NEWS
SPY PICS: Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
Alfa hones ragtop version of its mid-engined sportster; and it's expected on sale in early 2015Alfa Romeo previewed its upcoming 4C Spider at this year's Geneva motor show, but these pics of a very lightly disguised prototype provide a better indication of how the showroom-ready vehicle will look.
As evident from these Automedia images, the 4C Spider features a fabric roof panel rather than a folding hardtop, and the canvas lid is believed to be a removable panel in lieu of an electrically operated unit, in the interests of keeping the car's mass as low as possible.
The 4C coupe tips the scales at a waif-like 895kg, and reports suggest the ragtop adds only 60kg to this figure.
As per the fixed-head 4C, the Spider will be propelled by a mid-mounted 1.75-litre turbocharged four-pot that ekes out 177kW, relayed to the rear wheels by a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox.
Given that the Spider is expected to be only marginally heavier than the coupe, expect the 0-100km/h split of 4.2sec and 250km/h top speed to be more or less unchanged.
Enthusiasts will be pleased to learn the Spider scores a new titanium/carbon Akrapovic exhaust that enables the driver to dial up or down the volume depending on the prevailing mood and occasion.
A further piece of good news is that the coupe's fussy looking headlight clusters will be replaced with more conventional clear-lens projector units – as evident from these pics.
As per the coupe, the Spider will be a low-volume proposition, with only around 3500 units expected to be produced each year, commanding a premium of 10 per cent or so over the hardtop.
The Spider isn't the only 4C derivative that's in the works, as also reportedly on the agenda is a high-performance version that could wear Alfa's iconic Quadrifoglio Verde (Green Cloverleaf) suffix.
Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester hinted as much in a recent interview, in which he revealed: "We are only at 134hp per litre [100kW/litre], so there is space. The stiffness [of the 4C's chassis] is very high. The first adjustment would be the brakes."
The 4C coupe also spearheads Alfa's return to the US after a hiatus of more than two decades, although it had to be substantially tweaked (via a revamped interior, reinforced suspension, different front and rear frames, plus the clear-lens headlights that will debut in Europe on the Spider) to make it suited to American tastes.
– with Automedia
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Written byGautam Sharma
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
If the price does not contain the notation that it is "Drive Away", the price may not include additional costs, such as stamp duty and other government charges.
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