2009 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

Alfa is back, and it's making a splash in the US, this time going for the big money. After its debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2003, the 8C nearly ceased to exist, but the company finally decided to bring it to the US to build image before introducing less expensive and more mainstream vehicles than the two-seat coupe.

The engine is from another Italian thoroughbred, Maserati's Quattroporte, although it's been enlarged to 4.7 liters of displacement. It makes 444 horsepower at 7,000 rpm, and 347 lb-ft of torque at 4,750 rpm, with a 7,500 rpm redline. That engine will be placed behind the front axle for a low center of gravity and ideal weight distribution.

The sole transmission choice will be a six-speed sequential manual with paddles, mounted as part of the rear axle for better weight distribution, as is the current vogue. The Q-Select gearbox will have five distinct modes: Manual-Normal; Manual-Sport; Automatic-Normal; Automatic-Sport and Ice.

The car's carbon-fibre body hides a steel unibody close to that of the Maserati coupe as well. The underbody was shaped in the wind-tunnel to reduce lift at the high speeds the car will no doubt be able to achieve without so much as breaking a sweat.

A high-threshold stability control system is on the cards as well, working with the double-wishbone suspension to keep the car on the road.

Tires are to be Pirelli's P-Zero Corsa, with six-piston, cross-drilled and vented brakes up front and four-piston rear brakes testing their traction abilities.

Apparently Alfa plans on building 500 8Cs in Italy, with half of that number earmarked for sale in the US.

The car shares its name with the Alfa Romeo 8C 2009 from 1934, which dominated the 1000 Miglia race in 1935-1938 and 1947. It was powered by an inline-8 engine.