Dashing Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Is Love At First Sight

With production capped at 500 units for the Coupe, 84 of which allocated to the U.S. market (another 500 Spiders were also produced), it’s no wonder that not many Alfa Romeo 8C Competiziones pop up for sale.

When the do, though, they usually change hands for about the price of a new Ferrari despite not receiving favorable reviews about its handling. The design alone was enough to make it a highly sought-after model.

And this is probably true for the price tag of this particular example, too, although RMSothebys didn’t provide any estimates.

Produced in 2008 and the 10th one in U.S. spec, this 8C Competizione is heading to Amelia Island for the auction that will take place on March 8-9. It’s got only 593 miles (954 km) showing on the clock, so it should appeal to those looking for an example in pristine condition.

It’s finished in Rosso Competizione over a red leather interior, and features almost every optional extra that was available at the time.

The Italian sports coupe uses a 4.7-liter V8 paired to a six-speed semi-automatic transmission made by ZF. The Ferrari- and Maserati-derived engine produces 450 horsepower and 347 pound-feet (470 Nm) of torque, for a 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint in just 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 181 mph (291 km/h).

While the 8C Coupe has been out of production since 2009 (2010 for the Spider), Alfa Romeo intends to launch a new supercar in the next decade. Plans about such a model were revealed last summer in an official roadmap, which claimed that it will use a hybrid powertrain, with a mid-mounted ICE powering the rear wheels and an electric motor directing the output to the front axle. The combined output should be in excess of 700 HP and will allow the 8C’s successor to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in under 3 seconds, as per the brand’s estimates.