Show debut for Alfa Romeo 159 Q-Tronic

ALFA comes to the Brisbane motor show this week with its new six-speed "Q-Tronic" automatic transmission combining with its 110kW/320Nm 159 1.9 JTD sedan and wagon model variants.

Complementing the standard six-speed manual gearboxes that are currently available, the Q-Tronic is a fully adaptive gearbox with several special features that enhance the driving experience and also save fuel.

The gearbox has a "fast-off" mode that monitors the position of the accelerator.

If a driver backs off the power quickly the gearbox holds a chosen gear, rather than shifting up to a higher ratio. To save fuel and transmission wear when stationary, the transmission will slip into neutral.

The four-cylinder 1.9 JTD, which uses the same GM-sourced turbo-diesel has a top speed of 207km/h, and reaches 0-100km/h in a claimed 9.6 seconds. Pricing starts from $54,990 for the sedan and $58,990 for the wagon.