️

[@Matteo_Licata]

For the time being, I'm done with Alfa-themed books. I interviewed that engineer about an earlier part of his career, related to Lancia :)

[@andyglewv8]

I owned a pre facelift 166. The best car I've owned, busso engine is superb.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Cool! 2.5 or 3.0?

[@andyglewv8]

3.0 ☺️

[@Niro.C]

I loved the 166 😊 Still would like to have a 2004-2007 (faceliftfed version) 3.2L V6 manual ...

[@wickiezulu]

Do any images exist of Walter De'Silvia's original 166 proposal before Fiat forced him to reprise a older design proposal, the latter 166 proposal that reached production gives the impression it was initally intended for some early-90s 164 rebody around the time the smaller 1992 155 and 1994 145 were introduced.

[@studiocalder818]

Interesting question and consideration

[@Matteo_Licata]

In the description you can see the video I cited, in which De Silva sketches the front end of the rejected car he wanted to make. It's not much, but it's something!

[@dani5rovic]

I have a 2006 166 3.2 v6 with a LSD it’s such a joy to drive and hear, ill try to keep it running forever.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Wow, I really hope you'll keep it forever, as it's a great Alfa!

[@sotirisbakaimis3276]

Grazie per il video. I own a 166 2.5 24v Busso (remapped producing 202 bhp on the dyno). Brilliant GT car, ideal for high speed cruising, although a little nose heavy regarding fast cornering due to Busso weight & FWD. Unfortunately an underestimated "ammiraglia", but with very little flaws & a great badge! I wish Alfa Romeo will design & produce a new ammiraglia!

[@Matteo_Licata]

202Hp sounds great! Ah, those V6s were lovely cars, it's a pity that taxation and insurance kept sales low here in Italy

[@ivangreco6593]

Una grande auto

[@petrhavlicek393]

Alfa Romeo 166 is great car !!!!!!!

[@Sferaristi]

Great Video as visual. Totally forgot that it was build that long actually.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Most of the world forgot about the 166 well before production ended, sadly...

[@richfixescars]

My father had a 2000 166 2.5V6 Lusso in Alfa red. I remember washing the car, the door curves were sensational. The issue in the UK was massive depreciation so no one bought them new, when they would be 50% value at 1 year old.

[@paullacey2999]

The problem with the 166,well,anything after the 164 was a tough call.....Maybe one day there will be another big Alfa,perhaps the Maserati QP platform could be used.We live in hope...🤞

[@richfixescars]

What about the Guilia?

[@paullacey2999]

@@richfixescars Guilia is a beautiful car,make no mistake,but thats not a big car like a Quattroporte.Its sized like a Ghibli.Alfa could go bigger....

[@Danse_Macabre_125]

@@paullacey2999 Imagine if they took the Quattroporte, restyled it and brought the 166 name back

[@keremtimuraykal4521]

166 was a beatifull car.Holding mine 99 even İts a Twinspark .

[@Matteo_Licata]

It may not be the fastest, but a 166 TS is well worth saving, as those are pretty rare!

[@martian9999]

Man, that Trumpchi looks like the 166's disfigured brother. Not even Zagato (where they say a major qualification for getting employment as a designer was to be blind), managed to do something that horrible with an Alfa foundation. (By the way, did they meanwhile introduce a "Donaldchi" model at some point? If so, it probably had interesting color selections).

[@danielemeytre4010]

Yes, I'm enjoyed. 😁 Someone preceded me on writing about the elegance of the car and particularly the front of the very first model.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you enjoyed it! The first iteration of the 166 seems to be more appreciated now that it was back then!

[@AdamAus85]

I'm going to see a facelift 166 this weekend for potential purchase. An 04 model in that dark grey colour with the 3.0 v6. We only got auto models here. Will look great next to the 156 SW in alfa red . Gonna be a long week waiting for Saturday to come, lol.

[@Matteo_Licata]

That’s very cool. I hope it’ll be a good one so you can close the deal 👍

[@AdamAus85]

@@Matteo_Licata it's pretty swell, just needs a few items like engine mounts, inner cv joints and boots, rotors and pads and central locking issues addressed. Otherwise, a beautiful, comfortable cruiser that now calls under my house, home.

[@MLC...]

Although the 166 has an understated elegance, for me personally, it lacks the shere beauty of the 164. The small headlights of the first serie 166 looks slightly wrong. The interiors are beautiful though.

[@MLC...]

The facelift front end looks really beautiful to my eyes.

[@UzY3L]

Its face says "move or don't move, I don't care either way". It's an eagle. An unimpressed eagle that has places to be and zero time for your bullshit

[@linoabreu5477]

I'm veryyyyy tempeting to buy a 2003 pre-facelift 2.0 ts, i know it's not a v6, but i love the damn thing, and they getting rare even the ts... well, at least in my country, only 33 166 2.0ts are running...😅 Correct me if i'm wrong, but the black ones are called, Mafioso black?

[@Matteo_Licata]

I wouldn't mind buying a TS. As you've said, these are rare... Few people bought petrol 166s at all, and those who did ordered the V6. So the entry-level TS is quite rare, and a lovely car nonetheless.

[@linoabreu5477]

Even the entry-level, are amazing indeed...The hole ideia having a 166(even a 2.0 ts), it's to enjoy sundays with family in a car wich doesn't look like a german saloon like everybody... and to be honest, the 166 as a special charm in that department

[@Matteo_Licata]

@@linoabreu5477 I agree! :)

[@studiocalder818]

Never heard about mafioso black... 33 2.0 ts only: where are you from?

[@linoabreu5477]

@@studiocalder818 portugal(but the moment living in uk), i heard a long time they call the specifc black, mafioso black, not sure if was a 166, but i do know has an alfa

[@cesartoledo6069]

Fantastico

[@kevgermany]

Sad loss of opportunity. Merc had their AMG models... Lovely car, even if it wasn't what the alfa guys wanted to make. Thanks Matteo

[@carlossilva1462]

I have one! 2.5 V6 2002

[@jaimegonzalez661]

Dear Matteo, what about making a video around Alfa Romeo's history in F1 ?

[@Matteo_Licata]

Although I know the subject matter pretty well, I'm not that "into" motorsport, so I don't know whether I'll do a video about F1

[@jaimegonzalez661]

@@Matteo_Licata , either way, see you next week ;-) Greetings from Portugal !

[@peterkleinveld9705]

What about the rumor that the Lancia Kappa was too successful opposite of the 166 and FIAT management decided to kill the Kappa production years before the Thesis arrived? The Kappa production was 117,216.

[@studiocalder818]

Sorry, I didn't quite understand what you mean

[@peterkleinveld9705]

@@studiocalder818 There was a rumor that Fiat management decided to kill the Lancia Kappa in favor of the Alfa 166. because the Alfa 166 sales were not that good.

[@studiocalder818]

@@peterkleinveld9705 In fact I didn't understand, because in reality the Kappa was not a great success, compared to the Thema. Above all, the contributions of the station and the coupe were lacking

[@peterkleinveld9705]

@@studiocalder818 Indeed but Lancia has outsold Alfa in many ways in the past. Especially in Italy. Strange...?

[@giovannibelle1615]

Ciao Matteo, I love your video's, as an Alfisti and proud owner of a 2015 Giulietta QV I wanted to buy some of your cool t-shirts on your site as a way to support your great content, which I love to watch but I went to buy 2 shirts today only to find I am getting charged shipping twice (for each tshirt) when they are both coming to see address! I can't justify $30 to send 2 t-shirts and I have purchased from overseas sites many times and getting charged much less

[@Matteo_Licata]

Ciao Giovanni. Thank you for letting me know of this. I’ll look for alternatives to Teespring as a merch provider, as such shipping costs are simply unreasonable.

[@giovannibelle1615]

@@Matteo_Licata Grazie Matteo, if you can let me know if you have a resolution I will be ready to buy right away 👏🏼👏🏼🇮🇹❤️

[@Matteo_Licata]

@@giovannibelle1615 I'm setting up a new shop via Spreadshop, and I plan to put it online in January, replacing the current Teespring shop that I'm going to close. My hope is that the new company will provide faster and cheaper delivery.

[@ivangreco6593]

Peccato che sia sottovalutata ma come auto per me e una delle migliori alfa romeo di sempre

[@Matteo_Licata]

Sicuramente una delle migliori Alfa: ben fatta, affidabile e comoda, con ottimi motori

[@domenicogaldo6065]

Matteo, I used to think that Lancia was for Luxury and Alfa was more sporty, am I wrong in this assumption?

[@Matteo_Licata]

Well, in broad terms, it's not wrong. Lancias have historically been better finished, even though performance could often equal Alfas

[@ivangreco8874]

Grande auto

[@through_changes]

The 166,was a missed opportunity in my view.... Coming one year after the elegant 156 and replacing the goddess 164, the technology was there but the exterior design was not!!! It was a shame, because the car was brilliant as a driving experience...

[@studiocalder818]

The side was fantastic, unique in my opinion, too bad for the front

[@Random-nf7qb]

Eh, considering its platform was a derivative of the Type 4, I wouldn't say the technology was there 100%. Yes, the platform was revised once for the Kappa, and a second time for the 166, but still.

[@through_changes]

@@Random-nf7qb the suspension and the engines, diesel included, were state of the art for the time.

[@through_changes]

@@studiocalder818 agree to the extent that side could be better, and face although not ugly, but not Alfa heritage worthy, just to be polite...

[@studiocalder818]

@@through_changes Road handling top

[@rabit818]

Is the 166 meant to compete with the BMW 3 or the Mercedes C series? Once again, it’s a handsome Alfa Romeo car

[@Matteo_Licata]

The 166 was a 5-series rival here in Europe

[@crispinimini]

A macchina mas Bella di sedã até Oggi fábricato.

[@daxywalker]

I have a alfaromeo 166 twin spark I love the car alfaromeo best car my dad has much alfa romeo busso best car in in the world

[@timhancock6626]

I could never get to love the " pinched nose " design of the first 166 with the tiny headlights. I was also disappointed to see them rusting in the UK faster than the 164 they replaced. I had three 164s yet I was only briefly tempted to buy a 166, and I can't quite tell you why I decided not to buy one. I think the marketing was atrocious and there should have been service packages available to enable a ceiling to be put on cost of ownership. That would have helped residuals which is what has always killed off Alfa in the company sector. The car itself was in many respects the least of the problem. We never received the diesel version in the UK at all, so Alfa...or Fiat...gave up on company sales here without even trying. The facelift was what it should have been to begin with, but it was all too late.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I didn't know that Alfa never sold the JTD 166 in the UK. Weird, given the 2.4 five-pot was taking over 70% of the model's sales here in Italy.

[@timhancock6626]

@@Matteo_Licata I think they decided that the Right Hand Drive market was just not going to prove big enough to justify the extra model, but it was a very counter intuitive move as everybody had been turning to the turbo diesel for some time, and there was plenty to go for. It was a puzzle for me when they did it.

[@johnphaceas7434]

I've always liked the 166, and definitely prefer the original pre-facelift design. It grows on you, while I think the facelifted version (like the facelifted 156) is just too bland, corporate and "safe". Only problem here in Australia is that they are all automatics. Not that I'm complaining - I have just added a 156 GTA to my driveway, though I will have to reluctantly find a new home for my s1 V6 Q-auto to make room for it. Which is a shame as it is a suberbly comfortable, stylish and agile highway cruiser. Or I could sell my slightly shabby Alfetta GTV - but I think I would end up regretting that.

[@deepakhazareesingh44]

The 166 was a good car, no question , even better than the 164 (road holding, build quality) but IMO it came a few years too late to be able to be an alternative to the German premium brands. In hindsight, maybe a GTA version-fitted, why not, with a heavily updated version of the Montreal's V8- as a halo model would have worked wonders in pulling the entire line.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Bringing back the old Montreal V8 (or any other long-discontinued engine) would cost just as much as designing a brand new unit, it wouldn't have made sense. But yes, I agree in general that a GTA couldn't have hurt the 166's image, that's for sure!

[@filipfilipov2261]

I own a 166 2.4 jtd 2000th, it drives wonderfully and it's fast as f*ck(plus the sexy airplane turbo sound) but my countrie's roads are sh*tty so the rubbers on the wishbones break really quick and also the heads of the front shock absorbers and the engine mounts so it's really expensive to maintain it(at least 200-300euros in 4 months)

[@yaroslavbozhdynsky]

166 was produced from 1996. So was the 156.

[@arafamulia7048]

3.0v6 166 is my second wife, some time show me her temper, haha...

[@gaetanoflorio6277]

Thank you again Matteo for the intel on the "ugly" 166 serie 1. Unfortunately, even in Australia it wasn't received well.like the 164 and now are selling for the price of a second hand mobile phone. Thatnk God the Busso is worth something as they are snapped up for engine xonversions or uogrades on older V6 models. Pity the GTA version never made it. Once again FIAT has destroyed a once fabled brand. Saluti form Down Under 🇬🇸

[@AnyoneSeenMikeHunt]

Don't think I've ever seen a 166 here in Au.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Very few export sales indeed. Over half of production never left Italy, actually.

[@UzY3L]

Awesome video, thank you! Check out this absolute madman who put the 159's AWD system on the 166, thus creating the 166 Q4: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iInQdIqKfbmaoqs It's something I'm interested in doing also on my 2.0V6 turbo 166 but I think the 156 AWD system will fit too (also, cheaper) Also, the 166 handles like no other car. Even when it slips, it stabilizes immediately with little to no effort on your part. Hard to describe; an absolute joy to drive

[@studiocalder818]

It almost seems that Alfa was in a hurry to get the car out. The 166, a car of excellent road quality, did not have the same build qualities as the 156, and the interior appeared less studied to me.

[@Random-nf7qb]

5 things about the Lancia K when? :)))

[@Matteo_Licata]

When I'll find out 5 little known factoids about it :)

[@peterstaykov9670]

☀️☀️☀️🧡🧡🧡🥃

[@raufsahin334]

😀😀🤩