RE: Alfa Romeo 4C - first official pictures

RE: Alfa Romeo 4C - first official pictures

Tuesday 12th February 2013

Alfa Romeo 4C - first official pictures

We get a first glimpse of the production 4C - and a power-to-weight figure, too



There’s been an awful lot of talk on the PH Forums about the Alfa 4C. What form will it really take when it hits the road? The answer, it seems, is anyone’s guess.

There've been a few tweaks to the rear
There've been a few tweaks to the rear
However, we’ve now been given our first look at the new car in its production form. Until now, we’ve had to content ourselves with the concept version; thankfully, it seems that the standard car will look much the same.

Gone is a little of the trinketry – much as you’d expect – but the 4C’s voluptuous shape remains largely – and thankfully – the same. In fact, in some places, the detail changes have improved things slightly – smaller taillights, for example, give the production 4C’s rump a slightly less boggle-eyed look than the concept’s.

Along with our first glimpse of the 4C, Alfa’s released a power-to-weight figure: 4kg/hp, which equates to 250hp/tonne. If rumblings in the press are correct, the 4C should weigh somewhere around the 950kg mark, which would give it a power figure of 237hp. However, if other rumblings are correct, the 4C’s price has inflated to a Cayman-rivalling £50,000 or so.

4C even looks good from above
4C even looks good from above
That’s a rumour given weight by the timing of this reveal. As we write, the international launch of the new Cayman is going on – more of which, of course, we’ll bring you when we can. Of course, to release information about a new rival on the same day and thus distract attention away from the launch event would be a very media-savvy thing to do. Not that that’s what Alfa’s done, of course. It could all just be a happy coincidence. Right?

Either way, the 4C will make its debut at Geneva, which is when we'll finally get the full scoop. Watch this space!

Author
Discussion

tinkertaylor

Original Poster:

566 posts

141 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Good grief, that is beautiful.

One of the few cars that looks a lot better than the concept too...

bonesX

902 posts

179 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Nice, but very like an Elise...??

RedTrident

8,290 posts

234 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Yes please. Even if it is closer to 50k once specced up. Been waiting to own an Alfa Romeo for a long time

stephen300o

15,464 posts

227 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Aaahhh!!! What have they done to those mirrors?!

Gone to all that trouble elsewhere then cop out by using the 500s door mirrors.

Edited by stephen300o on Tuesday 12th February 11:58

bobo

1,702 posts

277 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
bonesX said:
Nice, but very like an Elise...??
apart from the fact that this doesn't look like a toy ?


Mini1275

11,098 posts

181 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
I'm not too sure on the looks, it seems too squashed up.

A bit insect-like.

Edited by Mini1275 on Tuesday 12th February 12:06

Alfa159Ti

827 posts

156 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
If those figures are correct, after all this speculation and talk of engine trickery and 300bhp from a 1.8, basically they've just dropped in the unit from the Giulietta QV in the same state of tune.

I think it actually looks a bit gawky in those pictures. I am on the waiting list for one, but at that price will wait for a used one in a few years.


RacingBlue

1,394 posts

163 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Still looks like an Auto Express rendering to me...

Alex

9,975 posts

283 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
If it was £40k, I'd be putting my order in now.

chickensoup

469 posts

254 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Shame the first official pictures seem to be more renders

TheRoadWarrior

1,241 posts

177 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Certainly seems like an interesting car. I wonder how close to 50k it will be- if it costs about that (max with options) then it's definitely a cayman/lotus rival.. have a feeling the price will continue upwards making this some what less practical.

PhantomPH

4,043 posts

224 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
I really want to love that, but the headlights seem wrong. I'd imagine the fault of legislation, but the headlights seem too 'bulbous'. They sit a little high and don't follow the flow of the lines from the front 3/4 angle. frown


WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
beautiful car and at sub 50k a decent price too, my only concern is the handling...

Boydie88

3,283 posts

148 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
bobo said:
apart from the fact that this doesn't look like a toy ?
Not sure if I'm seeing the same car. This looks like it's from the Elise family.

Mermaid

21,492 posts

170 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Mini1275 said:
I'm not too sure on the looks, it seems to squashed up.

.
does seem a tad squashed up, a bit like the lancia fulvia?

Will be a hoot to drive, but £50k? I suppose if numbers are limited, they could get away with it.

AyBee

10,522 posts

201 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Looks gorgeous, but rivalling the Porsche Cayman at £50k is brave...especially since all the reviews of the Cayman that I've read have it down as a superb steer.

Davey S2

13,075 posts

253 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
WCZ said:
beautiful car and at sub 50k a decent price too, my only concern is the build quality...
EFA

deadmau5

3,197 posts

179 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Those LEDs look very chintzy.

Bash Brannigan

211 posts

186 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Boydie88 said:
bobo said:
apart from the fact that this doesn't look like a toy ?
Not sure if I'm seeing the same car. This looks like it's from the Elise family.
At 950kg it would weigh about the same as the Europa. Could this be being built by Lotus in the same way as the VX200 was, or ever as the future Alpine could be? It's bloody lovely, if it's its own car and is large enough to fit overnight stuff in then this is surely going to be popular.

jonm01

817 posts

236 months

Tuesday 12th February 2013
quotequote all
Too short and stubby looking. Needs to be £35k to sell.