Our Top Recommended Big Brake Upgrade Kits For Your Alfa Romeo 156
The 156 ended up on track more than most saloons of its era. It was Alfa’s volume car from 1997 to 2005, the one that moved in numbers while the GTV and Spider got all the press, but it found its way onto more club grids and track day registers than either of those two. The ones that come to us now are the GTA, the 2.0JTS and the occasional 1.9JTD that has been taken seriously.
Five kits on this page: one from Brembo and four from Tarox, running from 305mm to 350mm. The Brembo Gran Turismo 305mm costs less than the entry Tarox 305mm Sport, which is the reverse of how those two brands normally sit in a price list. The full 156 brake kit range is on the site if you want to browse directly. HiSpec Motorsport do not list a kit for this car and we have checked their catalogue.
- Five kits: one Brembo Gran Turismo (305mm) and four Tarox Sport and Super Sport kits, 305mm to 350mm
- Brembo 305mm is £1,594.19 inc VAT; entry Tarox 305mm is £1,860.66: the Brembo costs £266 less at the same disc diameter
- Brembo is made to order in Italy, six to eight weeks; fits the 156 from 2000 model year onwards only
- Tarox kits include pads and hoses; engine variants stocked for 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS, 2.4JTD and GTA
- Wheel clearance for all kits is ask-us on this application: confirm with us before ordering
The brands that list kits for this car
Tarox is the main catalogue here, covering four disc sizes with engine-specific kits for the full 156 range. Brembo added the 156 to their Gran Turismo aftermarket programme and one kit is available: 305mm, four pistons, made to order in Italy. HiSpec Motorsport do not list a kit for the 156. We checked when building this guide and will add a section if they do.
Tarox
Made at the Tarox factory in northern Italy. Four kits for the 156, covering the 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS, 2.4JTD and GTA at 305mm, 315mm, 340mm and 350mm. The B32 six piston caliper handles the 305mm and 315mm; the B34GT eight piston caliper handles the 340mm and 350mm. Every kit arrives with two piece floating discs, vehicle-specific brackets, Corsa pads and braided hoses already fitted at the factory.
Brembo
Made in Curno, northern Italy. One Gran Turismo 4-piston kit at 305mm, made to order with a six to eight week lead time. Complete kit: calipers, one-piece 305x28mm disc, high performance pads, braided hoses and fitment hardware. Disc options are cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted at the same price; caliper colour is a free choice. Fits the 156 from the 2000 model year onwards only.
HiSpec
HiSpec Motorsport do not currently list a kit for the Alfa Romeo 156. We checked their catalogue before building this guide. If a listing appears we will add a section here. All five kits on this page are from Tarox and Brembo.
Wheel clearance on the 156
Tarox publish wheel clearance data per kit on tarox.co.uk. The 156 kits use KMAR-prefix codes from an older section of the Tarox catalogue and those clearances are not listed in the current online database. The same applies to the Brembo Gran Turismo: the product listing does not include a clearance drawing for the 156 application.
The minimum wheel size and spoke clearance for all five kits on this page is ask-us. Ring us before ordering and Cameron will check your specific wheel and disc combination. That conversation takes five minutes and costs nothing.
Brembo Gran Turismo 305mm: the one that costs less than the entry Tarox
This is the one to read first. The Brembo Gran Turismo 305mm at £1,594.19 inc VAT costs £266 less than the Tarox 305mm Sport at £1,860.66. For most buyers Brembo sits above Tarox in the price ladder; on the 156 at 305mm that ordering is reversed. Same disc diameter, different caliper design, less money. The reason to look at the Tarox 305mm is lead time: the Brembo is made to order in Italy with a six to eight week wait, where the Tarox ships sooner.
One restriction: the Brembo Gran Turismo fits the 156 from the 2000 model year onwards. The 1997 to 1999 cars are outside its fitment range. Check your registration before ordering. Disc options are cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted at the same price. Caliper colour is a free choice at no extra cost. The kit is complete: calipers, one-piece 305x28mm disc, pads, braided hoses and all fitment hardware.
- £1,594.19 inc VAT, complete (£266 less than the entry Tarox at the same disc size)
- 305mm one-piece disc, 305x28mm: cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted, same price
- Gran Turismo 4-piston aluminium caliper; caliper colour free choice
- Pads and braided hoses included in the box
- Fits 2000 model year onwards only: 1997-1999 156s excluded
- Made to order in Italy: six to eight weeks
- Wheel clearance: ring us to confirm before ordering
Tarox 305mm Sport: the faster option for buyers who cannot wait six weeks
The Tarox 305mm Sport at £1,860.66 inc VAT covers the same disc diameter as the Brembo and ships without a long wait. It is £266 more than the Brembo, which is the main thing to weigh up at this point in the range. The caliper is the six piston B32, billet alloy and hand assembled in Italy, and pads and hoses arrive in the box already fitted.
Available for the 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS and 2.0JTD. The disc is a two piece floater, balanced to 0.05mm. Wheel clearance is ask-us on the 156: confirm with Cameron before ordering.
- £1,860.66 inc VAT, complete
- 305mm two piece floating disc, balanced to 0.05mm
- Six piston B32 caliper, hand assembled in Italy
- Engine variants: 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS, 2.0JTD
- Corsa pads and braided hoses included and fitted
- Wheel clearance: ring us to confirm
Tarox 315mm Sport: more disc, with a GTA bracket option
The 315mm Sport at £2,045.00 inc VAT moves up to a 315mm disc with the same six piston B32 caliper. The extra 10mm on the diameter means more thermal mass: more heat absorbed before the disc temperature starts to affect braking. For a car that does occasional track sessions this is where the Tarox range starts to be worth the extra over the 305mm.
The 315mm range includes a GTA-specific bracket option, which the 305mm does not. Available for the 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS, 2.4JTD and GTA. Select the GTA part number for a GTA build. Pads and hoses are included. Wheel clearance is ask-us.
- £2,045.00 inc VAT, complete
- 315mm two piece floating disc
- Six piston B32 caliper
- Engine variants: 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS, 2.4JTD and GTA (GTA-specific bracket)
- Corsa pads and braided hoses included and fitted
- Wheel clearance: ring us to confirm
Tarox 340mm Super Sport: eight piston caliper, GTA option at this size
The Super Sport range uses the B34GT caliper. Before ordering: the listing calls it a 10 pot caliper. That description comes from an older B34 design; the current B34GT that ships on this kit runs eight sequentially sized pistons. Sequentially sized means the pistons step up in diameter from front to back so pad wear stays more even across the face as temperatures build. What arrives in the box is eight pistons, not ten.
The 340mm Super Sport covers the full 156 engine range including the GTA, and a GTA-specific bracket is available. No GTA variant exists at 350mm, so a GTA build tops out at the 340mm in the Tarox catalogue. Pads and hoses are in the box.
- £2,670.00 inc VAT, complete
- 340mm two piece floating disc
- B34GT caliper, eight sequentially sized pistons (listing says 10; current caliper is 8)
- Engine variants: 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS, 2.4JTD and GTA (GTA-specific bracket)
- Top of the Tarox range for a GTA build
- Corsa pads and braided hoses included and fitted
- Wheel clearance: ring us to confirm
Tarox 350mm Super Sport: the top of the range for non-GTA builds
The 350mm Super Sport at £3,153.90 inc VAT is the largest disc in the 156 Tarox catalogue. It uses the same B34GT eight piston caliper as the 340mm, same sequential piston sizing, same note about the 10 pot title in the listing. The extra 10mm on the disc over the 340mm gives more thermal headroom at the top of a long circuit session.
This kit does not cover the GTA: it is available for the 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS and 2.4JTD only. GTA owners are capped at the 340mm Super Sport. Pads and hoses are in the box. Wheel clearance is ask-us.
- £3,153.90 inc VAT, complete
- 350mm two piece floating disc
- B34GT caliper, eight sequentially sized pistons (listing says 10; current caliper is 8)
- Engine variants: 1.9JTD, 2.0TS, 2.0JTS, 2.4JTD (no GTA variant)
- Corsa pads and braided hoses included and fitted
- Wheel clearance: ring us to confirm
What is in each box
All four Tarox kits on this page are complete front axle conversions. Nothing is priced separately: pads and braided hoses arrive from Italy already fitted in the caliper, packaged with the two piece floating disc, mounting bells, vehicle-specific brackets and all fitting hardware. The Brembo Gran Turismo kit is also complete: one-piece disc, four piston calipers, pads and braided hoses are all included.
| What is in the box | Tarox (all four kits) | Brembo GT-A 305mm |
|---|---|---|
| Calipers | B32 (305-315mm) or B34GT (340-350mm), billet alloy, hand assembled | Gran Turismo 4-piston aluminium caliper |
| Discs | Two piece floating disc with mounting bells, balanced to 0.05mm | One-piece 305x28mm disc |
| Disc finish | Cross-drilled or slotted (check listing) | Cross-drilled or Type 3 slotted, same price |
| Brackets and fitting hardware | Included | Included |
| Braided hoses | Included | Included |
| Pads | Corsa pads, already fitted | High performance pads, included |
| Caliper finish options | Anodised colour choice | Colour choice, free |
| Built in | Northern Italy | Curno, northern Italy |
Every kit on this page compared
| Kit | Disc | Caliper | Min wheel | Complete kit | Price inc VAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brembo GT-A 305mm | 305mm | Gran Turismo, 4 piston | Ask us | Included | £1,594.19 (*) |
| Tarox 305mm Sport | 305mm | B32, 6 piston | Ask us | Included | £1,860.66 (*) |
| Tarox 315mm Sport | 315mm | B32, 6 piston | Ask us | Included | £2,045.00 |
| Tarox 340mm Super Sport | 340mm | B34GT, 8 piston | Ask us | Included | £2,670.00 |
| Tarox 350mm Super Sport | 350mm | B34GT, 8 piston | Ask us | Included | £3,153.90 |
Prices include VAT and were correct on 25 October 2026. Wheel clearance for all kits: confirm with us before ordering. (*) The Brembo GT-A 305mm (£1,594.19) costs less than the Tarox 305mm Sport (£1,860.66). Both prices are correct.
Common questions
Is there a HiSpec option for the 156?
No. HiSpec Motorsport do not currently list a kit for the Alfa Romeo 156. We checked the catalogue when building this guide. If a listing appears in future we will add a section here.
Why does the Brembo cost less than the Tarox at 305mm?
The Brembo Gran Turismo 305mm is £1,594.19 inc VAT and the Tarox 305mm Sport is £1,860.66. They sit at different points within their respective product ranges, and the pricing on the 156 reflects that. The Brembo is made to order with a six to eight week lead time from Italy; the Tarox ships sooner. Both prices are correct.
My 156 is a 1998 model. Does the Brembo fit?
No. The Brembo Gran Turismo 305mm fits the 156 from the 2000 model year onwards. The 1997 to 1999 cars are outside its fitment range for this kit. The Tarox range covers the full production run from 1997, so all four Tarox kits on this page are available for your car.
The 340mm and 350mm listings say 10 pot. How many pistons?
Eight. The current Tarox B34GT Super Sport caliper uses eight sequentially sized pistons. The 10 pot description refers to an older B34 design and not all listings have been updated. What ships on the 340mm and 350mm 156 kits is the B34GT with eight pistons. The sequential sizing means the pistons step up in diameter from front to back so pad wear is more consistent across the face as temperatures rise.
Is there a 350mm kit for the GTA?
No. The GTA-specific bracket is available on the 315mm and 340mm Tarox kits but there is no GTA variant at 350mm. A GTA looking for the top of the Tarox range should stop at the 340mm Super Sport.
What wheel size do I need?
The minimum wheel clearance for all five kits on this page is ask-us. The Tarox 156 kits use KMAR-prefix codes from an older section of the catalogue and the clearances are not in the current published database. The same applies to the Brembo: no clearance drawing is in the product listing for the 156 application. Ring us before ordering and Cameron will check your specific wheel and disc combination. If the car is on aftermarket alloys, tell him the make, model and offset alongside the diameter.
Do these kits work with ABS?
Yes. The kits replace the front caliper and disc while retaining the standard wheel speed sensors and hub geometry, so ABS reads normally. Tarox state full ABS and ESP compatibility on their kits. Confirm this with us if the car has any non-standard ABS configuration.
What we would actually fit
On a 156 from 2000 onwards where the lead time is not a problem, the Brembo Gran Turismo 305mm at £1,594.19 is Garreth’s first pick at the entry point of the range. It costs £266 less than the Tarox at the same disc diameter and it is made by the brand that holds the OEM contracts at the sharp end of motorsport. The trade-off is the six to eight week wait. Anyone who needs the kit sooner, or is on a pre-2000 car, should go straight to the Tarox 305mm Sport at £1,860.66: six piston B32, pads and hoses in the box, and it ships without the long wait.
For a car that sees regular track evenings, the Tarox 315mm is the right starting point. The GTA bracket is on both the 315mm and 340mm; neither is available at 350mm, which caps GTA builds at the 340mm Super Sport. The 340mm Super Sport is the correct kit for a 156 built around circuit work: the B34GT caliper handles long sessions well and pad wear stays consistent.
If wheel clearance is the unknown on any of these, ring us on 0115 9893488 before ordering. Cameron handles fitment on both the Tarox and Brembo ranges and will check your specific wheel and disc before anything is built.