A rather sleek carbon fiber body, curvy lines, a short wheelbase (just 2.4m) and a very efficient powerplant under the hood, that’s what makes Alfa Romeo 4C stand out in the mini-supercar market.
The engine outputs 200hp (funny how the same engine does 225hp in the Giulietta 1750 Tbi) and helps the car sprint from naught to 62mph in less than 5 seconds, to a top speed of around 155mph.
Could the 4C be the vehicle that finally brings "Alfa Romeo" back into the United States market? Alfa says, “Yes.”
At the introduction of the Alfa Romeo 4C concept here on Tuesday, Harald J. Wester, the Italian marque’s chief executive, said the eventual production vehicle was being designed to be sold in markets worldwide, “including the United States.”
When Fiat Group, Alfa’s parent, increased its ownership stake in Chrysler, a preliminary plan was sketched out — and then put on hold — to bring the Alfa Romeo MiTo subcompact to Chrysler dealerships.
One of the most talked about cars at the 2011 Geneva auto show, the Alfa Romeo 4C Concept previews a forthcoming production model called the 4C GTA. The beautiful coupe, covered in a hypnotic, deep-red matte paint, is described by Alfa as the “true essence of a sports car,” and the rear-wheel-drive, mid-engine layout suggests just that. Further details: Weight distribution is said to be 40-percent front/60-percent rear, the power runs through a dual-clutch gearbox, and the car is equipped with Alfa’s “DNA” chassis-adjustment system that includes Dynamic, Normal, and All-Weather modes. Yes, “globally” would mean the United States, too, and 2012 coincidentally remains Fiat’s target date for Alfa’s American repatriation (the ultra-limited 8C Competizione and Spider notwithstanding). Can Alfa Romeo really build a lightweight sports car teeming with carbon fiber and sell it at a competitive price? Recent reports have pegged Alfa Romeo as working with Dallara on an affordable carbon-fiber chassis for the production 4C.
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