ALFA ROMEO 166 1996-2003 Photos, engines & full specs

After almost a decade on the market, Alfa Romeo finally retired the 164 range in late 1996 and introduced the unusual-looking 166 in its lineup.

The Italian premium automaker had a long history of producing luxury vehicles. Still, after 1990, they struggled to keep up with the Germans, the British, and French carmakers. But Alfa Romeo had the edge over its competitors in terms of design. That happened with the 166 lineups too.

Walter da Silva worked for Centro Stile Alfa Romeo when he penned the luxury sedan. He imagined the car with some of the smallest headlights from those times in the automotive industry. Thus the front fascia was very slim for a mid-size sedan. To solve the engine's cooling needs, he added a broad grille on the apron that complemented the small, palm-sized grille placed above the bumper. From the profile, the ascending beltline of the car made it look dynamic even when it stood still. At the back, the high-mounted red taillights were wide but thick enough to match the headlamps.

Inside, the automaker installed bolstered bucket seats at the front, which provided adequate side support during high-speed cornering maneuvers. However, the dashboard looked like it surrounded the driver and their side passenger into separate cocoons. Furthermore, the center stack was tilted toward the driver's area, while the tall center console separated the two front seats. At the back, the bench was profiled for two, with a third slimmer and shorter center section.

Under the hood, the 166 received a wide engine choice from Alfa Romeo. It started from a 150-hp twin-spark engine up to a 3.0-liter, naturally-aspirated V6. In addition, due to the Italian taxation system, it offered a 200 hp, turbocharged, 2.0-liter V6. Finally, for those looking for better fuel efficiency, Alfa Romeo installed a 2.4-liter turbo-diesel.