If you’re been following our coverage of the Alfa Romeo 4C, then the news that the Italian brand’s CEO Harald Wester suggested that both the engine and the chassis of the sports car can do with/handle more power, shouldn’t come as a surprise.
You see, back in the summer of 2013, one of our readers/insiders from Europe who attended an Alfa Romeo meeting before the launch of the production version, revealed to us that the Italians said their plans included a more potent version of the 4C with 270PS (266hp) dubbed at the time Stradale.
Now, in an interview with Autonews, Wester said the firm’s engineers could improve the regular model’s 240PS (237hp) 1.75-liter turbocharged inline four. “We are only at 134 horsepower per liter,” said Alfa’s boss, “So there is space.”
Wester added that the chassis could handle more power, but some changes could be made elsewhere. “The stiffness is very high,” he said. “The first adjustment would be the brakes.”
Asked about the U.S. market model, Wester said that Alfa had to tweak the 4C. “The base car in the U.S. has richer equipment,” he said. “Europeans are more willing to have a naked driving machine.”
However, more important changes seem to have occurred under the sheetmetal: “The monocoque and the front and rear frames are different, the suspension has been reinforced and suspension tuning has been changed,” said Wester. “It was a really significant overhaul.”
While prices have not yet been announced, Wester told Autonews that the base 4C will start from around $55,000 in the States, rising to $70,000 for a fully-equipped model.
By John Halas
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