Alfa Romeo 164 - built to contain German expansion

The world-famous Italian automobile company Alfa Romeo was founded in 1906 as an attempt to adapt the French ideas of Alexandre Darrac to Italian reality. Rather, it received its name only in 1910, and it consisted of the first four letters, which were an abbreviation. The acronym ALFA stood for "Unnamed Automobile Factory in Lombardy". So the creators modestly responded to the project, which became one of the most successful in Europe.


From the very beginning, Alfa Romeo positioned itself as a manufacturer of luxury and sports cars. More than a century-old history of the participation of racing models of the plant in various competitions can be called confirmation of this. There were numerous executive class cars in its history. One of them in the 90s was a model codenamed Type 164.

Amazing Italian car "hodgepodge"

The Alfa Romeo 164, which became the factory's flagship model in the late '80s, was actually a remarkably modular project. Its roots go back to 1978, when three Italian companies (Alfa Romeo, Fiat and Lancia), together with the Swedish Saab, decided to resist the German expansion in the European car market. The common platform was called Type Four and was supposed to oppose the leading German-made models with a worthy rival. Each of the participating companies presented its own version of the novelty.



The production of the automotive novelty was started in 1987 and continued for 11 years. The new ideas used by Alfa were applied in parallel by other participants in the joint development. This is how the Lancia Thema, Fiat Croma and Saab 9000 models appeared. And the promising ideas of the external design of the Alfa Romeo164 (which had only a joint chassis with others) had a decisive influence on all models of the line produced after the 80s.



The cooperation of the companies did not go unnoticed, and the model under discussion became the last real Alfa Romeo. At the time of its launch into production, the procedure for the company's entry into the Fiat Corporation was in full swing. The debut of the 164th took place at the Frankfurt Motor Show - 1987.

Modifications proposed by the manufacturer subsequently

The Alfa Romeo 164 is the latest of four co-developed models to enter the series. With her "sisters" she had only a common chassis design. Moreover, using the experience of predecessors, it was possible to achieve its optimal rigidity. Another difference was that the 164 was presented only as a sedan and (for the first 6 years) only in a front-wheel drive layout.



Since 1993, new rear-wheel drive modifications have appeared. Also, for all years of production, car options with 2,0 and 3,0 liter gasoline engines were available. Turbodiesel, in turn, was presented only in a 2,5-liter version. Cars exported to the European market were additionally equipped with catalytic converters. This was necessary because the emission requirements were higher there. In the early 90s, the following engine modifications were available:

✅ base 2,0i Turbo
✅ sporty 3,0i V6
✅ export version 3,0 with a capacity of up to 200 hp With.

The latest version was designed for North American consumers and had an index of 164L ("Lusso" i.e. "luxury"). An anecdotal situation has developed with the marking of cars offered for the Hong Kong and Malagasy markets. It turned out that in the system of Chinese characters, the number "164" has an unpleasant definition that can be translated as "the road to death." It is clear that not the best marketing ploy for a successful sale! Therefore, it was necessary to urgently change the digital identification for these markets, and Alfa Romeo urgently became the “168th”. In turn, the hieroglyph with this number meant "movement towards prosperity."

Since the beginning of the 90s, for 3 years, the leading modification in the line was 164QV. Its release was discontinued in 1992, when the lineup was subjected to a deep restyling. The QV featured embossed bumpers and an enlarged front spoiler. More expensive stuffing was available inside. These are sports-type seats with a sculptural look and an original instrument panel. The shock absorbers of the car were adjustable, and the gearbox was mechanical. The engine is an upgraded 3-liter V6. The line was updated in time in 1993, the main improvements included:

✅ refined headlight profile
✅ chrome body trim
✅ improved dashboard

During this period, the only all-wheel drive and the most powerful among the modifications of the 164th Q4 model appeared. Quadrifoglio 4 was equipped with the most advanced all-wheel drive system at that time from the Austrian company Steyr-Puch. The transmission system allowed a smooth increase in power, which provided a more comfortable ride and increased traffic safety. Torque was rationally distributed between the two axles, taking into account the speed, engine speed and steering radius. ABS parameters were also taken into account. In general, various modifications had the following range of parameters:

✅ Maximum speed 210-245 km/h
✅ Engine capacity - 2,0-3,0 liters.
✅ Power - 117-232 hp With.

Agree, the figures directly indicate that the models do not belong to the economy category in any way, but rather represent the middle, and even business class.

Advanced Design Alfa Romeo164

Thanks to a computer-aided design program, the designers managed to achieve a balanced result: the chassis, which had a low weight, had a sufficient margin of safety. The same technique allowed to achieve the optimal geometry of the front suspension. Higher build quality was ensured by the use of galvanized steel in body parts. But the electronic filling, with which the car was literally crammed, did not differ in the high quality of the installation and often failed.



The passenger compartment of Alfa Romeo164 was appropriate for a car of this class: spacious, comfortable and made with the latest design achievements. The seats had velor or (for luxury modifications) leather trim. The trunk was also quite roomy (510 liters). To this we can add the original design of the dashboard with a wide range of functions and automatic climate control.

Admiring users of the model noted tenacious and reliable, but very smooth brakes and a powerful engine, which was enough to drive at high speeds or with increased load. To match them was the steering - measured and without sharp backlash.



The 164th has proven itself well in winter driving conditions. It seems that cooperation with the Swedish company was not in vain. It started up perfectly in winter, felt confident on slippery roads and did not skid hopelessly on snowy sections of the road. All this brought her well-deserved honor and popularity in the Scandinavian countries and, to some extent, in the Russian market.



Excellent characteristics, demand in many countries and on different continents, but, by the end of the century, it's time to give way to "youth". The swan song of Alfa Romeo164 can be called the fact that she became a kind of donor for the Italdesigh Scighera sports car. The car was presented to the general public in 1997, and the very next year, Alfa Romeo164 replaced the 166th on the assembly line. A total of 273 Type 857s of various modifications were produced.