Alfa-Romeo cars

Forza 4 to release new pack containing ALMS race cars

Leave it to Forza 4 to give us even more reason to love this game. Fresh off of releasing a new downloadable content just a week ago, Turn 10 Studios has announced that another pack will be released on February 7th, one that includes past and present ALMS race cars.

The pack, deliberately called the "American Le Mans Series Pack," will include some of the finest ALMS machines we’ve ever seen, including the legendary 1991 Mazda 787B, the Platinum Motorsport Bentley Continental GT, the 1992 Alfa Romeo 155 Q4, the 1995 Ford Mustang Cobra R, and yes, even last year’s title-winning race car, the Audi R18 TDI.

Just like the February Launch Bonus Pack, the ALMS Pack will come with a total of ten cars, and will cost you 560 Microsoft Points when it hits Xbox Live next week.

We don’t need to remind you that this is one pack that you shouldn’t miss. But just to be sure, we’re here to say that THIS IS ONE PACK THAT YOU SHOULDN’T MISS!

Glad we got that straightened out.

Fiat plans US bound Abarth sports car to do battle with the Alfa Romeo 4C

Now that Alfa Romeo is set to return to North American after a lengthy absence, Fiat is looking at a number of measures on how it plans to return to the US and Canada with a bang as well.

One option that the Italian automaker is planning on pursuing is building a ’more affordable’ sports car to compliment the Alfa Romeo 4C soon after the latter is released in 2013. Word is that this affordable sports car will be built as an Abarth, one that is being pegged to take on a market heavyweight like the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Easier as that is said than it is done, Fiat understands that the Alfa Romeo 4C might not be up to the budget of a lot of American consumers, especially considering that the car is already being touted as a possible rival to a couple of Porsche sports cars: the Cayman and the Boxster.

Should Fiat push forward and build a front-wheel drive sports car under Abarth, we expect it to carry an output of somewhere around 200 horsepower, possibly even going up north to 250. No details have been made as far as what the car is going to look like, but we’d love it if the Italian automaker brushes off an old Abarth classic - the 1968 Scorpione - and build a modern-day take on what we consider one of the sexiest sports cars of the 60’s. That or they could just make some modifications on the Abarth Scorp-Ion Concept that we saw earlier this year.

2012 Alfa Romeo Giulietta for Maserati Edition

Courtesy cars are nothing new in the auto industry. Collaborations between two companies have gone on for sometime now in an effort to entice the company’s respective clients in the industry. If you recall, Ferrari once went this route, releasing a limited edition model of the Fiat 500 as a courtesy model for its clients. Now, a couple of other models under the Fiat umbrella will be giving birth to another one of these models in the form of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta for Maserati Edition.

The car will be limited to only 100 units and will be distinguished with a number of styling cues befitting its association with the upper-echelon Maserati. Among these features include a new set of 18" allow wheels with enhanced diamond tooling and a larger set of red caliper brakes. Meanwhile, the interior of the Giulietta for Maserati Edition has been dressed in a “Maserati Brown” Venere leather upholstery with brushed aluminum inserts. There’s also an “Alfa Romeo for Maserati” plaque on the dashboard, to go with aluminum door sill plates with the names “Giulietta” and “Maserati” engraved on each side.

In terms of performance, the Giulietta for Maserati Edition will be powered by the top-of-the-line, 1.8-liter four-cylinder turbocharged Quadrifoglio Verde engine that produces an impressive 235 horsepower.

Video: Alfa Romeo MiTo sets balloon-popping world record

A balloon-popping world record isn’t exactly the type that draws amazed reactions from people, but that doesn’t mean it’s not any less impressive.

Italian automaker Alfa Romeo thought it would be a cool idea to take 2,500 balloons, a Red Epic camera with IMAX quality resolution, and an Alfa Romeo MiTo to make a pretty cool record-setting video wherein the MiTo was to pop as many balloons as it could.

Driven by professional stunt driver and 19-time world-record holder Terry Grant, the whole stunt was christened as the "Aquabatics Challenge" and it featured Grant completely laying waste to the balloons as if they had just stolen his lunch money. At the end of the stunt, Grant managed to pop an astounding 2,496 balloons, leaving only four surviving balloons. After the run, Alfa Romeo immediately sent the video over to the Guinness Book of World Records to be verified.

As far as the four surviving balloons are concerned, the Italian automaker is running a competition asking people to guess which of the balloons - based on the correct grid location - managed to escape the MiTo’s wrath. You can check that out at Alfa’s Facebook page, and if you manage to be one of the four to win, you get a chance to participate in an exclusive Alfa Romeo track day at the famous Goodwood Motor Circuit.

Check out the slow-mo video of the attempt after the jump!

2011 Alfa Romeo RF-Brera by Romeo Ferraris

Italian tuning firm, Romeo Ferraris, has a new tuning program in their catalog, one that features a significant performance modification for the soon-to-be defunct Alfa Romeo Brera. The package is called the RF-Brera, and as the name suggests, it’s got Romeo Ferraris’ imprint all over it.

Already powered by an impressive 3.2-liter V6 engine that produces 260 horsepower and 237 lb/ft of torque, Romeo Ferraris decided that it just wasn’t good enough. So they went out and built a program for the car, adding a host of enhancements that include a Rotrex centrifugal compressor, a new intercooler, a sport air filter, a remapped ECU, and a brand new complete exhaust collector and metal catalyst. On top of that, the Italian tuning company also installed kit sports springs and dampers adjustable in height and calibration to give the car better handling and split-second response, especially in tight corners.

With all these additions, the Brera’s RF-supercharged engine can now produce an output of 358 horsepower and 324 lb/ft of torque, numbers that allow it to hit 0-62 mph in just 5.0 seconds - 1.5 seconds faster than the 6.5-second time of the standard Brera - and reach a top speed of 161 mph, up from the standard model’s 149-mph top speed.

Considering that the Brera is on its last legs as a production model, this feels like an appropriate farewell tuning program from Romeo Ferraris.

New Details on the Alfa Romeo Spyder Rival that of the Mazda MX-5

Alfa Romeo has been rumored to be working on a new SUV for the 2013 model year, but since going big isn’t exactly the trend anymore, new rumors have surfaced that the Italian automaker is developing a small roadster. The new Alfa Romeo Spider is being considered a successor for the Brera Spider that was produced between 2006 and 2010 and is rumored to be priced at around $40K. When it debuts, it will be ready to take on the likes of the Mazda MX-5.

Alfa Romeo’s focus with Spyder is to develop a vehicle with a minimal total weight and compact dimensions. It will be built on a totally new chassis that will feature weight-saving technologies to help it weigh less than 2200 lbs, or about 220 lbs lighter than the current MX-5. For the engine, Alfa Romeo has borrowed a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, detuned to a total of 150 HP.

The Alfa Romeo Spider will be offered on the US market, along with the 4C and the 159, an obvious move considering the Spider’s previous success on our side of the pond.

2014 Alfa Romeo Spider

Alfa Romeo stopped production of their Spider model in 2010, but a leaked internal document has revealed that the Spider will be headed back intot he scene in 2014. The new Spider will be one of the models Alfa Romeo will offer as part of their return to the US market, an obvious move considering the Spider’s previous success on our side of the pond.

The 2014 Alfa Romeo Spider will take its design inspiration from the 2uettottanta revealed by Pininfarina at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. However, unlike the 2uettottanta Concept, the production version Spider will have to adopt a more "road-going" design language. This will include the addition of bigger and higher headlamps with LED lights, as opposed to the previously used in the concept. Larger air intakes will also be added, among other things.

As for the engine options, Alfa Romeo may choose to use a four-cylinder turbocharged engine featuring Multi-Air infusion system with direct injection. There are also rumors stating that the next Spider may get a V-6 twin-turbo engine.

The previous Spider has been long criticized for its non-sporty appearance, but the new model will solve that problem, becoming a very serious competitor for models like the BMW Z4 and the Mercedes-Benz SLK.

UPDATE 11/18/2011: According to Auto Express, the long-rumored two-seater Alfa Romeo sports car will have one model in its sights when the car finally hits production: the Mazda MX-5 Miata. Seeing as the MX-5 is considered the holy grail of two-seater sports cars, Alfa Romeo definitely has its work cut out for them if they hope to even get a sniff of the rarefied air the MX-5 enjoys.

Alfa Romeo’s focus with Spyder is to develop a vehicle with a minimal total weight and compact dimensions. It will be built on a totally new chassis that will feature weight-saving technologies to help it weigh less than 2200 lbs, or about 220 lbs lighter than the current MX-5. For the engine, Alfa Romeo has borrowed a four-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit, detuned to a total of 150 HP.

The new Spyder is rumored to be priced at around $40K.

Alfa Romeo’s Future Plans Revealed

A leaked internal document has revealed full details on Alfa Romeo’s future model line-up. Things will start off rather quiet for the next year or so, but in 2013 the company will come out guns blazing with a long list of models.

At the start of 2013, Alfa Romeo will be unveiling an updated MiTo, followed by a five-door version of the same car. These two models will be followed with the highly anticipated production version of the 4C GTA concept unveiled earlier this year. Model year 2013 will end with the debut of the long-rumored SUV - a model that promises to combine "typical SUV versatility with true Alfa Romeo performance."

The following year, 2014, will also keep the Italian company busy starting with the unveiling of the new Giulia in both sedan and station wagon versions. The second act in 2014 will be a new Spider model, followed by a luxury flagship and an updated version of the Giulietta.

With these new models, Alfa Romeo hopes to increase sales to about 400,000 units a year.

2011 Alfa Romeo 4C GTA Concept

With only a teaser image to go on days before the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, everyone was thrilled to see Alfa Romeo unveil the 4C GTA Concept. According to Alfa Romeo, the 4C GTA is "a compact supercar" which represents the true essence of a sports car and is in line with the brand’s values: performance, Italian style, and technical excellence aimed at maximum driving pleasure in total safety."

The 4C GTA concept is inspired by models like the 8C Competizione and 8C Spider models, but takes their design a step forward. While the two models were focusing on obtaining more power, the 4C GTA Concept’s focus is on weight reduction thanks to the extensive use of carbon.

The concept is powered by a "4 cylinder" 1750 Turbo Petrol engine that delivers an impressive 200 HP that sprints the car to an impressive 155 mph.

UPDATE 08/30/2011: A few months ago, it was rumored that Alfa Romeo would bring an updated version of the 4C GTA Concept to the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Unfortunately, the first details revealed suggest that the only "update" the concept will receive is a new "Fluid Metal" livery that dynamically enhances the smooth, curvy, and original lines of the car. The company has also confirmed that a production version will follow in in 2013. The car will weight around 1873 lbs and will deliver up to 200 HP and a weight to power ratio less than 4 kg/HP.

UPDATE 09/16/2011: During the Alfa Romeo 4C GTA official debut in Frankfurt, the company officials have confirmed that the production version will follow in 2013 and will most likely be the first model to be sold by Alfa Romeo in the USA. Alfa plans to build 15,000 to 20,000 units of the 4C coupe over five years and another 5,000 to 10,000 roadsters will be built by Abarth. In Europe, prices will start from about about 45,000 euros, around $61,000 at the current exchange rates. (AutomotiveNews)

Hit the jump to read more about the 2011 Alfa Romeo 4C GTA Concept.

2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta by Novitec

The whole Novitec group of tuners - it includes Novitec, Novitec Rosso, and Novitec Tridente - produce a wide variety of tuning programs for Italian brands with the first of the three - Novitec - handles all the work for brands like Alfa Romeo, Abarth, and Fiat.

Recently, the German tuner went to work on a new styling and performance package for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback.

All the changes and additions made on the Giulietta’s exterior were made to improve the car’s already attractive aesthetic appearance. As part of the package, Novitec added a ground effects kit, a new rear diffuser, a new sports suspension kit that drops ride height, new quad exhaust pipes, and a set of alloy wheels that range from 18" to 20" in either a black or gray finish.

Not one to leave the powertrain alone, Novitec also gave the Giulietta a slew of power booster kits for the different variants of the car. The 1.4-liter TB version takes the output from 120 horsepower to 195 horsepower while the top-of-the-line 1.8-liter TBi nets an impressive new output of 261 horsepower, up from the 235 horsepower output the standard model comes in.