The Alfa Romeo 166 lives . . . as the GAC Trumpchi

GAC Trumpchi sits on 12-year-old
Alfa Romeo 166 underpinnings

Next week’s Guangzhou auto show will see the public unveiling of GAC’s (Guangzhou Automobile Corporation) new Trumpchi.
The contemporary styled mid-sized sedan, first previewed in concept car form at the 2009 Shanghai auto show, is GAC’s first independent entry into the Chinese car market, although with existing joint ventures with Toyota, Honda and Fiat, it is certainly no stranger to car manufacturing.
It is this latter joint venture that was pivotal to the development of the Trumpchi: back in 2009 GAC purchased the intellectual property rights to the Alfa Romeo 166’s platform and chassis from Fiat to provide a low cost base for its first ever model, which will sell for RMB140,000 ($20,600) in China.

Few details have been released prior to the Trumpchi's planned unveiling in Guangzhou, although GAC says it has modified the 166’s front-wheel drive platform to accommodate the new car's four door body, which measures 192.9 Inches (4900mm) in length, 71.7 inches (1820mm) in width and 58.3 inches (1480mm) in height – 7.1 inches (180mm) longer, 0.2 inches (5mm) wider and 2.7 inches (60mm) higher than the discontinued 166. The new GAC model also features a wheelbase that is 0.4 inches (10mm) longer than that of the Alfa Romeo at 110.2 inches (2800mm).
Among the engines GAC has readied for the Trumpchi is an initial 2.0-litre four cylinder direct injection gasoline unit with a 1.8-litre version of the same engine set to follow shortly after it hits Chinese showrooms following its Guangzhou unveiling. The only gearbox choice, according to our sources, is a five speed automatic.