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Alfa Romeo 145 Alfa Romeo needed two modestly styled cars to help it compete in the hatch-back and the saloon market, so this pair of ringers were released in Turin. Commonly referred to as the 'bread van' they both share the wedge-shaped frontal design of previous Alfa Romeos such as the 75, 155 and the 33 that they replace. A spacious and uniquely Italian interior was presented to the press at the launch, and by all accounts it was well received. Passengers often wonder at the oddly shaped cut-away dashboard in front of them, but a timely reminder that this was designed with their safety in mind brings peace. Based on the Fiat Tipo chassis, the cars are well known for great handling, with sharp responsive steering. The 1.8 and 2.0 were equiped with a quick-rack and this improves the responsiveness again, but as a result the turning circle leaves a lot to be desired. The sporty suspension set-up is harsher than most others in it's category, but again, this can trace itself back to the sporting roots of the Alfa breed. The Alfa Romeo 145 and 146 were released in 1994 and 1995 respectively, to replace the outgoing 33 and the retired 75. The 146 is a 5 door saloon with rear folding seats. The 145 is a hatchback model designed around a similar front end to the 146. Both share common design plans and interior components from the B-pillar forwards. 145 / 146 (Series I) Initial Release (Series I) date: 1994 (145) and 1995 (146). Engines available: - 1.3 8v Boxer (90bhp) (Not available in Ireland)
- 1.6 8v Boxer (103bhp)
- 1.7 16v Boxer (129bhp)
- 1.9 JTD Turbo Diesel (90bhp) (Not available in Ireland)
- 2.0 16v TS Cloverleaf/TI (155bhp) (Added in 1996)
Notes: - The 2.0 and the 1.9 JTD engines were derived from the 155.
- The Boxer engine is a transverse mounted design.
First revision (Series II) date: 1997 Changes made: Revised engines; Boxer engines were all retired and replaced by the Twin Spark (TS) which gave better fuel economy and higher power output. Engines available: - 1.4 TS 16v (103bhp)
- 1.6 TS 16v (120bhp)
- 1.8 TS 16v (144bhp)
- 2.0 TS 16v Cloverleaf/TI (155bhp)
- 1.9 TD (90bhp)
Notes: Second revision (Series II) date: 1998. Changes made: Engines were revised; The 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 156 TS engines were imported into the 145/146 to replace the existing designs. This was for multiple reasons: - Requirement for stricter emissions controls.
- Requirement for lower noise output.
- Minor cost savings.
As a result, the 156 engine has a lower output power. The revised power output is as follows: - 1.4 TS 16v (103bhp??)
- 1.6 TS 16v (120bhp @ 6500 RPM)
- 1.8 TS 16v (140bhp @ 6500 RPM)
- 2.0 TS 16v Cloverleaf/TI (155bhp??)
- 1.9 JTD (90bhp)
Third revision (Series II) date: 2000 (??) Changes made: Revised models; added colour-coded bumpers, door handles and mirrors. Features The cars with with electric windows and power steering as standard. The top specification included some of the following: - Electrically adjustable heated side mirrors
- Quick steering rack (1.8 and 2.0)
- Antilock Braking System (ABS)
- Front fog lights
- Velour interior
- Electrical Sunroof
- Electric boot release
- Air Conditioning (only on the 2.0 as standard)
- Electrically adjustable main/dipped beam pitch
End of production 2001 Replacement The 145 was replaced by the 147 in it's three door guise. The 146 was replaced by the five door 147, but no saloon version of the 147 was manufactured. Notes - The 145 with the 2.0 engine is known as the 145 Cloverleaf or 'Q145'.
- The 146 with the 2.0 engine is known as the '146 TI'.
- All 145/146's are FWD, unlike the RWD Alfa Romeo 75.
- Rust issues were eliminated in the early '90s after Alfa was heavily criticised for using substandard Russian steel. All Alfa cars since this date have been galvanised, and as a result don't suffer from rust issues.
- While the volume of 145's and 146's were moderately low, parts availability is good in most respects. Owners clubs can often advise on multiple sources of parts or workarounds.
- While 8v TS engines were available on the Alfa Romeo 155, none of these were imported over to the 145/146 chassis.
145 146
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