TI stands for Turismo Internazionale, the acronym that Alfa Romeo used to assign only to its most sportingly equipped cars. Such cars were derived from standard production models that underwent styling changes and mechanical changes to create thoroughbred sports cars that could still be driven on ordinary roads.
Today these two simple yet glorious letters are making a comeback in the guise of the Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 Ti. The 156 2.5 V6 and 147 2.0i were initially the only two models available in Ti livery, however, Alfa Romeo South Africa has been fortunate enough to secure 60 Limited Edition 2.0-litre Ti models.
Cars bearing the TI logo are targeted at young, sporty drivers and offer greater driving satisfaction, more handling and more braking capacity. In other words, the dynamic behaviour of a car that spices your everyday driving experience with racetrack sensation. All in all, a car for those who demand the very best when it comes to sportiness.
And want it to be known without ostentation. Hence the styling decision not to change the exterior shape of the standard production cars too radically but limit the changes to a few features without resorting to flashy spoilers or other add-ons. From the outside, the cars are still recognisable but simply look meaner with a more vice-like grip on the road. Wide tyres, alloy wheels and sideskirts aid this effect.
Inside, the leather sports configuration seats plus the leather-trimmed steering wheel and gear knob can identify a TI interior. The sill plate and the black facia, ceiling and mats add more sporty touches.
Cars, in other words, that thrill and give authentic driving gratification during everyday use. Cars that represent the purest distillate of brand values and are the ambassadors of that particular form of elegant sportiness that has made us famous the world over. The new TI kit is the right choice for customers who want to enter the sporting world of Alfa Romeo where the topmost rung is occupied by the GTA family: Italian-style on-road vehicles, powerful and safe with cutting-edge technology to assure maximum satisfaction and peak driving control at all times.
The new 156 2.0Ti is equipped with the following additional spec (over and above the 156 2.0i Veloce and Lusso models):
Exterior
- Alloy wheels – 17″ 215/45 (spoke design with the Ti logo) and fitted with ultra-low profile tyres
- TI Logo on the rear left hand side of the car.
- Side sills
- Black accents on the lower front grille.
- Racing type brake pads
- Lowered sport suspension
- 10-disc CD changer
Interior:
- Black leather sports seats with extendable front bolsters, special red stitching, lumbar support and electric backrests
- Ti-badged scuff plates
- Sports steering wheel (with standard multi-function)
- Sports gear lever with brushed aluminium trim
- Anthracite roof lining
- Black dashboard with black background for the instruments
Just as a recap, all 156 2.0-litre models (Veloce, Lusso and Ti) are equipped with the following as standard:
- Front and rear fog lights
- Alloy wheels (16” for the Veloce and Lusso and 17” for the Ti)
- Remote central locking
- Dual-zone climate control
- Power steering
- Leather steering wheel
- On-board computer
- Cruise control
- Power windows / mirrors
- Stability control (VDC), traction control (MSR), ABS and EBD
- 6 airbags (front*, side and windowbags) *switchable on the front passenger seat
- 6-speaker stereo system with front-loading CD player
- 2.0-litre 4-cylinder 16-valve T-Spark powerplant
- 5-speed manual box (optional Selespeed available)
- 110kW at 6300rpm
- 181Nm at 3800rpm
- 0-100km/h in 8,8 seconds
- Top speed of 214km/h
- Combined fuel consumption of 8,7 litres per 100km
The Alfa Romeo 156 2.0 Ti Limited Edition’s suggested retail price is R245 000.
