This Modified V6 156 Is Frankenstein's Alfa
As a result of spending quite a bit of time in the Giulia Quadrifoglio recently, I often find myself looking in the classifieds for the closest thing to Alfa’s new super saloon I can afford: the old 2.5-litre V6 156.
That’s what led to me stumbling upon this curious creation. The seller may say it’s received a “face lift bodykit,” but it’s quite clearly a 147 front end that’s been grafted onto the nose of this 156.
It looks to be an aftermarket take on the 147 GTA’s front bumper, and quite why you’d want to add that to the front of a 156, we’re not sure. Elsewhere, there’s a pair of aftermarket side skirts, a vented rear bumper, Lexus-style rear lights, some spangly alloy wheels and a strut brace. It’s been lowered, and a Remus stainless steel exhaust system has been added.
The price for all this? £500. I’d almost be tempted to buy it and ‘rescue’ it - removing most of its aftermarket tat (keeping the exhaust, obviously), and maybe, just maybe, leaving that 147 front end on for teh lolz to confuse people. Just for a few weeks.
It is after all one of the very few V6s with the facelifted interior, made for one year only before the exterior facelift came along, at which point the 2.5-litre Busso-engined beauty was discontinued.
The problem? Other that the fact this will need a stack of parts to return it to near-stock condition (we’re thinking a parts car would be the way to go), it has no MOT, and apparently has a tendency to overheat in traffic. Ah.
Anyone fancy taking this project on?
Growing up on a diet of World Rally Championship highlights and lengthy Gran Turismo 2 sessions, a life in cars was as good as inevitable for Matt.
Comments
At least the owner didn’t turn it into this:
Ouch. Yep, that one looks beyond saving…
I assume it sounds like a gigantic fartbag with that exhaust system
My eyes they burn
Omg why 😂
and apparently has a tendency to overheat in traffic
Isn’t that what old alfas are good at?
It’s what they were born to do. And that’s only one of the reasons why we love them so much
500 quid for an Italian rice… Still, it should be a good challenge put this car into shape
The Alfa Risotto 159
Sometimes things are too far gone it would take £££ to get it back. Save up some money find a GTA keep it for a few years and make a few pound when you come to sell it.
That’s our thinking with this one. Too many bits to replace, and who knows how much it’ll cost to fix that overheating issue and get it through its MOT…
Is anyone else seeing a Lancer/Evo in the rear?
No.
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I’m saving money…
and buy a Guilia Quadrifoglio instead.
Me because cars r way more expensive here
Then ill import from uk to malaysia
Honestly, I’d just put standard taillights on and maybe remove the spoiler
All these “rice” comments are a bit harsh, in the early 2000, this was just ingenuity and imagination. It’s still a Busso and doesn’t really have anything that was done out of bad taste, just modernise it a tad by removing the aftermarket taillights as they’re a bit dated now
The 156 (and 159) are cars that I feel that don’t loose their aesthetic beauty when they are an estate, my friend own a 156 sportwagon with a 2.4 turbo diesel and it goes like a rocket, it is a great alternative to the typical BMW, Merc, Audi hear in Malta