Alfa Romeo 166 3.0 V6 Goes for a Drive

[@andrewdean1216]

Gosh, this takes me back. I had a 166 2.0 Twin Spark Lusso in 2000 from new as a company car. Black with cream leather., sunroof and AC. I was 30 and felt like I had arrived in style. Toured Europe in it, never broke down. The very first week I had it, we drove down to Monaco and parked it outside Cafe de Paris. I think the car has aged amazingly well, it still looks very fresh today, a testament to its beautiful design. I struggled in future years to find a car that matched the 'feel' and class of the 166.. which I finally found in my Maserati Granturismo. Until lockdown I travelled to Rome regularly, these early models are still in use by some type of police force, never marked but with blue lights often in convoy. A very big thank you for this film, loved it.

[@sotirisbakaimis3276]

very good comment!!!

[@soundseeker63]

You are SO lucky to have been offered a new 166 as a company car! I bet very, very few people (outside of Italy) got it as an option.

[@matthewgodwin3050]

I've never understood this dynamic; Alfa Romeo makes a stonking good product that looks amazing and sounds even better, but almost nobody buys it. Yet BMW makes an unreliable pile of utter rubbish and everybody goes mad for it, despite it being even less robust than a politician's promises. What a strange world we live in.

[@a.b.6233]

You damn bugger got that spot on. A friend of mine had an alfa 164 3.0 v6, black, then got himself a 166 3.0 v6, burgundy, at the time my ride was a Ford Mondeo so when we went to the pub I always came up with excuses to get him pick me up just to hear those engines ravv up. Then came the moment the Mondeo gave up so I went out looking for an Alfa, no matter which one as long as it had a 3.0 v6. I drove home on a BMW. I felt like an idiot then, I still feel like an idiot now. And now, when I read your comment, I laughed out loud, very loud, just like an idiot.

[@martinda7446]

The perception of a brand by the consumer is something of an enigmatic thing. Edit: And they spend millions on advertising to sway you toward buying their toothpaste...Whole generations of buyers, geographically worldwide for a world brand, tend to build and hold the same view of a product, so messing up can break a brand or tarnish it for years. Alfa had a few problems. First they were Italian. The big markets the US, UK, France and Germany had a dim view of Italian engineered things in the late 60s and 70s. This was simple bigotry. Hard to fight that. Then there were the union disputes and so on which affected the whole of Italian car production in the 70s. The whole industry stopped and steel was bought in from the USSR. The biggest market in the world was the US and as we know they hate ''commies'' and cars built with communist steel was one thing, but cars rusting before they were even delivered was another. Lancia died here. Horror stories of engines dropping through rusted subframes in the showrooms. Italian motors were seen as unreliable with shoddy workmanship, rusty rubbish. Sure they looked nice, and sure they could make a good engine, why they could even make cars that handled well. Just they fell apart after a week. This perception took Alfa thirty years to shrug off. It took a new generation without the memory. It took a good car. The 166 was not it. The 156 was. BMW hold a very different place in the mind of the consumer. Desirable, Performance, Engineering, Quality etc. All good things. These too are hard to shrug off and displace in the consciousness, fortunately for BMW.

[@soundseeker63]

BMWs of the time (E38, E39, E46 etc.) Were far, far from "unreliable utter pile of rubbish". You have absolutely no idea what you are talking about there. The fact there are plenty of them still around 20+ years later should say something about that. The newer ones however.... Time will tell. Sure these Alfas looked nice, went well and were luxurious but they were also thirsty, depreciated horribly, expensive to tax, and were tarnished by the reputation for serious reliability / quality failings of their cars from 15-20 years earlier. Having a good product alone is not enough sadly, people tend to want some kind of assurance that what they are buying will last well and be easy to live with and thats why most people just weren't brave enough to spend £30k on an Alfa. That, and the fact that the real world running costs were significantly higher than equivalent BMW or Audi models.

[@Petrospect]

@@soundseeker63 ...and compared to a BMW it's front wheel drive which shrinks its appeal for enthusiasts both in period and later on. And that was peak BMW we're talking about here. They were on top of the world back then. It's an unfair comparison.

[@soundseeker63]

@@Petrospect I still have an E39 and have driven a 166 as well (many moons ago). The criticism of FWD is only really valid if you drive around on the ragged edge everywhere or like to floor it from a standing start...and if you are still in that mindset then neither of those cars is for you! In most normal situations on the road the 166 was more than adequate around the bends, though I did find the clutch rather heavy. It was the combination of thirst and maintenence worries that put me off personally (I could not afford and would not have considered one new in any case). And for most potential new buyers it was the fact that after 3 years it would be worth half what 5-Series or A6 would be worth come trade in... Same reason why the big French cars never sold well. You had to REALLY want to be different because financially they just didn't make any sense at all.

[@Salman-sc8gr]

Superb leather seats by Momo, no German car can match just the sheer quality of them.

[@shamanZimbabwe]

I just bought an 166 last sunday :D Absolutley love this car!!

[@barimiha220]

My first car was actually the 2000- Alfa 166. It was a 2.4JTD with 140hp. Drove it for around 2 years and switched to a Fiat Stilo JTD. Wasn't impressed as much with it and traded it for a 2003 156 JTD. I was very happy with that car and drove it for about 50,000km. Sold it a couple of days ago and went back to the 166, only this time it's a 2005 model 2.4JTDm. Couldn't be happier

[@imeprezime9280]

I had 2.0TS, i lowered her 3 cm front and 2 cm back , it was same like this on video, and i put 19” toora alloys from 159 TI. Best car i ever had.

[@antoncornelissen9707]

Beautiful! Brings back memories. Drove the 166 V6 daily for 14 years.! The best Alfa I’ve ever had. Gorgeous V6 and an headturner. Always had a smile on my face 😎 Alfa 4ever👊

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

YES YES YES - the 166 - I absolutely love that car!!!! Bring back memories of my younger Alfa days: bits and pieces falling off - but the sound, the design, the whole Alfa feeling. Nothing really beats it ! 👍👍👍

[@webmasterg3526]

Purchased a 3ltr Sportronic 166 in 2003 and ran it for 12 years & 120K - very reliable car, fast and comfortable. Drove it to Italy for the Alfa 100th - went over the Alps from Metz - a 7 hour drive and I could have carried on for a few more hours. Loved that Busso song - had my favourite hill to charge up (to let her sing every now and then) - she's greatly missed. Thank you for reminding me... Antonio, when you are in an Alfa, you really don't care about the small details - you just want to drive it, nothing else matters really

[@robsshedoftech6457]

Had 2 of these - a silver 2.5 V6 auto and a 3.0 auto in dark metallic green. Probably 2 of the most enjoyable cars I've had, though the 3.0 was the better - the extra 500cc made all the difference. Had many Alfas, Lancias and Fiats including the Alfa 146 Ti, which was great, 2 x Tipo Sedicivalvole (good cars), Lanica Thema 16v Turbo (one of my favourites), Stilo Abarth (surprisingly good with a wonderful engine note) and a Fiat Barchetta (overtaking was always exciting!)

[@JamesMinchew]

My 3.0 Super was a six speed manual. Conveniently, the Q2 diff was a £250 upgrade and made it even better.

[@Negativvv]

£250 upgrade... Steal of the century, it's more like 3 or 4 times that price to get an Independent to fit a Quaife diff. I've heard the LSD can make the car perform amazing things, my own Busso is open diff.

[@SA-zoom1]

One of the best looking saloons ever made

[@donny2327]

I had a '00 2:0 L manual for a time. It was one of of the best cars I've ever driven. Red with cream leather. It was my first Alfa, and though I've had a few since, the 166 really was / is something special. My boss at the time used to look for any excuse to drive it. Great review.

[@richardjohnson3463]

Thanks Matt. You just made my day. What a lovely thing a 166 with a V6 is. A manual gearbox would be so good in that car. More Alfa content please.... 155? 75? 164? 156? GTV? Your enthusiasm for the marque shines through. Thanks again, brilliant!

[@goingundersground]

I had a 164 3.0V6 in the early nineties and that busso engine was wonderful. To look at and to listen to...

[@erikdikkers7931]

I have one. 3.0 v6 with the old front. Had a facelift model as well but I prefer the old model. Have not driven it for 3 years now but it still starts immediately. Hope to use it next year as daily driver again.

[@piratescoron]

I owned a 166 3ltr triptronic. I loved it, best everyday car I ever owned. Always put a smile on my face

[@RichieRouge206]

Oh the best sounding engine, the Busso is the best sounding engine ever made. Period. Just wow. Superb video of arguably the best looking car ever created. I would have this any day over anything German.

[@stuarthall2180]

I love Alfas but you will Never beat the sound of a V8 😯

[@doddsalfa]

@@stuarthall2180 think it beats it easy

[@stuarthall2180]

@@doddsalfa Not in a million years my friend. Alfas, fiat a Peugeot teaming up with General motors, you couldn't make it up. Rolling piles of crap 😯

[@doddsalfa]

@@stuarthall2180 you need to check out the story of the Busso engine before you start to confuse it with General Motors

[@danieleregoli812]

@@stuarthall2180 You clearly have NO idea what you are talking about. ZERO. What Peugeot teaming up with GM car are you talking about????

[@johanneswarn5488]

My mom had a 2001 166 2,0 TS for about 8 years and only the interior fan broke, nothing else apart from that. SUPER comfortable and it was so planted at the same time. Very underrated cars! The TS engine was a bit underpowered for the car but the rest made up for it. A great long distance cruiser.

[@adamr6789]

Haha! “Perfect for a child who’s not smoking very much yet”! Brill

[@rover-t]

Just bought a face lifted 2005 Twin Spark 😍 Has a 6 speed manual, but essentially the same inside as the one in this vid.

[@asafschneider3395]

Started playing this with the auto generated captions mistakenly on. Whenever you revved that V6, the caption read: [music]. It really did, try it.

[@syntetiskvag4458]

Brilliant 👌

[@bobibest89]

This channel is pure gold. Thanks so much.

[@roverchap]

Oh what a beauty! So stylish and so Italian. I have a 156 2.0TS Lusso which was a £1000 banger but has been very reliable. Now I know I just have to scratch that 166 itch and own one of these gorgeous barges before the lights go out on petrol cars.

[@Ade2bee]

I had a 164 in fact I’ve had two of them and they were marvellous

[@peterdevreter]

One of the most beautiful cars made late 90's early 2000's. Also loved the 156 and 157. Never had the guts to buy one.

[@savagesam205]

At the company where I work, the CEO and CFO both had black 166 V6's back in the day.

[@joefattal7592]

Great Videos 👍🏼I had a 166 V6 and it was special even when it went wrong. Loved it.

[@test868]

Traded a Golf VR6 for a metallic red 166 3.0 V6 (6 speed manual) in the year 2000. Loved the engines in both. I kept hitting the rev limiter in the Alfa as it never really sounded strained at high revs. Only kept it for a couple of years but didn’t have any problems with it. Interior was blacker than Darth Vader’s bathroom.

[@RRV8]

I used to own this exact car, September 2015 to Feb 2016 new calipers and brake lines even in that short period, great when it worked! And my third and final 166!

[@tonythewelshtrucker]

I bought her in January, the last owner wasnt good to her but i am getting her back to her best slowly! She is already back on the road with new hub carrier bushes and new headlights as well as a fresh MOT. Hoping to upload a few videos of her as she gets better 👍

[@Nakkisampyla]

Automatic isn't the best for this, 3.2 V6 with 6-speed is a masterpiece and quite sporty

[@271production]

having owned a 3.2, I disagree. The car is very heavy in the nose and it doesn't know what to do with all the torque on the front wheels. An automatic suits the executive saloon character much better. Now, if the 3.2 had a factory LSD and pedals that allowed heel-toe then that would be a different story.

[@gregorizi]

@@271productionAutomatic engines usually last longer than their manual counterparts.

[@addz17]

As an owner of Nissan's vq35hr i wager that it and most nissan v6 engine are better in every measurable way lol It makes an extra 73hp and loads more torque with only 300cc more capacity, revs higher, more fuel efficient and is infinitely more reliable. Nissans VQ series has also won multiple awards over the years for being one of the best in the industry. To call Alfa's v6 engines masterpieces when many manufacturers do it so much better... i can't agree, its average at best, a glorified Fiat punto engine with polished intake pipes to lure in people who like shiny things.

[@danieleregoli812]

@@addz17 OMG what the hell are you talking about. Do some research. Read, learn, know. You are talking about a long line of very fine, very high-quality V6 engines named after the engineer who designed it, Mr. Busso. It's ok to troll around You Tube whilst sitting on your toilet waiting to wipe your butt, but at least keep your mouth shut, you clearly do not belong in the conversation, and have zero clue what we are talking about.

[@addz17]

@@danieleregoli812 uh ohh Mr ravioli's triggered lol there are better v6 engine than alfa ones ffs

[@GregApplebyJustBoards]

I'm in Australia & I have a 3.0 Auto 166, 2002 late pre-facelift I've had for about 6 years.. My first Alfa & most likely my last. Meaning I will probably die without finding its worthy replacement. My only complaint is it tends to encourage driving faster than some authorities deem appropriate. Love the Rosso Proteo metallic paint with black momo leather interior. I'm perhaps biased, but I prefer the pre-facelift front to the facelift.

[@conga63]

Hi Greg, where abouts in Australia do you live. I'm in Brisbane. I have a 2003, 3.0 Auto with 83.000ks. Its silver with red interior. I absolutely love it.

[@GregApplebyJustBoards]

@@conga63 I'm in Gympie. My car has gearbox troubles at the moment. BTW I have a 2007 3.0 l v6 facelift car that has parts the same as your car. I bought it mainly for the gearbox

[@johanneswarn5488]

And my dad had a 1997 Lancia Kappa 2.0t estate with 210-ish hp. Super plush and quiet and comfortable. Really reliable too actually, never went wrong. Was quite Quick and had a nice BOV sound

[@flaviokart16]

The infotainment is not rubbish, it's Becker unit, same used on the Porsches from that time.

[@sotirisbakaimis3276]

correct. It is called ICS

[@kristoffer3000]

"It's nearly 3 meters long." I suppose that's technically correct...

[@Luke-PlanesTrainsDogsnCars]

Approaching 3 meters from the the wrong direction ...panadol for Matt.

[@fhwolthuis]

Maybe he was confused with something else 😂

[@luisfigointer]

He must have thought 3feet in a meter...

[@e46M3_DakarYellow]

3 liters long!!!!

[@1240enzo]

I owned a 156 JTS Sportwagon for 9 yrs, loved it immensely, such a good looking, practical, good handling car. Incredibly economical as well. I had Bilsteins installed which only further improved the handling. Having driven all the 916 series cars (Gtv,Gtv6, spider and GT) I remember how good all of these cars were. I nearly bought a 166 as well, and yes the leather was superb in all these Alfa’s. The thing re the ECU getting fried could be overcome by covering it to stop fluid leaking on to it. It’s a real pity that so many of these Alfa’s have been lost due to parts unavailability and the cost in maintaining them.

[@albertorodriguezfernandez5956]

I had the 2.5 v6 version in black, exactly like this one. I used it as daily driver for 4 years. BEAUTIFUL car. Absolutely sensational. With 2 big issues: 1. Electrics are SHIT. Watch them carefully. The car electrically is very very poorly resolved. The AC system is a bad Joke. The Siemens computer is also tricky as hell. 2. AVOID cold weather like the plague. This 166s hate the winters and water. Bodywork wasn't made for Scandinavia or even German roads. Drive it in dry and mild temperatures Great car, drive it in summers, keep it clean and maintained , and will last decades.

[@sotirisbakaimis3276]

Hello from Greece. Great review. I own a 2.5 V6 24v lusso grey full leather (REG 2003). I agree to every of your comments. The car is a very very good GT vehicle, aerodynamic & capable of swallowing kilometers. With the remap (Austria's All Car Tuning) & with 100 octane fueled, on the dyno showed 204 hp from the standard 188 hp. The general quality is very good also & you can forgive the FWD since it handles the road well for a big executive. Here in Greece we still don't face shortage of parts, thankfully, but we are a neighboring country to Italy. The sound of the Busso is there but due to the excellent noise reduction materials the car is not loud. I think in a few years time the well maintained 166s will be a collector's car. I never had reliability issues or failures and the car has exceeded 330.000 km!!!

[@rezaq1]

Just watched this again having taken delivery of my fifth 166, another 2.0 TS facelift. The dial you refer to near the headlamps is the dash illumination. Also worthy of note, the 2 button key is no longer available from Alfa! Ridiculous I know, so if you have only one key, you’ll write off the car if you lose it. I have developed a solution which works. You can purchase a transponder SIP16 key for a Maserati (there are some Alfa ones out there), have it cut at Timpsons against the one key you do have. Then, certain Timpsons stores can read your existing key and transfer it across to I believe an ID48 transponder chip which they supply. You then need to faff around with them to learn the key off the existing one and program it via the car. Tedious, but it works! I had two spares made for mine which obviously open the doors/boot and start the car. You will, however, lose the central locking and the alarm but it is what it is. I have now locked away my real 2 button key for fear of losing it and use the mechanical key daily. Gets the key nicely bedded in aswell. Bare this in mind if you’re buying a 166 with a single key...

[@cleanlinesautomotive9826]

The 166 certainly divides opinion regarding its looks, I think in its own way, the looks are very elegant and certainly individual to Alfa. I actually prefer the look of the Mk1 166, I've been lucky enough to own both a 156 GTA and a 166 V6, I can honestly say I believe the Busso V6 is undoubtedly one of the greatest engines ever produced. Its so addictive, dare I say properly set up it will more than hold it's own against a V8 in terms of pure noise. *Goes searching for another V6 Alfa in the classifieds :) Great vid of a fantastic and rare car.

[@Stevieboy130664]

I had a pre facelift 2.0 litre. Wish I'd gone for a manual 3 litre but prefer the small nose and lights of the pre facelift car. Beautiful! Mine had the black leather partial electric seats - the best, most comfortable and supportive seats on any car I have ever owned.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

Alfa?? V6??? Belongs to a certain Mechanic?? That's lunchtime viewing sorted right there!

[@jeffbigbear1766]

3meters u sure😂

[@SRAMEK]

Well, if he's a mechanic, his customers should be concerned....3 meters long, talking about smaller twin spark engines, which have never been in 166 (only the 2.0 appeared there), mentioning the 3.2, as influenced by the GM (it's bloody Busso as well not like the one in the 159 and the 3.2 is really not less reliable than the 3.0) and many other inaccuracies...The car is great though

[@AirsoftV3]

Just found your channel today after looking at 166's. This video made me want one soooo bad. Great production, very informative, keep it up sir!

[@burakh.8670]

I recently owned a 1998 3.0 manual gearbox with Zender kit with really rare optional color Aurora Iridescente 114a with black leather interior just done 104k. Will keep it for long years.

[@aHumanCookiee]

Great video, keep up the Alfa Coverage, your comments around 24 minutes about the 3.2 being "not as good" and "GM parts being involved" aren't right, no doubt the 3.2 is more problematic, but that's mainly due to the 3.2 having the pre-catalysts in the exhaust manifold (so 4 cats), these have a reputation for excessive heat, cooking the ECUs and head gaskets in many a GTA, which also uses the 3.2. The engine itself is still very much all Busso V6, just in a higher state of tune. The GM derived V6 came after the 166,147 and 156 bloodline, appearing in the Brera and 159. Shame really, they would be lovely cars if they had stuck to Alfa Romeo engines, unfortunately time moves on

[@goyadressunofficial]

Me: About to go to bed Matt: Alfa 166 3.0 V6 Goes for a Drive Me: Bed can wait Me: Also, "so very Alfa" is the "so very HubNut" of auto manufacturing

[@rimmersbryggeri]

What about "So very Citroen"?

[@goyadressunofficial]

@@rimmersbryggeri I'll await the next Citroen review for that reference! Hopefully Matt gets around to the C6 one of these days.

[@rimmersbryggeri]

@@goyadressunofficial Yeah that's kind of the equivalent of the 166.

[@jimhenry7173]

American...what does submit mean?

[@nsz2302]

Please dont take this the wrong way i own a 166 v6 aswell and i have a few corrections to add. 1.Your engine is a cf3(4cat maybe at one point it was modified hence the check engine light) and that thing on the manifold is the ECU only cf2s had them inside the car. 2.Cf2 versions are the ones to have 3.you dont have bi-xenons 4.The check engine light is not faded it has been tampered with "the black marker way" 5. Sorry but that front grill is not factory original.

[@aceycourt6327]

I have a 1999 Super (that is a 3.0 V6 6 speed manual). Yes, you are correct. It is a very good review, just a few little details he got wrong. The front grille (Scuderia) has an aftermarket backing...probably why the shield is loose. The 166 boot is much much bigger than the 156 saloon boot...not sure how he got that wrong. Manual gearboxes were 5 speed in early 2.5 v6 and 2.0 twin spark, otherwise all six speed (3.0 Super and later 2.0 cars) and the car being reviewed is a cf3 car, which has exactly the same set up as the facelift sportronic (3.0 auto). As you say the early cars 1998-2000 were all cf2 and the engine ecu was inside the cabin above the passenger footwell. The problem with the heater matrix leaking particularly affects the sportronics as coolant destroys the gearbox ecu.

[@luigicornelio7510]

I think you summarized it really well at the beginning: doesn’t matter how beautiful, how powerful, how comfortable and how relatively reliable Alfa makes a car. Nobody will buy it. Fairly sad

[@marcelhandsome6042]

I think the problem it's too Italian like Citroen is too French or Saab too Swedish they're never going to be massive sellers they're more bohemian left-field choices.

[@luigicornelio7510]

@@marcelhandsome6042 it takes a lot of “introspection” for a manufacturer to understand what their DNA is. Unfortunately Alfa seems to be more indecisive than Citroen, now that you mention it, as it is still struggling to find its own position in the market. They want to go after BMW but the latter is quite streamlined and certainly not as “special” and different. (I own a 3 series by the way, and a comparable Giulia felt a bit more special when I drove it)

[@marcelhandsome6042]

@@luigicornelio7510 I'm Italian by the way and an Alfa fan but that's what I identify to be the problem with Alfa Romeo but nobody is saying it but it's too Italian like Lancia was. Maserati sells much better because it's less quirky less eccentric reaches a wider audience. If I was on the Stellantis (Fiat /Peugeot merger) committee I would modernize the Alfa logo call it just "Alfa" drop "Romeo" and also axe the traditional frontal shield and develop a new design language for the front grill.

[@adamw2911]

@@luigicornelio7510 It's strange isn't it. Alfa is the best driving car, most interesting looking, has loads of character, gets attention....yes so it's not the most reliable but isn't bad. No one buys it. Lexus is the polar opposite of Alfa, brilliant engineering, super reliable, dull to drive, look anonymous, no character. No one buys it. BMW, Mercedes, Audi. Look okay, drive good, build good, breaks down a lot, needs parts replacing constantly. Public love them.

[@TheNyogtha]

I owned the 2.5 version of this (1999 model). Still miss it. Lovely car. I was often stopped by random people in the parking lot complimenting and/or asking about the car. I will get another one some day. Preferably the 3.2 or 3.0.

[@davidb8348]

I have driven and owned 6 166, from the diesels to the 3.2’s. Honestly, in all my life and love for Alfa Romeo. I have never seen such a detailed and interesting video about an 166. It honestly amazes me, so very well done!!

[@tomscameras]

Fantastic review! Finally a great and comprehensive tribute to these great classic Alfas! What a car! Also the sound recording in the begin is perfect :)

[@MOSSFEEN]

FINALLY SOMETHING INTERESTING TO DRIVE

[@YTOnceAgain]

My dad had two of them in succession. The first one in silver-grey, second one (facelift) in black. I never quite liked the pre-facelift front, called it the hammerhead shark. But the black facelifted one was just stunning. It was genius design: as simple as you could go without getting dull.

[@alexchis1610]

Big fan of the 166. I’ve had 6 of them I prefer the facelift which I have. (We only got the 3.0 V6 here in Australia) Everyone says the boot is huge. It’s very deep. Can take 4 suitcases Mine has 74k I’m in Sydney. No issues with heater matrix yet Great video. Good to see Great value cruising car A lot of money has been spent on this car in manufacture. All high quality materials. The car drives and handles very well engine note sounds great I have the Brunello Rosso one Yesterday a guy came up to me at the shops and said he likes my car. Very rare.and I’m not selling it. Ciao

[@nickhannaford3253]

Lovely car. I had a pre-facelift 166 2.0L twin spark. Had it for years. Never had any issues until the clutch went and replacement would cost more than the car was worth. The 2.0 is definitely not slow as the engine is lighter than the 2.5 and 3.0. Seats are the most comfortable ever👍

[@histriamagna1014]

Love the John Lennon glasses behind handbrake lever. This car has a soul.

[@noircluck]

How about this for a coincidence, watched this excellent video late last night and early this morning saw a face lift 2004 166 just off M4 j17. Not seen one for years!

[@marktoby8113]

owned a 166, albeit only the 2ltr twinnie, but absolutely loved it. If you look at the front of the 166 & the Kappa, you can see very similar lines, for all i like about the sporty 166, I do love the Kappa's design also.

[@carsyoungtimerfreak1149]

Great! I used to drive a 156 as a company car when they were new. With the 2.4 5 cil JTD diiesel engine, terrific! As Clarkson always says: every auto enthusiast should at least drive Alfa once in his/her life! And I agree!

[@gilberrocal1363]

Nothing is as beautiful as a BUSSO v6 , I know , I've owned 5 of them , better than sex , I've driven my 84 Maratona for 8hours non stop from nj to Virginia Beach, Better than sex , try and change my mind , you never will , I now drive a 2002 156 TS 2.0, but i miss the v6s with all my heart , gas is to expensive where I live now , but still looking for a v6, cuoro sportivo !!!

[@simonhodgetts6530]

A truly beautiful car (controversially I prefer the pre-facelift styling). I had the pleasure of borrowing a 2.0 T Spark a few years back when my 156 was having some parking dents seen to. It was a wonderful experience to drive one of these - it certainly felt every bit as premium as a contemporary Audi or BMW or Merc - I’d argue actually that the interior ambience is superior - especially those seats. I’d love to sample a Busso engined model!

[@v8will]

Had one. A 3.0 Super. Very short vid on my very small channel. Great car

[@michakwiecien1133]

I love these alfas. My dream 166 is a 3.2 with a manual and leather seats.

[@timwhelan4432]

Drove just this car last week - a friend’s and is magnificent

[@markbradshaw7753]

Great review. Had 6 Alfas..sprints.145s and my GTV which i have had for 19 years.None has ever gone wrong. Love this 166 and kind of would buy one if i had space. You are right about the leather..my GTV is 1998 with 130,000 and the leather is mint as is the entire car. Great review mate.

[@imnotamechanic3491]

Was just thinking the other day, if I have the money to get a great petrol car before the end of the decade to keep into the electric era as a memento, I would get a Maserati Quattroporte, now I have dilemnna, can't remember the last time I even saw one of these but I LOVE big Alfas!

[@tomazwo]

Alfa 166 in two words: design and engine :) I love Busso and one six six of course! It's quite luxury, fast speedway car.. and that engine sound! :)

[@rezaq1]

Correction. Heater matrix only leaks onto the automatic transmission models ECU, not the manual which is located elsewhere.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

Owned one of these for 5 years, absolutely fantastic car. The Busso v6 was glorious, especially once I put a custom exhaust on it. It was utterly reliable for the 5 years I owned it, until the heater matrix killed it. I just didn’t have the money to fix it so it went to the big scrap yard in the sky, I’ve owned faster more powerful cars but this is the one I miss the most. I had the cream Momo leather, the same wheels as this one which I had to import from Italy, and a lovely custom exhaust. The other thing I loved was you could go months without seeing another one and nobody knew what it was, I lost count of the number of times I got approached in a car park by someone wanting to know what it was. I was in Rome in ‘07 and a george W bush was doing his farewell tour of Europe and at the front of his convoy was a 166👍👍👍

[@peugeotdudeandson4485]

I think it looks like a hammer head shark 🦈 from the front. My money would go on a 164 lusso personally. But this is a wicked car

[@Stevieweevietv]

One word...gorgeous!! Love Alfas. Because they are different and dare to be different. It's why I love Citroen too. One day I'll own an Alfa! 🤞

[@nigelfisher3756]

Spot on. As a dedicated Alfisti with 8 Alfas ‘under the belt’, I recently got a Citroen GSA Pallas. Really as advanced for the period and battling the Alfasud for sales. Happy with it but not sure if it warrants a rebuild. Anyway, the GSA has good road holding but nowhere near a ‘Sud’. In fact, the Sud is the best handling fwd car I’ve driven with amazing feel through the wheel; no car comes close these days!

[@domenicgaldo6290]

True petrol head , true Alfista. Well done Matt.

[@aceycourt6327]

The front end styling is explained by two things. Firstly the era. It was styled with the family of 145/146 (mid 90's). The launch was delayed from 1996 until after the 156. Secondly, the front end is, "Style Low" I.E a distinct wedge side profile. This was lost on the facelift, which was conservative and frumpy in comparison. As time goes on, the original 166 stands out as the classic design. Bold and different. Not to everyone's taste, but prized by those who understand it.

[@joshbacon8241]

Why didn’t the UK get the 2.4-litre 5-cylinder diesel?

[@seancooke4127]

Was going watch the first half and come back later for the driving. Nah had to see it to the end. Sounds like this could embarrass a lot of sports cars. Sonorous, Glorious, throaty, meaty, rumble, snarl, beautiful and a piece of art, yes all of the above.

[@Grimwriggler]

YES! i drove to Pamplona from Malaga in a 2002 166 2.4 d amazingly comfy and smooth and even in its non leather version it looks like new! I am tempted in getting the diesel now

[@themanipulator1]

Been on the hunt for a good one of these for ages, I absolutely love them.

[@michaeltutty1540]

Gorgeous car. As always, your description and driving commentary is fantastic. We did not get any Alfa here in Canada for many years. Do love the look of them, but to me it needs rear wheel drive and a good V8. A big, heavy car needs TORQUE low in the revs. The gearing can be adjusted for lower fuel consumption, and more grunt in the bottom end means better performance, even with a taller final drive. That interior is a work of art. Simply beautiful.

[@Yorkshiremadmick]

The central console isn’t as random as you say. It was designed for the left hand drive version. Then just twisted to face the right. Great car.

[@Negativvv]

Alfas are engineered for LHD. I've been a passenger in my own RHD 156, and it sounds better from the front passenger seat... The airbox and the exhaust are both on the left side.

[@Yorkshiremadmick]

@@Negativvv Exactly

[@RapideWombaticus]

The rear door cutaway is positively extravagant. Beautiful car

[@conorclarke6101]

4:25 how do the pre facelift cars look better at the back as well? There was no change to the rear in the facelift.

[@psions555]

19:00 not multi link all round, multi link at the rear and double wishbone at the front. Multi link tends to be reserved for rear suspension setup.

[@jedw]

1:25 it's "nearly 3 metres long"? what is it, a smart fortwo?

[@1972dsrai]

Just a beautiful car all round. I owned a 147 and I loved it and I'm very keen on getting the Giulia at some point, but I've been an Audi driver last few years and I'm finding it hard to move away from them right now. The interior is never an area that people ever complain about and tbf with the 147 I never had any issues with it. As long as you look after them with regular servicing and oil changes they will look after you. The 166 is definitely one of those cars I wish I'd bought at some stage.

[@jaymyers6452]

This guy really knows what hes talking about! Great job

[@markonmotoring]

Those Busso engines really are a work of art. Both to hear and to look at. I'd love a 916 GTV6 or a 156. Always liked the look of the 146 too. The GT like character of this car remind me if a MK2 Laguna Privilege I used to own. That also felt a bit more premium than cars in its class and just like the Alfa had manually operated rear sun blinds in the shelf and rear doors.

[@zzhughesd]

Had 5 in trade. Lovely every one. The styling. That engine

[@nicolamiriano9150]

This is a dream, last week i was thinking how much would be beautiful to see a V6 166 and here it is... I'm totally in love with this car Just two little informations. 1) there was also (here in italy, not sure about in uk) the 2L 12v Turbo V6 with 205 hp, and 2) There was also the 6 speed manual box on the 3 L and the 2 L Turbo (optional in the TwinSpark). Later on, all cars had 6 speed so also the diesel but not the TwinSpark anymore

[@burakh.8670]

2.5L V6 came with manual gearbox too. But really rare indeed.

[@ps36081]

Yes yes!!! Getting closer to the 164 and 155s!!!

[@hamadacell6044]

I have 166 v6. 3.0 Fantastic

[@nickwills6042]

Aside from the melted looking front, I love these things. A facelifted car with the Busso would be such a great second car

[@neilwalsh4058]

Great to see one of those, very rare these days and I've probably missed the boat getting one. Had plenty of 164's in the 90's and early noughties and should have naturally moved to a 166. Trick missed I think?

[@sotirisbakaimis3276]

you have good memories from the 164 on the other hand

[@neilwalsh4058]

@@sotirisbakaimis3276 Great cars, built mainly under Fiat's ownership so they'd given up on all those daft Alfa ideas that had drove them to bankruptcy, and started making cars that worked and were easier to maintain. Only had 3 litre ones too, superb soundtrack, pretty bulletproof and reliable.

[@robtt997]

Bloke I worked with had the two litre version . It was an excellent car and the engine was fine. If you can’t get the bigger engine don’t walk away from the two litre without testing it .You will be surprised

[@lash9400]

Really charismatic Alfa barge. Love it.

[@rezaq1]

And don’t discount the TS; I’ve had four TS’s and one V6. Significantly less running costs and ULEZ compliant for London which is key from October 2021 onwards. The twin spark runs well, sounds epic and pulls well enough with the 6 speed manual in the facelift. I love them, and have a particular lust for the facelift car... A beautiful Alfa, especially in facelift form. My current facelift is in Grigio Spoleta with stunning beige leather and only 70k. A truly beautiful car.

[@mawtrader87]

Love this, my dad had the 2.5 v6 X reg such a cool different car. Bought it 2 years old after the depreciation hit! Ha

[@DoubleDeckerAnton]

These are classics with that amazing V6 growl.

[@AnyoneSeenMikeHunt]

I just bought a 159 Sportwagon 2.4D by accident (don't ask... long story) and it's actually awesome! I was going to flip it but there's just nothing wrong with it and goes like a friggin train so I'm going to keep it. Seems not all Alfas suffer from being Alfas...

[@CathalCoolkirky]

I have a 159 2.2 Ti as a family everyday car for ~14 years now; I bought her new... I'm still waiting for the 'Alfa' event to happen... but she just keeps on going... and going.. and going.... ;~)

[@TheWhiskeyMan-rk7qv]

It's absolutely fabulous, I love it!! I've just been looking at how much they go for, and found a pretty good 2001 example for £3,000 on a website called car and classic. There are no V6 ones on Autotrader, only a couple of 2.0 T-sparks.

[@MrMeierzwo]

Nice Review. Nice Car. Could be mine. I own a 164 Super V6 from 1998 (last Production Line from 1997) as a Collectable. My 166 V6 Automatic from 2002 is my Daily Driver. Both are rare Cars today and good ones are hard to find. The V6 Engines are unbreakable if you treat them well. Electronics could be a problem sometimes. It's Alfa Romeo. Love them or hate them. What many didn't know - the 166 was the first Car with LED Lights for the Rear Turn Signal Lights.

[@scottishcarenthusiastsandtrain]

You can tell your enthusiasm for the Alfa Brand it comes across that you have a love for Alfa's that is a stunning car and what a beautifal noise. The reverse beep is the same that was in my Stilo Abarth with it's Selaspeed.