ALFA ROMEO 145Timing chain or Belt?

The Alfa Romeo 145 was a C-segment hatchback produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo from 1995 till 2001. This model succeeded the Alfa Romeo 33 and was replaced in 2000 by the Alfa Romeo 147.

The Alfa Romeo 145 is a compact car with a 3-door hatchback body style. The five-door variant was named the Alfa Romeo 146. Both models were designed at the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile under the direction of Chris Bangle and share the same platform as the Fiat Tipo and the Fiat Tempra.

The Alfa Romeo 145 was only sold for one generation, although it had two model phases. The original model, introduced in 1995, featured the same engine lineup as its predecessor, the Alfa Romeo 33, with 1.3-, 1.6-, and 1.7-liter four-cylinder boxer engines. Despite using a Fiat platform designed for transverse engine layouts, the boxer engines were mounted longitudinally, which ensured a very low center of gravity.

In 1997, it went on sale with updated engines and visual changes. The boxer engines were replaced by 1.4-, 1.6-, and 1.8-liter inline-four engines, all featuring Twin Spark technology. A 1.9-liter diesel version with a maximum power output of 105 CV was also introduced.

The Alfa Romeo 145’s main competitors in its segment were the Opel Astra, the Peugeot 306, the Renault Mégane, and the Volkswagen Golf. Each of these models offered different advantages in terms of design, performance, and technology, but the Alfa Romeo 145 stood out from the rest thanks to its outstanding design and its range of engines, which were quite powerful for their time.