TIME was when the saloon car was very much the transport of delight for the UK in-crowd.
In the days when hatchbacks were virtually unheard of, the choice was saloon or estate - and the vast majority of drivers opted for the traditional "three box" model.
These days, the family saloon presides over a much reduced customer base, but still spans a broad spectrum.
While lower cost and family practical models remain available, the saloon car has become most popular as a sporting steed and most notably with a prestige badge.
Alfa Romeo's head-turning 159 is one of the latest arrivals, taking over from the 156 and designed to put some serious pressure on premium league performers from Audi, Mercedes and BMW.
Like most things Italian, Alfa is renowned for putting on the style and the carmaker's ace designer, Giorgetto Giugiaro, along with the Alfa Romeo Centrol Stile in Milan has created in the 159 a true sporting saloon in the classic Alfa tradition.
This stunning piece of Italian design shares a number of visual cues which will be familiar to aficionados of the equally striking Alfa Brera, a coupe with which it shares some mechanical underpinnings.
In profile, the Alfa 159 saloon boasts a taut, rising waistline flowing from the pronounced flare of the front wheel arches which, along with new wider tracking gives this Italian job a decidedly assertive and purposeful stance on the tarmac.
Five engine options are offered to provide the urge to seamlessly move this handsome sports saloon along the highway with petrol power provided via a 1.9-litre 160bhp four-cylinder JTS engine, a 2.2-litre JTS housing 185bhp and the flagship 3.2-litre JTS V6 engine which delivers 260bhp.
Diesel urge comes courtesy of a 1.9-litre 150bhp JTDm and a 2.4-litre 200bhp JTDm. While six-speed autoboxes are available on some models, all are paired as standard with smooth-switching six-speed manual gearboxes.
Along with its stable companion, the 159 Sportwagon, the Saloon also comes with two trim levels on offer, Turismo and Lusso.
Standard specification is generous, the entry level Turismo coming with electric windows all round, dual zone climate control, seven airbags, cruise control, front fogs, 'follow-me-home' headlights, electric, heated and folding door mirrors, eight-speaker audio system with CD and steering wheel mounted controls. Driver safety aids include switchable Vehicle Dynamic Control system (VDC) with ASR and Hill Holder to help keep drivers on the right road, plus ABS braking with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD) and Hydraulic Brake Assistance (HBA) are on hand to rein in the power when required.
While Turismo trim provides serviceable Alfatex upholstery, a soft, durable and easy to clean fabric which is available in black, grey or beige, Lusso models come with a choice of black, tan, red, blue or beige leather upholstery fitted as standard.
Some four inches extra length to the wheelbase compared with the 156 has translated into significantly extended front and rear legroom and provided improved front and rear door access and an increase in rear headroom. It's sufficient to make a quartet of tall adults perfectly comfortable over the long haul while the luggage bay, at a decent 405 litres, is 27 litres larger. In addition, there are 14 storage areas of varying sizes including a large glovebox and an insulated front centre armrest bin.
Sufficient movement to the comfortable and supportive driver's seat height and a rake and reach adjustable steering column help to create a driving environment which should suit most folk.
The Alfa 159 has a key-slot and on/off push-button ignition system and the instrument binnacle is neatly informative, housing large, deeply hooded speedometer and rev counter dials which are backlit in white. The centre console, housing the sound system and climate control functions, is easily navigable and overall vision is good.
Driven here is the Alfa Romeo 159 3.2-litre V6 which, paired with a precise six-speed manual gear change and Alfa's Q4 permanent four-wheel-drive system, is a pretty powerful performer, the 0-62mph coming inside seven seconds with a top speed of 149mph.
In normal driving conditions, 57 per cent of torque goes to the rear wheels and 43 per cent to the front. Under constant monitoring, the Q4 system allows dynamic distribution of traction in relation to the grip at tyre level, having the ability to direct 80 per cent of pull to the rear wheels should conditions dictate.
Power steering is pin-sharp and direct, the well sorted chassis delivers bags of grip to provide enjoyable handling and, while torsional rigidity also contributes to fine road-holding, the Q4 sponsors a smooth ride along with stability and agility.
Overall, this Alfa delivers pulling power in more ways than one.
Its sports saloon silhouette is instantly eye-catching in both town and country while the Q4 four-wheel-drive system helped to deliver the levels of torque to provide performance which proved almost as good in the wet as in the dry.
Running costs could perhaps prove a little high for some, but the 159 saloon could definitely be considered a very capable, roomy and refined, yet very sporty, model for all seasons.
FAST FACTS
Alfa Romeo 159 3.2 JTS V6 Q4 Turismo 4dr
Price: £27,050
Mechanical: 260bhp, 3,195cc, 6cyl petrol engine driving four wheels via 6spd manual gearbox
Max speed: 149mph
0-62mph: 7 seconds
Combined mpg: 24.6
Insurance group: 16
CO2 emissions: 273 g/km
BiK rating: 35%
Warranty: 3yrs/ 60,000 miles, 3yrs paint, 8yrs anti-rust
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