Alfa Romeo Debuts 2011MY 159 Sedan and Sportwagon

If the Fiat Group remains committed to its 2010-2014 product plan, then the successor to today's Alfa Romeo 159, the new Giulia, will make its appearance on both sides of the Atlantic in 2012. Until then, Alfa will keep tweaking the current 159 with incremental improvements to sustain sales in Europe.

Following the recent introduction of the new 200HP 1.75-liter turbocharged petrol and 170HP 2.0-liter JTDM diesel into the range, Alfa Romeo has now announced the release of a 2011MY 159 that will be marketed in most European countries beginning from next month.

For the new model year, the 159 saloon and Sportwagon models benefit from some subtle updates that include new upholstery and trim options, and the introduction of four new equipment packages similar to those offered on the Giulietta and MiTo hatchbacks - Comfort Pack, Sport Pack, Comfort Plus Pack and TI Plus Pack.

Iconic Alfa Romeo 158 F1 Racer Meets MiTo QV

Alfa Romeo appears to be on a celebration spree this year. Aside from the year-long festivities to commemorate the firm's 100th birthday, the Italian automaker is now celebrating the 60th anniversary of its historic 1-2-3 finish at the first ever F1 European Championship race, which was held at Silverstone motor racing circuit sixty years ago this week (13th May).

To celebrate, the company photographed one of the rare 158s which competed in this historic race alongside the latest Alfa to bear the motorsport inspired Cloverleaf badge, the MiTo QV sport hatch.

The company said that the image of the 158 and the MiTo will join others from owners past and present at the dedicated site "alfacentenary.co.uk" in a "visual celebration" of Alfa's 100th anniversary.

And a little bit of history on the 158. The F1 racer's name was derived from its engine -"15" for the displacement of 1.5-liters and "8" for 8-cylinders. It made its racing debut in 1937 but because of the war, it spent several years dismantled and hidden in various places including, legend has it, an Italian cheese factory.

After the war, the 158 returned to the racing track managing to secure victory in every Formula One race in which it competed during the inaugural 1950 session. All in all, the Alfa 158 and its derivative, the 159, dominated the Formula One calendar over the next few years, with 47 wins from 54 Grand Prix entered.