The 2.4-litre in-line five has been substantially reworked. It now features a twin-cam cylinder head with four valves per cylinder, and there’s a host of detail changes to pistons and other internal components. It employs the latest multijet technology – where each main fuel injection is squirted into the engine in a series of small bursts, allowing for finer control of combustion – direct-injection pressure has been raised to 1400 bar, and there are some tweaks to the variable-geometry turbocharger.
With this new-look 156, most of the bodywork changes are at the front. Prominent bonnet creases flow into the agressive new grille.