Two years after the unveiling of a concept at the 2011 Geneva Autoshow, Alfa Romeo is back with the production version of the 4C.

For enthusiasts, this mid engine compact coupe is an italian version of the “light is right” Lotus concept, where performance and driving enjoyment build on a very light chassis. For the brand, the 4C is the flagship carrying the return of Alfa Romeo to north america, a vital market for the future.

The engine is an all aluminum turbocharged 1750 cm3 4 cylinder unit. It is an evolution of the powertrain already installed under the hood of the Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde, with direct injection and specific intake and exhaust systems, putting out 240hp. Maximum torque is 350 Nm, with 80% being available at 1700 rpm. The engine also implements a revolutionary scavenging control system that gets rid of any turbo lag. The transmission to the rear wheels uses a twin clutch gear box activated by paddles behind the steering wheel. The traditional DNA selector adds a Race setting to the Dynamic, Natural and All Weather modes. Performance figures are 0-100 km/h in 4.5s and a top speed of 250 km/h. Peak acceleration is rated at 1.25g while braking and 1.1g in corners.

The overall car dimensions disclosed at this time are 200 cm in width, 118 cm in height and a wheelbase of less than 240 cm, for a claimed dry weight of 895kg. This car will be built in Italy at the Maserati factory and it will be commercially available in 2013 (mid September for Europe, late year for the US). Production is limited to 3500 units, out of which 1500 are allocated to Europe, 1200 to North America and 800 to the rest of the World. Base price is 60’000€, 75’000 CHF in Switzerland. A 1000 units launch edition (the white car in the picture gallery) will be available for the same price (400 Europe, 500 US, 100 rest of the world).

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