Here it is, the new Alfa Romeo 4C, the latest entrant into the 2 seater sports car sector - where prices vary wildly from the £25,000 Toyota GT86 (OK, it's a 2+2) to the expected £80,000 Jaguar F-Type V8.
Where have Alfa pitched the 4C?
Prices aren't official yet but it'll start at £40,000 in the UK. Which means Alfa Romeo has shot itself in the foot even before the 4C is officially on sale.
Why?
Because the Porsche Cayman costs £40,000, and that's the best 2 seater sportscar money can buy - and it's pretty. And it won't break down, or rust.
What do you get for your £40,000?
The 4C based on experience and lessons learned from the 8C Competitizione, is less than 4 metres long, 200cm wide, 118cm high and has a wheelbase of less than 2.4 metres. Basically that's short, wide and low. It's light too as it's made from aluminium and carbon fibre. Alfa haven't released weight figures but expect it to be in the 1,000kg region.
The engine is a 1.7 litre, turbocharged, aluminium, 4 cylinder petrol unit mated to a twin clutch automatic with flappy paddles and should produce 240bhp. The engine is based on the one already found in the Giulietta. 0-60mph will be in the region of 5 seconds.
The car looks almost identical to the concept 4C released last year although the bodywork has been honed in the wind tunnel for aerodynamic efficiency.
What else?
The Alfa Romeo 4C will be built in the Maserati factory in Modena where Alfa expect to produce 2500 units a year. Maserati also have plans for the car - they intend sticking a 3 litre engine in it and rebadging it for themselves.
The 4C looks quite pretty but Alfa obviously don't remember the Jaguar XJ220 debacle. It didn't sell because it was a vastly overpriced, premium supercar with a piddling V6 engine. The Alfa 4C would sell in droves if pitched at £35,000. At £40,000 the Cayman will kill it with it's flat 6 and driving dynamics honed over the years - and it's German build quality. The 4C will appeal to a hardcore bunch of Alfistas whilst everyone else will buy a Porsche.
The Alfa Romeo 4C will go on show at the Geneva Motor Show in March and will be released for sale shortly afterwards.
