'Ti' for two? Both Alfa Romeo and BMW have labelled their flagship sports variants 'Ti' in the past. 'Ti' is an abbreviation of 'Turismo Internationale', a category of racing.
In Alfa's case, the 'Ti' badge denotes the company's new sports-oriented 159 models. Available with both the 2.2-litre JTS four-cylinder or 3.2-litre V6, the 159 Ti has been specified from the factory with the sort of equipment that makes it a dedicated sports machine.
Lowered suspension reduces body roll, decreases the ride height by 20mm and improves turn-in. 19-inch alloy wheels are shod with 235/40 R19 tyres and brakes are supplied by Brembo for faster stopping.
Apart from the badging, the most obvious visual clue to the 159 Ti's prowess is the standard body kit and burnished aluminium finish for the external mirrors.
In the cabin, the sports seats are electrically adjustable as standard and provide heating for those wintry mornings. Black leather trim contrasts with the red stitching and red instrumentation highlights.
That 'burnished aluminium' finish for the mirrors is also a feature of the dashboard, but in a darker shading. Aluminium also features on the drilled pedal pads.
Other convenience features fitted as standard include MP3 compatibility with a USB jack in the glovebox and Bluetooth connectivity.
Priced at $54,990, the 159 Ti is equipped with the 2.2-litre JTS four-cylinder, which develops 136kW of power and, driving through the six-speed manual transmission, can push the car up to a top speed of 222km/h. The time to 100km/h from a standing start is just 8.8 seconds. Buyers can opt for the Selespeed self-shifting manual for $57,990.
The 159 Ti is also available with the 3.2-litre JTS V6 which drives through a six-speed manual transmission to all four wheels. Top speed is 240km/h and the 0-100km/h sprint is despatched in 7.0 seconds. With the direct-injection JTS induction system the V6 produces 191kW of power and 322Nm of torque, but still uses just 8.4lt/100km of fuel at open road speeds. Price is $76,990 or $79,990 for the same car with the six-speed automatic transmission.
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