159 2.4 JTD

Anyone in here got (or driven) the new 2.4 Diesel plant in a 159 yet. 200
horses and tree uprooting torque sounds pretty impressive. Just wondered
what it 'actually' performs like and what the engine sounds like? I'll be
looking for a second hand (up to 24 months old) one in a year or 2...

GT > wrote:

> Anyone in here got (or driven) the new 2.4 Diesel plant in a 159 yet. 200
> horses and tree uprooting torque sounds pretty impressive. Just wondered
> what it 'actually' performs like and what the engine sounds like? I'll be
> looking for a second hand (up to 24 months old) one in a year or 2...

I hope it's better than the other high-power diesels I've driven.....

Like a punch in the back when they're on boost, but the powerband is so
narrow as to make it worthless.
--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

On 5 Jun, 22:25, (SteveH) wrote:
> GT > wrote:
> > Anyone in here got (or driven) the new 2.4 Diesel plant in a 159 yet. 200
> > horses and tree uprooting torque sounds pretty impressive. Just wondered
> > what it 'actually' performs like and what the engine sounds like? I'll be
> > looking for a second hand (up to 24 months old) one in a year or 2...
>

It's not bad but still sounds like a big heavy diesel despite what the
salesmen say. I went and test drove a 159 and it was the diesel they
gave me. Wouldn't take it over the petrol engine 2.2l. The sound of
any diesel engine puts me off completely and this is no different. If
you go and see one get the salesman to start a diesel and then start a
petrol one, you will see what I mean. Don't know what it is but they
harp on about this diesel engine as if it's gods gift to the 159.

In terms of performance yes it's pretty quick for a big car. The 3.2
V6 would obviously leave it standing but I would say its on par with
the 2.2 but the petrol does sound a lot better!

Up to me, go for the petrol 2.2.

>> > Anyone in here got (or driven) the new 2.4 Diesel plant in a 159 yet.
>> > 200
>> > horses and tree uprooting torque sounds pretty impressive. Just
>> > wondered
>> > what it 'actually' performs like and what the engine sounds like?
>
> It's not bad but still sounds like a big heavy diesel despite what the
> salesmen say. I went and test drove a 159 and it was the diesel they
> gave me. Wouldn't take it over the petrol engine 2.2l.
>
> In terms of performance yes it's pretty quick for a big car.

Is it really that much bigger in the back than the 156?

On Wed, 06 Jun 2007 06:31:26 -0700, davea >
wrote:

>On 5 Jun, 22:25, (SteveH) wrote:
>> GT > wrote:
>> > Anyone in here got (or driven) the new 2.4 Diesel plant in a 159 yet. 200
>> > horses and tree uprooting torque sounds pretty impressive. Just wondered
>> > what it 'actually' performs like and what the engine sounds like? I'll be
>> > looking for a second hand (up to 24 months old) one in a year or 2...
>>
>
>It's not bad but still sounds like a big heavy diesel despite what the
>salesmen say. I went and test drove a 159 and it was the diesel they
>gave me. Wouldn't take it over the petrol engine 2.2l. The sound of
>any diesel engine puts me off completely and this is no different. If
>you go and see one get the salesman to start a diesel and then start a
>petrol one, you will see what I mean. Don't know what it is but they
>harp on about this diesel engine as if it's gods gift to the 159.

Well, at a guess, because the 2.4 is quicker, faster and significantly
less thirsty than the petrol 2.2?

>In terms of performance yes it's pretty quick for a big car. The 3.2
>V6 would obviously leave it standing but I would say its on par with
>the 2.2 but the petrol does sound a lot better!
>
>Up to me, go for the petrol 2.2.

If it were up to me, I'd ask the guy at Alfa why his cars are so
slowwww to accelerate. IMHO, the cars are about a second to 60 off the
mark - comparing to some others. I mean, for goodness sake, the 3.2 is
a mere 0.4s 0-60 quicker than that massive 3 litre diesel Chrysler
300C ffs! :-( The 3.2 couldn't even catch an A4 3.0 diesel off the
mark - now this is *not* right..is it??

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)

On Tue, 5 Jun 2007 22:25:01 +0100, (SteveH)
wrote:

>GT > wrote:
>
>> Anyone in here got (or driven) the new 2.4 Diesel plant in a 159 yet. 200
>> horses and tree uprooting torque sounds pretty impressive. Just wondered
>> what it 'actually' performs like and what the engine sounds like? I'll be
>> looking for a second hand (up to 24 months old) one in a year or 2...
>
>I hope it's better than the other high-power diesels I've driven.....

I think the trick is to avoid most of them below about 3 litres!

>Like a punch in the back when they're on boost, but the powerband is so
>narrow as to make it worthless.

I think this affliction is worst with the 1.9 and 2.0 engine sizes.
Just go bigger, and, preferably, add a cylinder or two! :-)

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)

Zathras > wrote:

> >Like a punch in the back when they're on boost, but the powerband is so
> >narrow as to make it worthless.
>
> I think this affliction is worst with the 1.9 and 2.0 engine sizes.
> Just go bigger, and, preferably, add a cylinder or two! :-)

Thing is - a TDI 170bhp is roughly comparable to a 2.4JTD with 200bhp in
terms of bhp per cc.... so I have to assume that the 2.4JTD running
200bhp is going to be a peaky car to drive.
--
SteveH 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - Hongdou GY200 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 TSpark - B6 Passat 2.0TDI SE - COSOC KOTL
BOTAFOT #87 - BOTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

"GT" > wrote in message
...
> Anyone in here got (or driven) the new 2.4 Diesel plant in a 159 yet. 200
> horses and tree uprooting torque sounds pretty impressive. Just wondered
> what it 'actually' performs like and what the engine sounds like? I'll be
> looking for a second hand (up to 24 months old) one in a year or 2...

Hi GT

I had a test drive in a Brera with the 2.4 diesel and was disappointed...it
really didn't "feel" like a 200bhp car to me. It doesn't go flat at the top
end like the 4 cylinder Alfa diesels and doesn't feel peaky to drive, just
not as impressive as I'd hoped. Maybe the Brera is too overweight and too
sanitised but it didn't feel as "special" to drive as I was looking for from
an Alfa and for that kind of money.

I also drove a 159 with the 2.2 petrol engine, as that is what I would have
gone for if I'd had a Brera, and was surprised how well that pulled from low
revs and the general performance, though obviously there's a big difference
in fuel consumption, the petrol didn't feel that far behind in other areas.
To qualify that, I'm not used to driving diesels and maybe more time in the
2.4 would have shown it in a better light.

After all that I ended up with a 190 TT coupe and waved goodbye to my much
loved, but expensive to keep in suspension components, 147! :-/

Regards
Ross

On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 17:43:06 +0100, (SteveH)
wrote:

>Zathras > wrote:
>
>> >Like a punch in the back when they're on boost, but the powerband is so
>> >narrow as to make it worthless.
>>
>> I think this affliction is worst with the 1.9 and 2.0 engine sizes.
>> Just go bigger, and, preferably, add a cylinder or two! :-)
>
>Thing is - a TDI 170bhp is roughly comparable to a 2.4JTD with 200bhp in
>terms of bhp per cc.... so I have to assume that the 2.4JTD running
>200bhp is going to be a peaky car to drive.

Unfortunately, I haven't tried one so can't comment with authority
but, that *might* explain why there are 6 gears and it's slow to 60.
In comparison, the 3 litre diesels from some of the opposition are
delivering 220-230bhp so this does make the 2.4 look a bit pushed.

I do like the wide power band in mine, I have to say. It would be a
shame if Alfa have squandered it in the search for bigger bhp. Torque
is how diesels work, not bhp.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)

On Wed, 6 Jun 2007 20:33:30 +0100, "Ross"
> wrote:

> Maybe the Brera is too overweight and too
>sanitised but it didn't feel as "special" to drive as I was looking for from
>an Alfa and for that kind of money.

From what I can gather, you have to go back a good few years for what
you are looking for.

All Alfas are now sanitised by a need to compete and gain sales in
general (not niche) markets and by EU noise legislation and safety
requirements.

--
Z
Scotland
Alfa Romeo 156 2.4JTD Veloce Leather
'Oil' be seeing you..
(Email without 'Alfa' in subject are auto-deleted..sorry!)