Alfa Romeo 166 Booklet page 97

WARNING
With the engine idling
and the gearshift lever is
in position N, the car tends to move
also on a level surface: keep the
brake pedal pressed when the
lever is in position N.
D - Forward gear
This is the position to be used when dri-
ving forward normally. The electronic con-
trol unit controls automatic engagement
of the gears depending on the position of
the accelerator, driving speed, engine
rpm, longitudinal and transversal acceler-
ation and the type of road.
The electronic gearbox can choose be-
tween different operating programmes,
which range between comfortable econo-
my driving and sporty driving coming into
operation between the lowest and the
highest speeds.
The electronic control unit can acknowl-
edge special circumstances, such as run-
ning along a bend, by means of the in-
stant front wheel revolution speeds differ-
ence between given by the ABS active
sensors, preventing shifting to a highter
gear before engine rpm limit is attained.
Only with this condition at the end of the
bend will the gearbox engage the longer
ratio. This strategy makes it possible to
improve the balance of the car and assure
prompt acceleration at the end of the
bend, because the ideal gear has already
been engaged.
In the same way, during braking, lower
gears are engaged to better exploit the
braking action of the engine.
WARNING
With the engine at idle
speed and the lever in po-
sition D the car tends to move also
on a level surface: keep the brake
pedal pressed until moving off.
Kickdown
To obtain optimum acceleration, for ex-
ample when overtaking, the gearbox will
kickdown by one or two gears simply by
quickly pressing fully home the accelera-
tor pedal.
Engagement of the next longer ratio will
take place when the maximum rpm limit
is reached.
Engagement of automatic sporty
programme
(only 3.0 V6 24V version)
When wanting to drive in a sporty man-
ner exploiting automatic gearbox opera-
tion, simply move the lever to the left
sector from position D, without moving it
on the (+) and (–) positions. In fact,
with the lever in this position the sportiest
automatic programme is engaged.
The sporty programme will remain en-
gaged until the gearshift lever is moved.
Moving the lever to the right sector re-
engages automatic operation with the dif-
ferent operating programmes, while push-
ing it forwards or backwards on the (+)
or (–) positions sequential manual opera-
tion is selected.
97