a Lotus Elise
is knocking on 1,000kg the challenge in building a mass produced car with all the comfort and safety gizmos the market demands within a sub four-figure kerbweight becomes clear.
65kg carbon monocoque at the heart of the 4C
Which makes Alfa Romeo's boast that the new 4C will weigh just 895kg even more impressive. From the fact it's built in Modena on Maserati's line to the extensive use of carbon fibre, Alfa Romeo is keen to refer to the 4C as a supercar, albeit one whose claim to that title is based on power output relative to mass, rather than what the competition offers.
Being a traditional Italian supercar that quoted benchmark weight figure is 'dry' so without the lubricants or, indeed, fuel you'd require to actually make it move. Equipped with the necessaries to do so, including you at the wheel, it's unlikely your 4C will still weigh in at less than 1,000kg. But that shouldn't detract from the achievement in hitting such a figure with a relatively mainstream car, nor from Alfa Romeo's determination to claim a lead in altering supercar expectations to something more nuanced than outright, and increasingly pointless, power.
In this respect the 4C is anti-hypercar and, perhaps, a welcome return for the sports car the average fan can hope to own and enjoy to something like its full potential on the public road.
Mid-mounted turbo four from mainstream Alfas
A figure that keeps cropping up in Alfa Romeo's discussion about the 4C is the target of less than 4kg per hp, the implication being that there are many ways that could be achieved but in this case weight saving is the most important. For comparison a 220hp, 924kg supercharged Elise S is 4.2kg per hp, this being the most obvious benchmark to measure the 4C against given that it also uses a transverse, mid-mounted, forced induction four-cylinder engine adapted from mainstream front-drive application.
Alfa Romeo has already confirmed the 4C will cost 60,000 euros, have 240hp and 258lb ft of torque from its 1750 TBI engine, meaning a 960kg running weight at that 4kg per hp benchmark. As previously confirmed, the 4C will only be offered with a twin-clutch automated gearbox, Alpine and Caterham more or less confirmed as looking at a comparable set-up for their forthcoming lightweight sports car.
Final sign-off includes 40km test drive
Balancing the apparently conflicting needs of making the 4C "an achievable dream for Alfa Romeo fans" but still thinking in terms of exclusivity and limited production, Alfa Romeo seems to have settled on a flexible production approach that can respond to demand and, if necessary, build "in the order of some thousands of cars per year."
Achieving this profitably with a 65kg carbon fibre monocoque heart has been a major production challenge and the focus of this latest major update on the project. 'Pre preg' carbon fibre is at the heart of it, which is interesting given that Ferrari has reaffirmed its belief that productionised carbon fibre for 'standard' models doesn't deliver the weight savings promised and it'll be sticking with aluminium for the 458 and successor models.
Productionised carbon fibre is of growing interest to mainstream brands though, BMW investing heavily in the technology for its i range of electric and hybrid city cars while McLaren leads the way at the more exotic end of the market.
Alfa wants to reclaim 'supercar' to an 'achievable dream'
Certainly a carbon tub for a Cayman rivalling mid-engined sports car is a significant claim to fame for the 4C and one Alfa Romeo is making considerable noise about. If you want to read more on the background you can digest the
full
press release here
Whether the market is ready to accept lower overall power and a drivetrain derived from a front-driven hatch as a trade for such technology remains to be seen. But for the looks, the made in Modena provenance and the evocative badge the 4C could be the car to do it.