Hi NC,

Welcome to the Alfa World!
Yes, I've owned a 156 1.8 TS and the behaviour you describe is normal.
There is somewhat a lack of power below 3000 rpm but then it takes off,
up until 7000 rpm!

It was a great car, much fun to drive!

Miguel

Moving up from 1st into 2nd and having the enigine fall beck under 3000rpm
mean that you change gear too quickly.
Try shifting gears at 4500/5000rpm, then you fall back in rev's above
3000rpm
Most Alfa engines are a bit "lazy" under 3000-35000 rpm or better, the
(extra)power comes at 3500rpm and over letting you believe it's lazy under
that rpm's.
When you measure acceleration over the rev band, you will see that that's
hardly the case.

By specialist chip tuning (not the job done by people advertizing themselves
as "tuners" and trying to let you believe they can do miracles for 300-400
euro's!!!) they can change the power band / torque range quite radically and
change a 4 cil TS engine into a 1.9JTD / V6 "look-a-like" in respect to
power in the mid rev range.
The feeling of lack of power under 3000rpm can be taken away completely
giving you a very smooth feeling of having ample power available all over
the rev band.
I have my 2000 156 SW 1.8 tuned this way; it has become an absolute "killer"
on available / useable torque. I certainly beat "standard" 2.5V6's (not on
top speed) and the older 1.9JTD's
The newest 1.9JTD is another story let alone the 2.4JTD and the GTA; that's
are other leagues!!

This is quite different from more top power (HP's) which can only be
increased very lightly on a non-turbo engine (10-15HP is the absolute max
when "only" doing a chip tuning job; don't belive the "miralce stories"!!!)