Alfa 166 | Car Review | Top Gear

[@benfearnhead9851]

God bless all the wonderful people who buy new Alfas - without them we couldn't buy them second hand, which is clearly the right way. I adore my 159.

[@primo4904]

Years by years Is very little the number of normal people who buy new cars of every brand Today all is bought by leasing societies or by rent societies or by big enterprise This is the market , and the small single buyer now is snubbed by sellers

[@AnotherStudent96]

lucky you I love 159, I loved the hatchback

[@cbyrne08]

Haha your'e welcome I guess. My new Giulia will probably be in your hands in 2 years.

[@MidhunS]

Ben Fearnhead I want to buy a Giulia, but I don't have the money.

[@cbyrne08]

Midhun Surendran the up front cost isn't what kills me every month, it's the 200 dollars on gas, and the insurance that you have to remember is part of the cost. The gas mileage isn't necessarily bad, I just find myself driving way more than usual so I use a lot of gas.

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

I had a pre facelift 166 with the busso v6, glorious car. The interior was a work of art. 10 years after I sold it I still miss it. Very reliable car, but you had to look after it, no missing services or using cheap oil. Lol it seems I’ve commented on this video before. Shows how much I loved my 166.

[@niclebowski9214]

u sir are a legend

[@augustkarlvongoeben125]

i have the pre facelift 2.5 v6 and its such a glorious machine. i remember i hated driving long distances in my old mitsubishi, but the 166 is just a really comfortable car to sit in and to drive

[@4ernomore1]

​@@augustkarlvongoeben12514 years a 2.0 TS an still love it,nothing better feeling to drive it daily,it's model is quite a reliable for an alfa😊

[@richardverner7976]

I bought one for £1230. It had 4 owners before me and needed some adjustments. But it was worth it and it still rocks on in 2022 what a car! Love it!

[@workaccount2415]

What engine?

[@richardverner7976]

@Work Account 3.2 busso it has 320K kilometres on it, but you wouldn't even know. Now, after many services it has just some visual flaws

[@Jupa]

@@richardverner7976 you are crazy I’m happy for you

[@darklight6013]

Look at how UGLY is now that AUDI and how STUNNING is still the Alfa...

[@simonloff3404]

my friends and i are in the proces of buying a 166 2004 with the 3.0 v6, it is vandalized, and we are paying only 500$ dollars for it, we are in mexico and 18 years old

[@gasperfantas]

This video is another reminder of what a genius presenter jeremy is..

[@wendellworth353]

They must have paid him an unimaginable tonnage of money for that amount of lies.

[@renetnk]

@@wendellworth353 What is exactly a lie?

[@aaryeshg.6526]

Because he has explained very well what kind of person would buy an Alfa. When you buy an Alfa, do not mention the word "reliability" and "depreciation" because that is not the point of buying an Alfa. Almost all Alfas have character and if you don't understand even this, then you just want a car to go from A to B, so go buy yourself a Toyota Camry if you like simple and reliable motoring and nothing else.

[@aaryeshg.6526]

@captain pugwash yes they're drunk people 🤣 that buy them and style is the only thing that matters when buying this. Nothing else really. I still cannot believe Alfa still exists but Lancia doesn't.

[@Theagchm]

Genius!....do you know what the word means, or are you a stupid child that talks through their arse? Are you trying to say that Clarkson, the arse, is on an intellectual footing with Einstein, Maxwell, Newton, Da Vinci, Reimann, Plank, Hawkins, Fermat, Young , Curie, Gauss, Euler, Hypatia, Sappho, Cantor, Socrates, Pythagoras, Shelley, etc

[@SpaghettiKillah]

Most people can't understand this but, when you drive lots of cars as a job you get to a point where you don't care about anything else except emotions. I have experienced this in my previous job where I bought, sold and drove pretty much all the models from Ferrari, Lambo, Bmw, Mercedes, Maserati, Abarth and so on. Sure, overall the BMW and Mercs were the best but when we had to sell the Abarth 595 Competizione or the Maserati GTS I literally cried alone in the bathroom. EVERY goddamn' time I was driving them I was laughing like a child who got a crazy present for Xmas. They are alive, they growl, scream, screek, and every turn or downshift are different noises!! It's like they have a mood or something. Specially the Maserati Gts. One day I will own another one. Jeremey knows, he "feels" cars rather than just number check them.

[@ognjeennn]

SpaghettiKillah you had a nice job

[@msg9434]

SpaghettiKillah then you woke up

[@sultanoftippoo3857]

121bham yeah, yeah we get it that you live a grey miserable world where sneering at people is your only experience of happiness

[@nudisco300]

Real cars have personality. I had a new BMW F10 5-series and it was technically superb but it was so dull it felt like I was driving a minibus full of pensioners. I also owned a tatty Jaguar X Type which was inferior in every way but it had some kind of soul and personality and was extremely fun and pleasing to drive.

[@yannikoloff7659]

Try abarth 124

[@Patruck92]

I have one. A 2.5 V6, not the most powerful one, probably even slower than some hot hatches now. When I have to go from A to B and I'm alone in the car it's very unlikely I'll take the shortest way. These cars simply make you feel good while you drive them. But they don't make people look at you and say you're rich. The difference between Alfa's (as well Jaguars, Maserati and some other real luxury-sports marques) and BMW/Audi is that if you buy an Alfa you like to stare at it in silence or rev the engine when you're alone and enjoy the car; if you buy a BMW you want people to look at it and hear the engine noise to see how socially far you've gone.

[@justahyundai]

I can't believe you have a 166 but I do drive a Jag x-type. I know it's their lowest end model but I totally agree man, When I just sit there looking at the dash (esp the steering wheel - it's so damn nice), I get this amazing feeling I never got from an A4 or a Jetta or a 325i. They're special

[@Patruck92]

Why can't you believe I own a 166? Compared to German cars of the same years they're extremely cheap here in Italy, I mean, 1000 euro if you're lucky, I got mine for free by an owner who preferred it to be used and enjoyed than sent to a dealer to the East or scrapped. The mantainance isn't as cheap as the car itself, nor it is the gas, as an NA V6 makes 4 to 11Km/l depending on the street and traffic conditions, but if you can afford to have a car you won't use everyday but only in the weekend, it's a good deal even for a student - like me.

[@appelpower1]

Patruck92 What, how old are you then?

[@justahyundai]

Patruck92 I'm saying that as a figure of speech I'm not saying I don't believe you

[@appelpower1]

Arlind530d. Com It doesn't sell well, because the world is filled with overly image-conscious badge snobs. People like you, who buy BMWs for the badge. The people who buy Alfas, the true car entheusiasts, are simply outnumbered. As a result, the demand for Alfas, and thus the price, is low.

[@MrGreekStelios]

I have the biggest 3.2 version! Still rocking it in 2019

[@dragosandronic8003]

Nice, I just got a 2.5 V6 :)

[@method6155]

Me too, I have 2 😬

[@SwiffyDK]

Same, I still have 156 2.0 TS from 1999

[@SwiffyDK]

@O 99 What do you mean? The BMW 318I (2.0 Liter) is 0-100 km/t in 10,2 sec. Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 Liter TS is 0-100 km/t in 8.6 sec. Is it that you're asking about???

[@SwiffyDK]

O 99 320i is faster, but that engine is bigger (2,2 liter)

[@KanishQQuotes]

Who chrome plates engine components.... The italians of course

[@Spelter]

And freaks like my friend with his Golf Mk2 Head

[@KanishQQuotes]

Spelter vw suks

[@epiphonesg007]

+Spelter You are funny, my brother just sold his 166 2.4jtd with 525k km's no problems at all. I've seen plenty of alfa 156/GT's/166 with more then 400k km's. I don't know what the hell you are smoking but VW/Mercedes/BMW isn't what it used to be. Especcialy not VW and mercedes. BMW's don't even have a dip stick to check the oil, all BMW and Mercedes have "maintenance free" tranmissions= can't change engine oil. Any Alfa after the 90's doesn't have a rust problem. My mothers C200 from 2007 has a lot of rust on the bonnet,side skirts, just about everywhere. G class from around 2010 had more rust then a 30y old Alfa.( after only 2 years..)

[@KanishQQuotes]

Spelter I'm not going to talk about Product quality because everyone has different experience but its the attitude of VW, that annoys me. They have absolutely no culture of repairing anything, after a year, if there's a problem with say the AC unit, instead of repairing the faulty or damaged part, their solution is to replace the entire unit. Often quoting 50 percent of the resale value of the car. My cousin owns a jetta

[@TheDynoSoar]

+Spelter volkswagens are absolutely terrible.

[@clongownian]

I've owned two Alfa 166s. Best and most enjoyable cars I've ever had. Both broke my heart in the first 10,000 miles...clutch and gearbox problems. After that, driving bliss

[@teddy33131]

what about buying a car and keeping it? so no problem about depreciation

[@Pete762]

+teddy33131 my thoughts exaclty.

[@arafat464]

+teddy33131 it breaks down so often that you won't want to keep it. It will cost more to fix than it's worth.

[@teddy33131]

did you have one? with my dad we have 6 alfas, not fiat periods, but no particular problems.

[@vaclav_fejt]

+teddy33131 The ghost of Jason Dawe...

[@mitchellbrown8124]

+teddy33131 who really keeps a car over 10 years now a days? oh wait, you probably havent even been driving for 10 years so you cant answer that.... lol

[@AstralDragoon]

"I'm not sure this glass carpet is very practical..."

[@goranser8617]

This is why we miss the old Top Gear so much!

[@LysergicCasserole95]

Goran Ser Grand tour is missing that X factor early 2000's top gear had

[@johnmiller9024]

The old Top Gear was on the air between 1977 and 2001. The 2002 Top Gear is considered the new Top Gear

[@Jabber-ig3iw]

I had one of these for 6 years, bought it at 6 years old, most reliable car I’ve ever owned, never let me down once, the busso V6 is a fantastic engine and as long as you look after it pretty much buttetproof. The big mistake people make with Alfa’s is not looking after them, they MUST be serviced on time, belts done when they should be( or much earlier in the case of the twin spark) the correct oil used and no corners cut. They are not cars you can run with no maintenance, look after them an they reward you. 8 years after I sold mine I still miss it.

[@valeriobesana4942]

E la mamma della Ferrari....

[@WGanesha]

Bravo esatto ...parole sante ...w alfa

[@juanfarello4676]

The passion of this nice man about Alfas is priceless!

[@valeriobesana4942]

E un Alfista

[@MitchellJohnson25]

Just bought an Alfa and completely forgot I had a Merc in the garage too. Absolutely beautiful cars, Alfa Romeo's!

[@znanjejevelikamoc]

I really, really love my 166. Almost everything about that car is perfect.

[@rebel8305]

I have a Alfa Romeo GT 1.9 JTD, 12 Years in my hands with, no problems. Alfa Romeo built very good cars.

[@Dennell_Mount_and_Blade]

The JTD's are almost indestructable

[@herrfister1477]

Laugh. No lads, they are FUCKING AWFUL.

[@rightwingsafetysquad9872]

Alfa accidentally built one very good car and you were lucky enough to get it.

[@jekabsbukss_sim]

@@herrfister1477 more like your Car is awful

[@herrfister1477]

Pxstel_rxce alright you win.

[@RMS0180]

The seats and backseats in the 166 are like sitting on a cloud... Reallllly nice

[@johanneswarn5488]

Yep. The back seats are GLORIOUS

[@zroad96]

+Jonka Olofsson good for sex :D

[@TheDox451]

+zroad96 Even better for driving :D

[@zroad96]

+TheDox451 ahah yeah i know :)

[@Salman-sc8gr]

Because they are by Momo

[@23Piccolina]

I love my new Giulia, Alfa Romeo makes some of the most beautiful cars ever in the world. You don't worry about depreciation if you buy a one new and keep it for 10 years. They are far more reliable than their reputation leads one to believe.

[@nathanclements6635]

I’m just checking in three years later… still good so far? 😂

[@23Piccolina]

I have the Stelvio now, but no issues with either@@nathanclements6635

[@minoanlight4545]

OMG, just look at that interior! This car TOTALLY mopped the floor with all of its competition. The problem is that looks too good for this world.

[@Vylkeer]

Italian here. My family has owned a 166 Automatic and was pretty amazing. Then after several years we changed it with a Giulietta. My personal car is a 147 1.9 JTDm from 2005 and I love it!

[@DavidMaximilianCathmoirNicoll]

I have a 166. Fabulous car, beautiful to drive, looks gorgeous. No other car can make you feel so great just from sitting inside it.

[@Vinni-2K]

you still have it?

[@PaddyMcQueen]

I had a first edition 166 3.2 V6... best GT car ever ! 250k km on the clock, never had a major problem!

[@Harv72b]

Owning an Alfa is basically like having an 18 year-old mistress. It's not at all practical, it can break down without a moment's warning, and keeping it purring is liable to send you to the poor house. But it's all worth it when you look at it & think, "I get to slide inside that every day."

[@psk5746]

I've owned 3 Alfa Romeos, 2 still, and never has one ever broken down

[@bertie6043]

That’s the creepiest thing I’ve read all decades

[@IncApu2025]

Yes, indeed!!

[@IncApu2025]

@@psk5746 👍🏻😃

[@adorabasilwinterpock6035]

What a creepy and weird comment, I dont want to meet you

[@ComandanteJ]

There are a lot of cars that Jezza hates that are actually awesome cars, and you shouldnt pay attention to what he hates or not. BUT, i Clarckson says "i love this car", oh, boy... that means, that car, has something. And yeah, yeah, Alfas lose value fast, electronics are shit, they're FWD (the biggest mistake alfa ever did), and all that. But when you drive an Alfa... you cant hate it. You just cant, even if it ruins you in the repairs garage. They have... "something", i guess. You never regret buying one. Your wallet might, but the heart is always that stupid bloke who doesnt care about that.

[@leongailberger7676]

+ComandanteJ We had a 166 since 2001 but we sold it in 2013, we have the 3.0 v6 and have 260000km but we haven't got any problems with it

[@ComandanteJ]

I just sold my GT 2.0 JTS Selespeed, a week ago, and it still hurts LOL. I didnt have any major flaw, some electronics problems, a little problem with one of the locks, a problem with one of the airbag sensors (easily fixable) and that's it, really. Well, i had to change the Selespeed hydraulic actuator because when they changed the clutch on the shop, they didn't screw the transmission fluid reservoir correctly, and it went dry in a couple of months, and ended up killing the actuator. nearly 2000€ in repairs, but it wasnt really the car's problem.

[@ComandanteJ]

***** Not too much, it was from 2005 and had around 100.000km, but i have to say that in the last 4 years i didnt maintain it... It might sound like a lot of problems, but the lock was fixable with a litttle grease, the electronics were just cables that got lose and it always said that one light was out when it wasnt (nothing too serious), and the parking radar got disconnected from the control box because the stock cable is too short and and gets disconnected over time. And the big problem, the Selespeed one, wasn't the cars fault, it was the stupid clueless mechanic who didnt know how his way around a car like this. If i sold the car that was because A: It drinks a lot of gas, B: i needed a smaller car that i dont care to park anywhere in the city, and C: I couldnt maintain it properly and it was killing me to see the car deteriorate, better leave it in the hands of someone who would give it some love.

[@TheKenjoje]

+ComandanteJ clarkson himself avoided owning alfas, as I know. he actually owned german cars and is biggest fan of ANY golf gti of all car journalists....in the world :) p.s. NOT TRUE that FWD in today's car means less fun. steerings could be good with FWD and roadhoalding great. unless you are equaling the fun with drift....

[@TheKenjoje]

+ComandanteJ the worst automatic EVER

[@rezaq1]

Currently I’m on my fifth 166, a facelifted 2.0 TS. Exactly the same colour combo as this car, it’s spectacular

[@massimoe402a6]

That name, if you are interested, it's called Grigio Marostica

[@Srbujmakarslamujeo]

Comparing Italian and German cars is like chosing between rich,nice but not beautifull, protestant girl and beautifull, pasionate, slylish girl which lives regular life but has " that something" which drives you crazy...

[@MrBeboopman]

рокај снимај perfect example... the heart wants what the heart wants😊

[@mattiasantangelo9421]

arthur shopenhauer once said something very similar. "italy is like an affair, a secret lover: today a big, painful fight, tomorrow total adoration. germany is like a housewife: almost no fights at all, but definetely not a great love story".

[@herrfister1477]

Yawn

[@klimee4699]

Drives you crazy in repair shop..

[@ErmenBlankenberg]

Call me boring, but I don't want things in my life that would "drive me crazy". I can enjoy my life without those extremes.

[@imeprezime9280]

I had this beaute before redesign, 3 cm lower, 17” 159 wheels , best car i ever had. On highway everybody moves from left lane. Uhi miss that car. Black, black leather, i miss my italian girl. In italy maserati quattroporte owner watch my car and said you have nice car. Alfa ❤❤❤❤❤

[@xszaszax]

OK, got it... It was a long find, but... the song is called: heaven scent from Allwood and Cooper. Album is Choral Beats

[@ThePolandball]

Thanks!!

[@ericgeorge5483]

Even today this cars interior just ooozes style. Absolutely gorgeous.

[@DSTAHL-si3cq]

Best car I never had. Very reliable as Alfa's always have been. Best in seating and acceleration for the engine class by still excellent gas mileage. Love it.

[@bicyclist2]

This is so much better than all the other Top Gear videos that are cropped and edited.

[@TotallyNotASpy1]

It's a shame they didn't do a car review of the Lancia Thesis, that is just a magnificent four door sedan.

[@lubovavidea2832]

I completely agree :)

[@boersjoe]

The thesis's look in not ugly, its just different. But i can not agree more, its a fantastic car

[@lubovavidea2832]

Yes, you're right, I like the way it looks, but the front of the car is too massive I think :/

[@boersjoe]

I have seen people who have plastidipped the grill to make it a bit less "showy" i think it works great.

[@TotallyNotASpy1]

It's supposed to be showy, because it's copying the design of the old Lancia Flaminia's grill. To me that car has the prettiest face a four door sedan can have, and it's definitely better than anything the germans can come up with. Then again, that's my opinion, to me german cars are too dull and try too hard to be something they aren't.

[@Burebista61]

Love my Alfas ! Will never drive another brand . I had no problems with reliability and i drive them since 2005 . Happy owner of a standard Stelvio and a Mito QV ( 115.000 km 0 issues ) .

[@KoenigF50]

I somehow end up here every couple of months. Damn she's pretty ! Also I can't wait to see if they ever come up with a replacement for this with the on the new Ghibli platform.

[@alexshepherd]

KoenigF50 me too, and eventually they did :D

[@josephlewis9237]

I'm a fan of the Alfa 166. I only saw a handful of them when I was growing up, but, I still liked it. I can see it becoming a future classic. Up until recently, I've only ever seen one Alfa 166-a first gen.

[@webmasterg3526]

Watching this video again (after many years) with mixed emotions. I ran a 3litre 166 (from new) for 12 years and not only was it realiable but i absolutely loved that car - still misss her (yes, all my Alfas are ladies). She was a bit thirsty but petrol was a bit cheaper back then too. Purchased a Guilietta 170 and have run Baby B for the past 7 years, no problems except a new battery - just part of wear and tear really. Very inexensive car to run (VED £30pa) too but I have finally been tempted to get a new girlfriend, a Guilia - just waiting for delivery. I read all the Alfa reviews and they are always "It's very good" and then there's a "But...." Well i've owned other car brands and there is no "But" - the only cars I've become really attached to are my Alfas (starting with an Alfetta 2 litre back in 1980). Driving a 3 litre 166 'Busso' over the Alps to Milan is something I will never forget (unlike my BMW 7 Series - which I would much prefer to)

[@MmacentralNl]

I can only concur. Drove a Giulietta for 7 years as well. 1.4 multiair 170hp, no issues at all. So did you get that Giulia? I did : )

[@webmasterg3526]

@@MmacentralNl Yes, I've had my Julie (Guilia) for just over a year now. A perfectly balanced car to drive, more than enough performance and just stunning to look at. No issues with reliability, none at all. Short Story. Parked outside a pub last week and was a little bit worried to see a guy walk around her several times and peer in through the drivers side. Went out and the guy apologised and then congratulated me on having such a lovely car. He then asked me what the make was? (!!) You don't see many Guilias around (there is one other in my area) but I was suprised by this question. The car does get a lot of admiring looks though...my wife quite enjoys it (as do I) 🙂

[@MmacentralNl]

@@webmasterg3526 hah, that's awesome! I must say I've had similar experiences in the 2 months that I've owned it. People glaring at , turning heads. Never had that with the Giulietta though plenty people seemed to somehow. What kind of spec do you have?

[@webmasterg3526]

@@MmacentralNl Ah! Bit of a story. Wanted to keep costs down so spec'ed a 200bhp Sprint (but with the petal alloys). It's still faster than my old 3litre (with 0-60 6.6 sec) but back then was (just) under the £40k road tax threshold and a few hundred cheaper to insure too. I was also thinking I'd do an "Italian" and remap her after the 3 yr warrenty expired (Stage 1 @ £400 = easy upgrade to 280bhp+). Having had her a year, I'm not not so sure I'm going to bother now. She's a quick (enough) car and I'm not (quite) as crazy as I was 20 years ago. My car looks (to the uninformed) like a Veloce and is really just missing that 80bhp and the limited diff. Today the 'Spint' comes with 280bhp as standard but costs over £40k of course, so you have to pay the extra road tax etc (and you cannot upgrade to the very nice petal alloys either).

[@MmacentralNl]

@@webmasterg3526 cool! Did you buy it new? I do agree 200bhp is more than plenty. Despite what many other people believe, a true sub 7 second 0-60 is still very quick and I refuse to believe otherwise. Anyway tje Giulia is not a drag-race car anyway, it's the handling that is truly sublime and out of this world. But of course I don't have to tell you that :) if you've had her for a year I wouldn't bother either. There's always something faster anyways and 90 percent of the time, you can be the quickest off the mark anyway. Love the petal wheels as well. Having said all that, I live near Squadra tuning here in the Netherlands and will be getting the remap next week :) I agree that it's quick enough but the engine sometimes feels like it's "holding back " somehow, though that could also be due to me being used to the Giulietta which held its gears quite a bit longer with the TCT gear box imo.

[@stanleybuchan4610]

The 156 and 166, facelifts, are beautiful. Even today, they still look better than all modern horror-bags.

[@COREopa]

02:18 "It's a little black dress. It's the kinda thing you take to an embassy cocktail party. At a Schloss. In Austria." That just made me proud of my country :D

[@nononsense2247]

I had an Alfa romeo 147 twin spark red coloured it was such a beautiful striking car well ahead of his time.. It was the first car who used the hidden handles to open the rear doors then every make and model started copying it.. Last but no least the driving was such an experience! To me is the best hatchback ever made

[@TheSkatersoldier]

i have had 2 alfas so far, never had major issues with them. even when driving like an idiot allot. alfa is rrly not bad in my opinion.

[@lucae6817]

What a reminder! My granddad had the first 166 3.0 in dark blue with light brown interior. 20 years, 290‘000 km with no problem. Then another car crashed in his side which caused a heavy crash...

[@liuton2005]

The end is simply incredible! : )

[@samwhitehall8545]

I'm from the town where he filmed the house, they've all been knocked down now, thankfull and a nice new estate has taken its place.

[@Gaudine]

That’s so sad to hear. I loved the aesthetics of those houses. :( I even wanted to ask how much one would cost today?

[@martin-1965]

An amazing advert I just found for a 166 - talk about being honest :) --------- If you own a diesel Astra or the like and are only interested in the function of a car to get you from point A to point B you are reading the wrong car ad, this ad is for an Alfa Romeo. I could list every slight scratch on the car but that would mean the ad was for those that think a 20 year old car will be in pristine, brand new condition. I could list it as “Modern Classic” or “Future Classic” indicating that in 50 years time it will be worth a fortune (which it probably would be if you never drove it and vacuum packed it for those 50 years) I could add bullet “proof engine”, “grab a bargin” “pulls like a train” and all the other shite people put in ad’s than ain’t true, so I won’t. This ad is for the person that actually wants to own and drive an Alfa, so let me tell you all about Alfa Romeo 166 3.0 ltr manual’s. Let me start by saying that if you do decide to buy an Alfa you will find they can burn through your cash quicker than a 22 year old mistress. To find the approximate price of any Alfa spare, cost the Ford one and multiply by ten (you will still be short of the cost but you get the idea) The word on the internet is that Alfa’s are unreliable, this is my fourth 166 and I have had two 164’s, not one of them has ever broken down, (actually stopped by the side of the road) That doesn’t mean they haven’t had the odd fault (nearly all Alfa faults are odd) With an Alfa you form a relationship, and in any relationship there is always give and take, an Alfa is a driving pleasure, an experience, and for that the car likes to take your money and your calm, not unlike a wife actually. With 226 BHP they are pretty quick and you can see from the pictures of the interior they are pretty comfortable, airy and roomy with pretty good road holding to match. This doesn’t mean you can just jump in one and expect to drive it like your Astra or Focus, you have to adapt your driving style to the car. As an example you probably change gear like everyone else with your hand over the top of the gear stick, this will change gear for you in a 166 but for 1st and 3rd gear it will also turn off (or on) the stereo, because that is where Alfa put the stereo button, another example would be in a normal car to turn left you just use the indicator, which is fine on right turns for a 166 but the left turn indicator rarely cancels, leaving you driving up the road with your indicator going like a novice. Mine is unusual that 99 times out of a 100 it will cancel. Another source of amusement is the rain sensing wipers, they do sense the rain, and they do wipe, but it will select the speed for what it considers is appropriate, which usually results in going like ‘biily-ho’ for a slight drizzle and 5 mins between wipes for a downpour (the good bit is you can override with a manual selection) Let me do an equipment list for you : WiFi Bluetooth Sat Nav DVD player Reversing sensors Reversing camera Self park Phone The good news is the 166 has none of these so they won’t break or act up (Sat Nav was an option on CD, you would have to be very brave to rely on an Alfa CD Sat Nav) Think of the warning lights on the dash as more of an entertainment centre. They come on, they go off, indicating that the bulb behind them is still working and that is usually all they mean. On occasion mine likes to tell me I have a complete brake failure, for about 3 minutes, it can be a good heart exercise. A common 166 problem is the door locks, the fob usually fails about 2 minutes after the guarantee on the car has run out, mine is very unusual in that it still functions properly. Another common issue, that 166 owners will tell you is a feature, is the exhaust note, it is quite ‘meaty’, it wasn’t originally but when the original back box went on the factory supplied exhaust nearly everyone fits an after market stainless steel one, this isn’t because the super throaty sound is sought (can get on your tits on a 4 hour drive, fine for top gear in a 100 yard tunnel) it is because an OEM part will sting you about £500 (or more) and the aftermarket is only £250 (The back box goes all the way to the middle of the car) Only really major issues with mine are that the lacquer is coming off, Alfa Lacquer seems to have a 20 year life, and the aircon don’t work, I could say the old lie “probably needs a re-gas” but it doesn’t, it blew a ferule on the last re-gas attempt and I haven’t fixed it, nor will i. Now the reason for sale is that I am due to retire and I have 5 cars (an S500, an ST170 and a 9-5 HOT as well, so watch ebay for future sales) and will have no where to go, so the cars have to go, there is nothing worse for a car that sitting doing nothing. I don’t want to part with the car so I am not selling cheap, and if the wife pops her clogs first I may keep it and see if I can find that 22 year old mistress.

[@donlaight5943]

They're great when they're going, I've had a 147 TS 2.0 (2001) rarely driven the last two out four years. It started with a camshaft position sensor, then a dropped inlet valve. I've had it all repaired at great expense only to find the Spanish garage that repaired the engine only replaced the broken valve gear and prior to refitting the head( which should be skimmed) rubbed it down with wet n dry paper!!! I've since had stripped rebuilt and it was great for about 6k kms, then he cam sensor light came on again followed by the great Spanish lockdown and now a flat battery. Ho hum

[@michelangeloboldri9893]

You should’ve driven it more. The JTS engines literally have to be thrashed to run well. I’m happy with a 19 y old 156 since 2018….

[@rjb0572]

Love how an audi drives past at 3:32 when he says that 😂

[@privatemak8901]

almost like it's scripted !!

[@STFDVC1]

B5

[@ferrocky]

I have the diesel one in France 2.4 JTD and I love it, its a stunning car in every way.

[@mariamimetreveli4536]

WHAT IS THE NAME OF THE CLASSICAL MUSIC PIECE ON 1:50?

[@Orion3741]

That chrome finishing in the Alfa 166's engine is beautiful. As for Jeremy Clarkson, he presents this segment with his heart on his sleeve. Small wonder then, that during a TG poll to find out who the greatest presenter was of this motoring programme, he received 74 % of the votes.

[@georgemorley1029]

I was once given a lift in one of these to a Christmas party and when we got to the party I didn’t want to get out. You may think I’m exaggerating in order to glean likes on my comment but I can assure you that I’m not.

[@pepecapirote7461]

One of my favorite sounds, drove an old 75 3.0 V6, no need for a stereo, what an enjoyable drive 😍😍😍

[@rezaq1]

Still got one of those, a 1989 75 3.0 V6 Veloce on which ive just fitted a full Ansa exhaust system

[@pepecapirote7461]

@@rezaq1 rear wheel drive too, was owned by a high performance driving instructor who played with everything. Excellent balance and road holding, was a little disappointed I stopped at 130mph he’d had 150mph!!!

[@TherymasterWidnes]

I love alfa's

[@aldo_agazzi]

this video shows why the grand tour will never be like top gear (with J,J&R) we all loved the adventures around the world but ALSO a simple review without crazy budget and with nice editing... were so poetic

[@afthefragile]

The new Alfa 159 looks great too...

[@leonardoalemanno7787]

Do you remember that comment?

[@goranarsenic1061]

@@leonardoalemanno7787 12 years later...still looks GREAT!

[@cheekibreeki3946]

I drive an Renault Megane, but God I love Alfa this segment this single video sends shivers down my spine every single time i watch it...

[@sporturaman]

I have one and love it. Great review very accurate.

[@IncApu2025]

Today an artist returned to me a completely re-painted Alfa 166 from 2000. I'm really happy now. And I'm an Alfisti.

[@waltermatthewberg]

I love this show. Its one of the few British things I like...

[@andynixon2820]

I have a golf and I regard it in the same way as my fridge or cooker . But I also have a 50 year old alfa and regard it like a close loved one .

[@fadingbeleifs]

i love depreciation... it meant that i could easily afford what was once a $105,000 Mercedes S-Class, with 90k miles on it, for less than$13k. it was only 8 yrs old, in mint condition.

[@kieranwhite6647]

One of my favourite Top Gear reviews, the 166 is so handsome

[@Paulster5]

This song was in the ski movie "Respect" haha nice!

[@shieldaigbencher]

Alfa offered me a top of the range 3.0 v6 on a lease for four years with 15,000 miles per year for £375 a month with full maintenance in 2002. I opted for a SAAB 9-5 Aero instead for £100 more a month and whilst the SAAB was amazing I have always wondered if the Alfa would have been more fun.

[@NITINSwarrior]

Go to 5:20 look at that guy on a bicycle on the left of the screen. What actually is he doing? Something suddenly happens to him at 5:27 :3

[@biigsmokee]

The guy in the house to his left opened the door and he rolled forward to peek inside..

[@Ryoga2K]

there's a 166 just around the corner from my house.. aparently stopped working years ago and owners had enough.. so it is there.. rusting with flat tires.

[@greengrass9572]

....... you're not convincing anyone..

[@Ryoga2K]

No need to, you can either believe me or not, its just a comment , and I have no reason to lie.

[@greengrass9572]

@@Ryoga2K, OK sure, but I must congratulate you because that's an incredibly creative imagination you have there... ( not.)

[@chapmasi]

I have a 166 that I've had it coming up on 6 years and love it to bits, its only worth about 2K and I just spent another £1160 on loads of work doing to it. The only people who hate Alfa's are those who have never owned one, or those people who bought one expecting to run it on the same budget as their Peugeot 406 Diesel and then moaned when things went wrong. If you want a car which is "reliable" or apparently "better" go join all the other boring arrogant wankers down at the Audi Garage

[@aceboogie8986]

If you judge a car on how it makes you feel instead of what it can do thats the greatest way to describe how i feel about cars

[@jml8841]

@2:29 I love it that jeremy says: WHEN it breaks down, not IF it breaks down. So it will inevitably happen :P

[@JoeDaeHimself]

2.4 JTD, 20 years old going super strong!

[@stoikr]

I still can't decide if they actually like Alfas or not.

[@appelpower1]

They do. According to them, you're not a real car enthousiast unless you've had one. Although they added that there are easier ways of becoming broke. Then again, they called Lancia the greatest car maker of all time, despite mocking their reliability. They prefer Italian style over reliability.

[@ArturKwaszyn]

+appelpower1 Because Italian cars are fun to own. Cars should make you feel great. If you want a means to get yourself from point A to point B... get a bus or train.

[@Ward1706]

stoikr Can confirm. I have a Fiat and it's an absolute gem to drive. Yes, not an Alfa, but it is an Italian through and through.

[@EliEli-bu4zn]

appelpower1 read the history of Lancia, and how they made the Lancia integrale. Have a look and see why. It’s not just about the looks. Italian engineering is quality.

[@JoaoSantos-cx7st]

I have an alfa 156, it looks just like this one but it is black and I prefer the interior. I'm so happy with the car, it speeds okay and can do average consumptions in city. People tend to look at the car a lot and be surprised of the car and i love it. Never expected to buy this car but I am happy with the choice

[@ericgeorge5483]

Can't imagine the residents of Hemsworth were too chuffed with this video.

[@italbabe10]

they won't care

[@calj2405]

My dad lives there and he found it pretty funny. They all know it is a shithole.

[@psk5746]

At least it's not in America

[@dansharp9095]

Great place, great community

[@ericgeorge5483]

@@dansharp9095 I have never been.

[@MOOBOOSE]

I have a 159 and I have learned that they can be problems with electrical components. Also it’s most important to find a mechanic who is familiar with them which is very hard in the west of Ireland as they didn’t sell in volume here

[@MegaMulec]

PLEASEE TOP GEAR,what is the track at 2:08 PLEASE,im looking for that track for more that half a year...

[@rahulgulati722]

Tuco Did you find it yet?

[@MegaMulec]

Nop

[@toroseduto93]

I'm an italian boy and I love top gear!!!! and the alfa are one of the most beautiful car in the world!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kaliber1459]

A me piace molto 👍👏

[@srfnus]

Alfa goes down but then goes up. Audi-vw goes down slowly but then in a ravine, generally

[@hughthompson4846]

My neighbours had one, was very envious of it for years!

[@jessesymons4335]

Watch this video at least once a year. One day I will own one..

[@stefanodandrea9449]

Alfa is a state of mind. My familly is an Alfa Owner since 1930. I drive a lot of cars, my brothers arte Bmw owners but when i sit in my 166 3.0 or in my 164 v6 tb or in my Giulietta sprinta veloce and i turn on the engine i fell my Earth Connect to the engine They work togheter.

[@caloc2590]

no matter what Jeremy says about alfa 166, for us Italians is one of the best car infact i posses one beautiful 166 2000cc for the past 5 years and now become my toy i will never sell this beutiful beast , 15 years old and is already a collector classic car Jeremy, prize who ncares the love to keep a car like this is honor and respect of proper car , ,alfa romeo is called the daughter of the Ferrari engineering therefor alfa romeo is a mini Ferrari:-) and if you are not a professional driver dont ever buy a alfa romeo, this cars any alfa are only for professionals drivers, and who really nos a alfa romeo cars will appreciate what a proper car IS. unique design and different of any cars in the world. Jeremy have a nice day:-)

[@banpowel9784]

Calogero C you must work for Alfa. There rubbish, constantly breaking down, a classic???? Not here in England, a disaster??? Yes

[@caloc2590]

no offensive but I thing you are the tipical ignorant patroniser nationalist, in England there is people that love alfa to bits by this are the people with the brain:-) capisci:-) ciao and have a nice day

[@banpowel9784]

Calogero C people with a brain don't buy unreliable Alfas

[@caloc2590]

OK buy you self a rover:-) ciao

[@banpowel9784]

Calogero C well a rover is more reliable than an Alfa, so yes I would buy a rover over an Alfa

[@andyglewv8]

I loved my pre facelift 166. Sadly gone to scrap heaven, used to drive it to ferry bridge where Clarkson filmed this. Also gone

[@haoruchen4216]

i just bought a new alfa stelvio....hahaha......jeremy sold me

[@ishkaranbrar313]

He don't like the Stelvio . He recommended a F150 over the Stelvio . He love the Giulia

[@jasonnewilloughby6291]

I'll wait for the giulia quadrifoglio pre owned

[@ishkaranbrar313]

@kt95 gy u can always watch grand tour again

[@ilpatongi]

@@ishkaranbrar313 Yeah, and in fact, he liked it.

[@ishkaranbrar313]

@@ilpatongi He said that if he had to have a crossover. He would have the stelvio but he wouldn't have a crossover

[@diegodz7510]

Jeremy I understand why you love this 166 that car has Style 🇮🇹

[@davidhues1304]

Anyone know the opening song?

[@lucasworktv]

Truly underrated car!

[@davidebonannini640]

I'm missing the time when Alfas didn't look like any other car, both in & out. The last was the 159.

[@TC_83]

Giulia?

[@davidebonannini640]

@@TC_83 the Giulia's exterior design is too conformist and shows more of a follower's rather than a leader's attitude.

[@goprodog4304]

Still a great car. I've had my 145 1.6 giallo zoe for 20 years, it is a great car. Very few cars come close for the price.

[@ChubbsRN]

why was the depreciation on the 166 so high?

[@vwporschefreak97]

because it was an absolute POS.

[@vwporschefreak97]

because it was an absolute POS.

[@TheKenjoje]

Bad reputation for reliability

[@soundseeker63]

In the UK, if its big and not German, it always depreciates badly. Big Peugeots, Citroens, Vauxhalls, Nissans, Fords etc. have the same problem. Some real bargains to be had on the used market :-)

[@TheKenjoje]

soundseeker63 what makes you think uk differs in that from the rest of the europe? :) you are not that special, it's the same from east to west and south to north ;)

[@andrenow8478]

most beautifulst standard saloon cars ever... Interior and engine design 9.9999999 of 10

[@tbrasc0]

Only Clarkson could find comedy in the desolation of a once proud community.

[@dansharp9095]

There's still proud residents 😉

[@tbrasc0]

@@dansharp9095 i don't doubt it.

[@dcukic]

ive driven alfa. and it tries so much to be a diferent then every other car that it turns out almost unuseable. but it had a sound, it had an acceleration and the look of it... just amazing. me and my friends had a lot of fun with this car, even when it broke down, or couldnt heat up so we were cold inside. so yeah, cars are not reliable nor quality built. but they have personality and sheer silyness of it will make you never forget that car. thats why people love alfa.

[@TheLOL4DUDE]

I'm italian and I always dress in suits. Cause i'm italian.

[@TheLOL4DUDE]

Fuckin hell 7 years have passed and i still dress in suits, cause i’m italian

[@StrikeRaptor1000]

For those wondering. The song is called Heaven Scent. Its a Adult Swim bump song.

[@mikedelicus]

Alfa Romeo>Timeless design

[@whatwelearned]

The fact that these guys legitimately think this is not only good looking but GORGEOUS tells you all you need to know about their ability to judge style or design

[@donaldvanvliet9039]

Oh great the expert in style and design is here😂

[@Casarzino]

NAUGHT!

[@italianduded1161]

gorgeous car! one of the last v6 Busso Alfas... beautiful!

[@jonathantollestrup5207]

the replacement for the 159 is gonna be RWD

[@poowaffle]

I think they do. Left turn, left turn, left turn, left turn and a new lap begins with only 4 left turn left for the next lap! And that is SOOOOOO x-itin'!!!