The bottomline: Alfa Romeo designs cars that look good. And for what was their bread and butter model, the 156, Alfa Romeo certainly penned a wonderful looking sedan, by standards back then at least. The GTA adds an aggressive styling kit for a sportier look. The cabin is sporty, featuring a centre console that is angled towards the driver. 156 is a brilliant car to drive. With minimal body roll and ample grip through corners, coupled with the beautifully weighted steering, 156 entertains and involves drivers on the roads, unlike many modern luxury cars that tend to insulate drivers from the process of driving in the name of refinement. The GTA comes with firmer suspension and quicker steering which bring even sharper handling at the expense of ride comfort. 156 has a firm ride that deals poorly with bumps or potholes. The GTA proves even more uncomfortable over uneven surfaces. But give 156 a smooth stretch of highway, and it will cruise stably. There are more wind, road and engine noise in 156 than in rivals, although both engines emit a welcome sporty growl. Drivers get plenty of seating and steering column adjustments. Major controls are well-positioned, and so are the clearly laid out switchgear on the dashboard. Cabin quality standards in 156 fell short of rivals' back then. And to compare 156's cabin to modern rivals' would show a bigger gulf in standards. That said, all controls work with precision, while the material and build quality is solid if not up to modern standards. Alfa Romeo's reputation for mechanical reliability is mediocre, and glitches with the Selespeed gearbox and the suspension are not unheard of. The in-line four 2.0-litre has 155 bhp and 181 Nm on tap, while the 3.2-litre V6 has 250 bhp and 300 Nm. The 2.0-litre is revvy and punchy, more than enough for everyday use; but the V6 easily steals the show, putting in a powerful and flexible performance. The 2.0-litre is fitted with a five-speed Selespeed gearbox, which can be rather jerky, while the V6 comes with a six-speed manual gearbox that allows better use of the available performance. 156 provides good room for front driver and passenger, and decent room for rear passengers. But modern rivals are much roomier, in terms of rear legroom and luggage capacity. 156's boot suffers from rear suspension intrusion and has a narrow opening. Running costs are high mainly because of 156's steep depreciation. The 2.0-litre returns respectable fuel economy, but the 3.2-litre V6 is thirsty. Servicing and repair costs will be hefty, too. 156 was clearly designed in line with Alfa Romeo's sporting heritage and penchant for beautiful cars. With highly stylish looks, wonderful handling and two strong engines, 156 appeals to driving enthusiasts who place less emphasis on comfort, refinement, reliability, practicality and running costs. Putting aside the fact that 159 is already selling (in other countries), and that 156 is expensive for what it offers by modern standards, 156 owners must be willing to make sacrifices that owners of modern rivals need not have to. Both versions come with air conditioning, electric windows, CD player, remote central locking, alloy wheels and leather steering wheel among others. Safety equipments include six airbags, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) and Electronic Brakeforce Distributor (EBD) among others. The sophisticated anti-skid system is only found on the GTA, however. Both engines emit more carbon dioxide and drink more petrol than comparable engines from BMW and Audi. Alfa Romeo, as a manufacturer, lags BMW and Audi in efforts to produce more efficient engines.