Surprisingly Economical

Yes, but my local Alfa dealer doesn't stock the model fitted with the roll cage and seam welded chassis.

-- James

But the basic set up is pretty much the same. Alfa design their cars to be more sporty than their peers, hence my use of the term 'sports saloon'.......

It's a common term, you probably heard of it before in reference to the BMW E30 M3, Sierra Sapphire Cosworth etc.

It's the same chassis, and is allowed modifications within the rules. i.e. Numerous engine mods (e.g. porting, engine management, exhaust), different gearbox, different engine position / mounts, different wheels, different brakes, different body kit, different suspension (sub frames, track, wheel base etc.)

The amount of modifications is rather substantial, they don't take a standard car and modify it, they take a bear shell and build it to race.

The Volvo S60 is marketed as a sports saloon, as is the Mazda 6 and the Saab

9-3, where as I don't think the Alfa 156 is. A Volvo S60 Grandad mobile is hardly a sporty car or at least it's image isn't.

-- James

There wasn't a hell of a lot could be moved about on the 75 chassis due to it's configuration. Granted, the engine was significantly different, but Alfa didn't have to / couldn't vastly alter the chassis.

Even the 155 was fairly close (in 2lt BTCC form) to the showroom car - Alfa even had to produce a limited run of cars to homologate some of the mods they wanted to stick on the racing car (155 'Silverstone')

Granted, a lot of manufacturers stick a 'sports' tag on their ranges, but very few can lay claim to producing a true 'sports saloon'. None of the above are (bar the Alfa), but I'd say that BMW, Mercedes and Alfa have pretty much got that corner of the market sewn up.

T5s & s6s (&lotus carltons RS2s & cosworths) seem to compete

I for one would pay good money to travel in a Sports Train.

Douglas

LOL, as long as the Sports Train was on Sports Rails.

Stuart

I've just got a rather unwonderful 21.4 from my 525 but it was leaking fuel and it does go very fast and I did drive all the way home in 3rd and 4th gear on the motorway just for fun. I've got 33mpg twice on long trips. Woo!

As long as there are no wet corners to worry about, the T5s would compete really well...

Can you say "power induced understeer"?

-- James