After a wait that seemed to take forever with promises, concepts, pre-production models and endless teasers, the car, which for many is the most interesting Alfa Romeo since the 8c Competizione, the all-new 4C sports coupe, is almost upon us.
How close, you ask? Starting from October, the 4C can be ordered in all Alfa Romeo dealerships in Europe, while its North American premiere will take place the following month at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, when we will learn more about its U.S. arrival, price and final specs for this side of the world.
Designed and engineered by Alfa Romeo, but built at the Maserati plant in Modena, Italy, the 4C promises to be a miniature Italian supercar – and that applies to all aspects of the model, from its estimated price of around €60,000 ($80,000) in Europe to its length of approximately 4 meters (158 inches), and from its carbon fibre monocoque and composite body, to the mid-mounted 236hp (240PS) 1.75-liter turbocharged inline four.
Here’s how Alfa Romeo describes the 4C itself (naturally, there’s a reference to the car’s… soul):
“This vehicle quite simply screams Alfa. Its sports car soul creates unique driving sensations, both on the road and when racing, where velocity and transverse accelerations offer even the most expert driver unrivalled driving thrills: from 0 to 100 km/h (62mph) in just 4.5 seconds flat, 258 km/h (160mph) of top speed, deceleration peaks in the range of 1.2 g and lateral acceleration peaks over 1.1 g. All this is also achieved with a balanced weight distribution, with 40% on the front axle and 60% on the rear.
Only 3,500 units, 1,000 of which are earmarked for Europe, will be made, all equipped exclusively with the Alfa TCT dry twin clutch automatic transmission driving the rear wheels.
Alfa also tells us that an ‘essential’ model for ‘driving purists’ will be available in all markets. It will come with DNA selector, instrument panel with TFT technology and turbo pressure, oil temperature and Gmeter gauges, fabric seats, leather steering wheel with shift paddles, alloy wheels (17-inch in front, 18-inch in the rear), grey brake calipers and twin exhaust pipes, as standard.
Somewhat surprisingly, Mopar will be the one to offer a number of accessories for the 4C, including 17- to 19-inch black, grey or diamond black wheels, rear spoiler made of composite material or carbon fibre, black, red or yellow brake calipers, carbon fibre or chrome-plated door mirror fairings, carbon fibre dashboard and colored engine cover.
Other optional features offered by Mopar will be carbon fibre headlights (Alfa doesn’t say if they’re the ones many have been complaining about) racing exhaust, and a racing suspension set-up, including rear anti-roll bar and springs, shock absorbers and front anti-roll bar with specific calibration that can be matched with race tires specially developed with Pirelli.
PHOTO GALLERY
VIDEO