MILAN, ITALY – The long awaited Alfa Romeo sports coupe 4C has been cleared for a U.S. market launch this May as a 2015-model by the Fiat Group – to the delight of owners, former owners and dealers.
With the franchise still held only by Fiat dealers, details of the new model have been released in enthusiast magazines and at the major auto shows.
- Alfa Romeo 4C
First dealers have established a waiting list, using an expected suggested price of $54,000 for the 4C (Motor Trend’s $65K base price is Mucho too Mucho!)
No comparable situation has existed in the U.S. but Alfa has a loyal following, for whom a down payment of about 20% is no problem.
In fact, Alfa fans have been made even more excited and charged up by the 4C’s specifications, following test drives on Fiat’s Balocco proving grounds west of Milan.
The Alfa Romeo 4C is different, a true racing coupe unlike any other.
Here are major specs for the 4C, coupled with the fact that it packs a unique carbon-fiber frame and hyper-accurate steering:
1.7L/240 hp turbocharged with a 6-speed twin clutch;
What’s more, the 4C weighs only 2,500 lbs., wheelbase is 93.7; to which can be added a zero-to-60 speed of 4.5 seconds!
In its December 2013 edition, Motor Trend magazine couples photos of a fire-engine red 4C with a statement comparing the Alfa 4C to the Porsche Cayman, which lists for between $50K and $55K.
At $54K, that’s some comparison – an Italian “orphan vs. German racing coupes” “A baby superior,” says the enthusiast press – at only $55 big ones! – “We’ll settle for $45,000 (after dealer margin) assuming there will be a power-steering option and improved ergonomics.” “We can wait, (can’t we?) at whatever price for perfection.”
Other 4C amenities include and all-aluminum body, fenders and roof; sporty LED headlamps; a direct injection 4-cyl engine yielding 258 lbs. of torque; tramlines which sort out potholes and asphalt cracks; abundant room for 2 adults, and a luxury-car-like “dead pedal” plus plenty of right knee room.
At presstime, MPG hadn’t been rated, but the 4C will rank as an honest-to-goodness “driver’s car” with echoes of the Giuliettas’ comparable 25 MPG.
The 4C will be a cool holiday gift, just like the one Romeo and Juliet imagined in the Shakespeare epic.
Photos of the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C are available on the Fiat web site, which covers Fiat 500 subcompacts and green, red or white exterior colors shown to car magazines.
