Alfa's 159 is going on a diet

Alfa Romeo’s 159 sedan is one of our favorite cars at the moment. It has the right blend of character, styling and dynamics to make it the best in its field, and has charmed motoring journalists across the world. However, the more potent AWD V6 version weighs a considerable 200kg more than the standard model. If ever a car needed to star on The Biggest Loser, the 159 AWD would be right up there. Though performance remains strong, a scheduled weight loss regime will ensure that future models will be even hotter.

Alfa recognizes the problem and has promised to find a solution. According to Autocar, the Italian label will modify the chassis and suspension, which should bring about a drop of 150kg. The change will occur in two stages, with the first stage utilizing lighter materials like aluminum to shed the kilos. The second stage will see a new light weight five-cylinder turbodiesel option and will affect all 2008 models onward.