Alfa Romeo unveiled the 4C GTA Concept (pictured here) at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, along with the announcement that a production version would go on sale in 2013. While the production version will mostly likely follow the design language of the concept, in an interview with AutoCar, Fiat Engineering Chief, Mauro Pierallini, has revealed that the 1750 turbo four-cylinder engine will switch from cast iron to aluminum to save about 25 kilos (55 lbs) from the car’s total weight.
This modification will allow the future 4C to weigh in at about 1,980 lbs, with tub-mounted aluminum frames and exterior panels made from sheet-molded composites. The development process will be done in cooperation with Italian race-car specialist, Dallara - the company that developed the carbon fiber structures for the Alfa 8C, the Bugatti Veyron, and the KTM X-Bow. The decrease in weight, along with the 230 HP coming out of the four cylinder engine, will allow the 4C to sprint from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds.
Another tidbit from Pierallini is that the production 4C will be priced from about £38,000 (or about $60,000 at the current exchange rates) and during its production span, there will be about 18,000 units built.
UPDATE 12/29/2011: InsideLine has dug up new details on the upcoming Alfa Romeo 4C. According to them, the new 4C will first be unveiled as a prototype in the middle of 2012 and sales on the US market will begin in 2013, with each model starting at about $45,000. Along with the 4C, Alfa Romeo will also be sending the US market the new Giulia sedan and the company’s first SUV.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Full story
