Re: Alfa 166

[Tonywoodtw@xxxxxxx]

<< From: Keith Walker <100662.3423@domain.elided> wrote:
 
 I just watched Top Gear's coverage of the 166, and it got a  bit of a
slating. They calimed the clutches had been giving  trouble on the launch, and
the brakes were not up to the job.>>

It occurs to me that Alfa's little clutch-dropping inhibitor could be the
cause here.  Journalists do like to rev cars to 6K and just drop the clutch to
get their figures, even though most of us don't do that in even 'spirited'
driving!!  IIRC it is heat that kills clutches, and it is likely that doing
this would have the clutch slipping for half a mile.

Tiff also said that the steering wheel didn't adjust far enough towards him,
and I agree on the basis of what he demonstrated and of my experience with the
164; I could do with another inch or two   -   as the actress said to the
bishop    :-)

Of the suspension, he said the ride was top class and that it gripped and held
the road superbly (looked that way on the film), but that he couldn't feel the
point of breakaway very well (unlike BMW 5 Series).  He found the brakes faded
when they got really hot (same as the 164, but only if you drive so fast, and
brake so late and hard, that any passengers are screaming and hanging for dear
life on the "Jesus!" handles).

I see the boot (trunk) is as big as the 164 (surprise people by removing
something 96" x 5" dia from *your* boot).

Love the looks (even better than the 164) and especially the instruments
(overlapping circular dials).

Overall, best stick to the 156 until the 166 is properly sorted in MkII ?

<A HREF="http://members.aol.com/tonywoodtw/";>Tony Wood</A>
England



 

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