Thanks to the Commonwealth Games, which has usurped its traditional March date, the Melbourne International Motor Show will open Australia's motor show season this year on 9 February 2006 and Alfa Romeo is using the show to give  the Australian debut to the all-new Alfa Romeo 159. Due to go on sale in New Zealand, as well as Australia, in the middle of 2006, the Alfa Romeo 159 is the first of a whole family of new Alfa Romeo cars that will arrive over the next two years and which includes the acclaimed Alfa Romeo Brera.

"This year will be the busiest for Alfa Romeo in New Zealand since the launch of the Alfa 156 and the Melbourne show will be giving us a taste of what's to come this year," says Lawrie Malatios, General Manager for Alfa Romeo in New Zealand. "Replacing the Alfa 156, one of the most successful Alfa Romeos of all time, will be tough task, but 159 has developed the unique style of the 156, added more features and performance and will offer versions that have not previously been available in New Zealand.
 

"It is ideally positioned, therefore, to exceed the sales performance of the Alfa 156 and find its own place in the record books," added Malatios.

Born from Alfa Romeo's long, acknowledged experience in the production of prestigious sports saloons, the Alfa 159 is the result of innovative design and technology developed by an international team that has succeeded in combining performance and formerly irreconcilable targets - extremely entertaining driving, outstanding performance and distinctive styling - with outstanding levels of safety, comfort and build quality, without compromise. To achieve this, the Alfa Romeo 159 boasts a completely new chassis and new suspension, plus a new generation of engines and gearboxes, while the stylists drew on this Alfa Romeo's history, creating a design that is unmistakably Italian, yet fresh and modern.