Alfa Romeo has stopped releasing vague teaser shots ahead of next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show and has opted instead to show us photos of exactly what it’s bringing. Though we’d hoped for an updated version of the 4C concept, it seems Alfa is just repainting the sexy show car, and bringing it to Germany for enthusiasts to drool over yet again.
The 4C concept originally debuted at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, but the car destined for Frankfurt now wears what Alfa calls “liquid metal” paint. The gunmetal-like hue is a stark contrast to the red used for the Geneva debut, but it looks sensuous on the shapely 4C.
The color shift changes absolutely nothing beneath the 4C’s skin. Despite looking and sounding a bit like the exotic 8C Competizione, the 4C has half the cylinder count. The turbocharged 1.75-liter I-4, borrowed from the Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde, sends somewhere between 235 and 250 hp to the rear wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission. Extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber allow the 4C to remain supermodel thin, and keep its curb weight below 1900 pounds. With that sort of power-to-weight ratio, the car could sprint from 0-60 mph in about 5 seconds.
Little — if any — of the 4C concept seems too pie-in-the-sky, so we wouldn’t be surprised if the final production-spec version — which is due to arrive sometime in 2012 — is almost a carbon copy of the show car. The model has also been theoretically confirmed for the U.S. market, provided Alfa’s rebirth in the new world isn’t delayed yet again. In any event, the car should sell for close to $57,000, and Alfa hopes to sell about 5000 copies annually.
Thanks to: Motor Trend
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