FCA has confirmed plans to bring back the Alfa-Romeo 8C, this time with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, mid-engine configuration, electric front axle, and at least 700 horsepower.

Alfa Romeo Going Big With Next-Gen 8C

Of all the items that FCA Sergio Marchionne laid out for the automaker and its brands, the plans for Alfa Romeo are the most exciting. We already expected updates for its existing models. We’re not even surprised that there are two new crossovers that are in the plans, too. But we didn’t think that the company would actually go in the direction of developing long-wheelbase versions of the Giulia and Stelvio. That one caught us by surprise.

The return of the Gran Turismo Veloce badge is also an eye-opener. It’s been a while since the storied nameplate was in our lives, and the company’s plans for it — 600 horsepower, 50/50 weight distribution, four-passenger seating, and torque vectoring — suggest that the GTV is going to return with a ferocious bang.

None of these items compare, though, to Alfa’s plans to bring back another famous name: the 8C. The last time we saw the 8C was back in 2010. At that time, it was presented as a front-engined V-8 coupé that produced 444 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. Production was limited to just 1,000 units — 500 Competizione models and 500 Spider models — but the sports car received tremendous reviews across the board. Evo Magazine awarded it with the “Best Sounding Car” title in 2011 while Road and Track called the sports coupe’s brakes “phenomenal.”

But that was then. Now, Alfa’s plans for the returning 8C isn’t limited to just another 444-horsepower sports car. The Italian automaker is shooting its shot with plans to turn the 8C into a 700-horsepower supercar that will include, among other things, a carbon fiber monocoque chassis and a hybrid engine featuring a bi-turbo gas engine.

Once Alfa’s expansion plan is complete, it expects to have as many as seven models by 2022, representing a 71-percent market coverage, an increase from the 46-percent market coverage that it has this year. All that comes even with the expected exits of both the MiTo and the 4C.

Further reading

Read our full review on the 2007 Alfa Romeo 8C.

Read more Alfa Romeo news.