More details have leaked on the production version of the striking Alfa Romeo 4C, which could make its way stateside as early as 2013.
Though the initial engine offering, a turbocharged 1.8-liter inline four, will make just 230 horsepower, Alfa still reckons the 4C will be good for a 4.5 second zero-to-60 mph sprint thanks to the car’s insubstantial mass: engineers have targeted a 1980 pound curb weight for the mid-engined sprite.
The 4C will eventually gain a 300 horsepower variant of the turbo four, as well as a convertible model. A seven-speed, dual-clutch gearbox will be the only transmission offered.
When the 4C was introduced in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show, much of the car was rendered in expensive carbon fiber. In order to avoid Ferrari-like prices, the production variant will feature exterior panels made from sheet-molded composites and, while the car’s central tub will still utilize carbon, the front and rear frames will be made with aluminum.
Despite the material changes the car will look almost identical to the concept version, according to Mauro Pierallini, Fiat’s head of engineering in Europe. The interior will also be quite similar, Pierallini says, with designers working to preserve central details like the motorcycle-inspired instrument panel.
Alfa Romeo plans to have the 4C ready for sale sometime in 2013, at which point the car would spearhead the company’s return to the United States. As Alfa’s comeback plans have historically been prone to frequent changes, don’t take that timeline as being set in stone, however.
References
1.’Exclusive: the Alfa…’ view
