Bristol Auto Moto Italia

Enjoy!

http://www.italiancar.co.uk/Bristol/

--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Fiat Marea 20v HLX - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

SteveH wrote:

> Enjoy!
>
> http://www.italiancar.co.uk/Bristol/
>
Really must try to make it down, one year
--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 18:13:57 +0100, (SteveH),
wrote:

>Enjoy!
>
>http://www.italiancar.co.uk/Bristol/

WOW! we are gobsmacked.
Truly great to see.
Amazing that a UK town can still
allow such an event in the centre.
Renews one's faith in life.
What an amazing array of machines.

Thanks for posting.

Pete
--
>
156 2.0 TS (2001) - Proteo Rosso

Lovely..except for the bloke on the Duke 750 who is in slightly poorer
shape then his equipment.

Is that a Mirafiori?..Haven't seen one of those in years. That tiny
Fiat Arbath *snow plough* - is that for real?

You've got one of the best *you need a toothbrush to clean the lights*
shots of a 159 I've seen.

More envious dribbling..

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

Zathras > wrote:

> Lovely..except for the bloke on the Duke 750 who is in slightly poorer
> shape then his equipment.
>
> Is that a Mirafiori?..Haven't seen one of those in years.

Yes, it's a Mirafiori 2000TC. Lovely, it was. I want one.

> That tiny
> Fiat Arbath *snow plough* - is that for real?

Indeed it is - pretty standard Abarth spec, that.

> You've got one of the best *you need a toothbrush to clean the lights*
> shots of a 159 I've seen.

Heh.

> More envious dribbling..

I wouldn't, if I were you.

I sat in the 159 and the Brera, and examined both the inside and outside
in detail.

Conclusion. They're a bit Kraut, IYSWIM.

The Brera was a *huge* let down - it rides too high on it's suspension
and is generally too tall - I was expecting something a bit more low
slung, like the Alfetta GTV, instead it's just a sawn off 159 - even the
interior is identical.

Given a choice, I'd have a GT, they're much more 'sporty', IMHO.

To be honest, I'll stick with the 156 and the 75, 'cos I really think
that, for an Alfa enthusiast, they've lost their way. The 159 will sell
by the ship load to reps trading in their Passats, though.
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Fiat Marea 20v HLX - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

SteveH wrote:

> The Brera was a *huge* let down - it rides too high on it's suspension
> and is generally too tall - I was expecting something a bit more low
> slung, like the Alfetta GTV, instead it's just a sawn off 159 - even the
> interior is identical.

I have said before I find shared interiors a let down - I expect the
sporty model to have a more "special" interior. I have yet to see a
Brera in the flesh. From pictures it either looks gorgeous or a bit
plain depending on camera angle - I need to see one to judge. I guess I
should get an invite so I can see my local dealer get to fire up the
smoke machine and dust off thus spake zarathustra again

> Given a choice, I'd have a GT, they're much more 'sporty', IMHO.

Which has a 147 interior. Nothing against that but I was similarly let
down when I got in that. The excitement of climbing in a new model only
to recognise everything from a previous model is a real let down. Alfa
can afford to be a bit less conservative in the niche sports variants
IMHO. I do agree the new models show Karl-Heinz Kalbfell's influence.

> To be honest, I'll stick with the 156 and the 75, 'cos I really think
> that, for an Alfa enthusiast, they've lost their way. The 159 will sell
> by the ship load to reps trading in their Passats, though.

What could seem worse than England having a foreign football manager? -
Maybe Alfa having a German at the helm? (no offence to our German Alfa
owners!) - I guess time will tell. For the Alfa enthusiast having a
chief exec who says "Perhaps Alfa has a little too much spirit for
non-Alfisti, in its appearance, driving style and temperament" would
ring some alarm bells. Having said that the dynamics in terms of of 4wd,
ride and power outputs would seem positive. I have only driven a 1.9JTDm
159 and it left me a bit cold but then the similar engine in a 147
didn't do much for me either. I will suspend judgement until I get to
try the the 200bhp 2.4 JTDm or maybe even the 3.2 Q4...

Haven't seen a 159 on the motorways (or any road come to that)- seen
dozens of new shape Passats though.

Cheers
Tony

Tony Rickard > wrote:

> Haven't seen a 159 on the motorways (or any road come to that)- seen
> dozens of new shape Passats though.

Probably because the new Passat was launched sometime late last year
(October?) whereas the first handful of 159s have only just been handed
over to their owners.....

Maybe the new cars will grow on me, but they don't have the 'wow!'
factor the 156, or even the 155 had at it's launch.
--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Fiat Marea 20v HLX - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #

On Sat, 29 Apr 2006 21:29:44 +0100, (SteveH)
wrote:

>Zathras > wrote:
>
>> You've got one of the best *you need a toothbrush to clean the lights*
>> shots of a 159 I've seen.
>
>Heh.
>
>> More envious dribbling..
>
>I wouldn't, if I were you.

What I meant was that I was dribbling over the other cars..I can
easily see where you could misinterpret my words though!!

>I sat in the 159 and the Brera, and examined both the inside and outside
>in detail.
>
>Conclusion. They're a bit Kraut, IYSWIM.

I agree about the 159 (not seen a Brera in the flash yet). In fact, I
don't know whether to keep my 5 year old 156 or get a 159! I mean, it
*should* be a no-brainer but Alfa have conspired to make the 159
appear like a badly face lifted 156 and I'm not sure I want to give up
a lovely pre-Giorgetto 156 for one. That gaudy enter console made me
want to vomit - how could they do that? It's like someone said "it's
too dark in here..brighten it up a bit lads!".."Right..we'll give him
bright"

>The Brera was a *huge* let down - it rides too high on it's suspension

Is it worse than the 159 which, IMHO, hugs the road like an
off-roader.

>and is generally too tall - I was expecting something a bit more low
>slung, like the Alfetta GTV, instead it's just a sawn off 159 - even the
>interior is identical.

eeek!

>Given a choice, I'd have a GT, they're much more 'sporty', IMHO.
>
>To be honest, I'll stick with the 156 and the 75, 'cos I really think
>that, for an Alfa enthusiast, they've lost their way.

Don't the *Alfisti* say that about every new Alfa. They did about the
Fiat Tipo..er..156!

>The 159 will sell by the ship load to reps trading in their Passats, though.

Doubt it - they'll get Audis or BMWs. With Alfa's reputation for
very-expensive-to-run, unreliable cars still intact, it'll not find
its way onto many business fleets.

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

SteveH wrote:
<SNIP>
> I don't know if it's that, it's just lost it's style. Well, apart from
> the buttons in the roof, which are a throw back to 75 days.

*cough*116*cough*

>> >The Brera was a *huge* let down - it rides too high on it's suspension
>>
>> Is it worse than the 159 which, IMHO, hugs the road like an
>> off-roader.
>
> It's exactly the same as a 159 in this respect. The roofline is a little
> lower, but the ride height is the same.
>
>> >and is generally too tall - I was expecting something a bit more low
>> >slung, like the Alfetta GTV, instead it's just a sawn off 159 - even the
>> >interior is identical.
>>
>> eeek!
>>
>> >Given a choice, I'd have a GT, they're much more 'sporty', IMHO.
>> >
>> >To be honest, I'll stick with the 156 and the 75, 'cos I really think
>> >that, for an Alfa enthusiast, they've lost their way.
>>
>> Don't the *Alfisti* say that about every new Alfa. They did about the
>> Fiat Tipo..er..156!
>
> Oh, I never said that about the 156. I instantly wanted one.

Many people did, though. It was certainly said about the 155.

<snip>

--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
Alfa 116 Giulietta 3.0l (Really) Sprint 1.7 75 TS 156 TS S2
Triumph Speed Triple: Black with extra black bits
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

Catman > wrote:

> SteveH wrote:
> <SNIP>
> > I don't know if it's that, it's just lost it's style. Well, apart from
> > the buttons in the roof, which are a throw back to 75 days.
>
> *cough*116*cough*

Oh, didn't realise they went back that far, 'cos the Alfetta was very
conventional.

<snip>

> >> >To be honest, I'll stick with the 156 and the 75, 'cos I really think
> >> >that, for an Alfa enthusiast, they've lost their way.
> >>
> >> Don't the *Alfisti* say that about every new Alfa. They did about the
> >> Fiat Tipo..er..156!
> >
> > Oh, I never said that about the 156. I instantly wanted one.
>
> Many people did, though. It was certainly said about the 155.

That was understandable - the narrow body car wasn't great, but the
biggest issue was that it was a complete departure from it's
predecessor. (FWD etc)

> <snip>


--
Steve H 'You're not a real petrolhead unless you've owned an Alfa Romeo'
http://www.italiancar.co.uk - Honda VFR800 - MZ ETZ300 - Alfa 75 TSpark
Alfa 156 2.0 TSpark Lusso - Fiat Marea 20v HLX - COSOC KOTL
BoTAFOT #87 - BoTAFOF #18 - MRO # - UKRMSBC #7 - Apostle #2 - YTC #