IAA 2011: Alfa Romeo 4C Concept

While many were expecting to see the final production version of Alfa Romeo's 4C mid-engine sports car in Frankfurt, the Italian automaker chose to keep playing the waiting game and simply displayed the concept in a different shade called "Fluid Metal".
Aside from the new hue, nothing else has changed since we first saw the study at this year's Geneva Salon in March.
The lightweight 4C is fitted with Alfa Romeo's 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivering over 200-horses, mounted behind the driver. Power is transferred to the rear wheels through the "Alfa TCT" twin dry clutch transmission.
Alfa Romeo said that it plans to put the 4C into series production in 2013.

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Alfa Romeo 4C Concept New Color

Instead of presenting the final production version of is 4C mid-engine sports coupe at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show, Alfa Romeo will once again display the concept model but with a different paint job.
The new color is named 'Fluid Metal' with Alfa claiming that it "dynamically enhances the smooth and sinuous lines of the car". We find it much better looking than the washed out matte red shown on the original Geneva Salon concept.
Other than that, the two-seater model keeps the same 200-horsepower, 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine mounted behind the passenger cabin driving the rear wheels through a twin clutch automatic transmission.
The 4 meter long concept makes liberal use of carbon fibre in its construction to keep weight at a low 850kg or 1,873 pounds for a power to weight ratio of less than 4kg per HP, with Alfa promising a sub-5.0 seconds sprint to 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) and a top speed of over 250 km/h (155 mph).
The 4C is expected to enter production next year.

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Alfa Romeo Says 4C to Appear in "New Exclusive Look"

On Thursday, we brought you news on Alfa Romeo's plans to exhibit the 4C at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. Today, the Italian automaker's social network gurus released an updated announcement saying that the 4C will be presented in a "new exclusive look" at the German auto show.
Clearly, Alfa Romeo's latest cryptic statement may be interpreted in different ways, but it won't be long before the Italian firm releases more details on the matter so stay tuned on Carscoop for more.
In the meantime, check out our previous article on the rear-wheel drive Alfa Romeo 4C Concept with details and live photos from its Geneva Salon debut.

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Alfa Romeo 4C at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

The countdown for the highly anticipated 2011 Frankfurt auto show in the second week of September has begun and carmakers are trying to keep us on our toes with enticing teasers like this invitation from Alfa Romeo.


Shown on the Italian firm's Facebook page, the teaser is about the new 4C mid-engined sports car that was previewed as a thinly disguised concept study at this year's Geneva Salon.
Being that the Sergio Marchionne, the head of the Fiat and Chrysler groups, has said the Alfa Romeo 4C will hit European showrooms during the first half of 2012 with some examples reaching U.S. hands by the end of the same year, there's a very good chance we'll see the car in its final production form.
If that's not the case, then it could be that Alfa Romeo may show either a roadster version of the 4C or a more powerful version.
We'll remind you that the 4C concept study in Geneva was fitted with a 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine pushing 200-horsepower towards the rear axle via a twin dry clutch automatic transmission dubbed “Alfa TCT”.

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Alfa Romeo’s Return to the US Delayed Until 2013

It’s 2003, 2004, 2006 – you get the idea- happening all over again; Alfa Romeo’s return to the US market has been delayed and will not happen in 2012 as was the most recent plan. Instead, Fiat Group and Chrysler LLC CEO, Sergio Marchionne, has pushed the Italian brand’s arrival back for another year, or so until he announces another delay.
Technically, Alfa has already returned to the market it abandoned in 1995 by selling 100 units of its 8C Competizione supercar. And Marchionne won’t exactly break his promise about 2012: the small detail is that it will be only with a few examples of the limited-edition 4C coupe.
If –and that’s a very big IF- everything goes according to schedule, Alfa’s actual second coming to the US will happen in mid-2013 starting with a compact crossover model.
The reason for the latest delay is the fact that Marchionne has thrice in the last 18 months rejected proposals for the new Giulia, the compact sport sedan that will replace the 159 and will be the second model, after the SUV, to be sold to the US market through Fiat dealerships.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed that this time it’s for real. Because since 2000, when the then-CEO Paolo Cantarella announced a return to the US in alliance with GM, which was subsequently pushed back to 2002 before being abandoned, we’ve already heard more than enough reports on the matter.
And this is all starting to sound like TV televangelists who every other day, and twice on Sundays, predict the end of the world yet, despite their "prophecies", planet Earth is still here.

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New Alfa Romeo-Derived / U.S. Made Dodge Compact Sedan to Debut at 2012 Detroit Show

A new U.S. market compact sedan to be developed by Fiat and built by Chrysler is set to make its debut appearance at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit in the beginning of next year, according to a report from the Wall Street Journal.

The as-of-yet unnamed model will be badged as Dodge and powered by a Fiat-derived 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine. It’ll also do 40 mpg combined, or at least it will if Fiat wants to net itself a further 5% of Chrysler from Mr. MonopolyUncle Sam.

The Italian automaker wants to expand its 46% share in Chrysler & Friends by an additional 7.5% courtesy of the U.S. Treasury and Canadian government on top of the 5% it’s expected to get by pushing the 40 mpg envelope.

The new model will be built in Chrysler’s Belvidere plant in Illinois, which the brand is currently spending US$600 million retooling for the job. Production is expected to start later this year. Dealers, such as David Kelleher of David Dodge Chrysler Jeep of Glen Mills, PA are naturally very excited:

“We have never had a viable compact car. This will allow us to reach the entry level customer and it's a perfect fit for Dodge which has been faced with challenges.” [Like having to share a lot with the Chrysler Sebring, for one…]

The Caliber, the closest thing Dodge currently has to a Honda Civic / Ford Focus / Chevy Cruze competitor at present, does a paltry 24 mpg in automatic guise.

The new model will share the same basic floorplan as the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback, which will also be used to underpin five new models over the next three years.

There’s no word yet on a name, but I’m willing to discount Aires, Neon and Stratus as possible contenders.

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Monstrous Paramount Marauder Armored Vehicle

In just a few hours from now, Top Gear will air the first episode of season 17 on BBC. During the past two weeks, we got a taste of what Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammond have in store for us this year through two teaser clips.
In one of those trailers, we saw a large off-road-like vehicle playing the role of a monster truck on a white Alfa Romeo 156 and an older generation Renault Megane sedan.
It turns out that the vehicle is a mine protected armored truck called Marauder from South African company Paramount Group and the driver behind the steering wheel is Richard Hammond. We were contacted by Paramount Group who told us that the Marauder will be featured in tonight's first episode of Top Gear Season 17.
We’ll have more on this tomorrow with bonus pictures and videos after the program airs on TV, but for the time being, check out the Marauder’s specifications and a gallery of the vehicle below.

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Alfa Romeo 4C Makes UK Debut At Goodwood

The new Alfa Romeo 4C Sports Concept will receive its UK public debut at the rapidly approaching 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which takes place from July 1st to 3rd.

The 4C is a two-seater, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive coupé with drop-dead gorgeous looks, lightweight body, and a powerful 200bhp1750 TBi 4 cylinder petrol engine coupled with the new automatic Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission. The car has a top speed 155mph, kerb weight under 850kgs, 0-62 mph in under 5 seconds, and a power-to-weight ratio lower than 4kg per bhp.

The 33 TT 12 sported a 500-horsepower flat 12-cylinder engine displacing just 3.0 liters. It has been driven to victory in races by drivers like Derek Bell, Henri Pescarolo, and Jochen Mass during the mid-1970s. Though it doesn't look the part of a vintage racing Alfa the way the others do, features like the offset intake cowl and single rear-view mirror make it unique.

Alongside the Alfa 4C Concept on the Alfa Romeo exhibition stand will be an array of the Italian marque’s UK product range, including another UK public debut − the updated Alfa MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde, together with the Alfa Giulietta Cloverleaf and the Alfa 159 Sportwagon.




Press Release

This month, Alfa Romeo celebrates 101 years of motoring, and the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed (1-3 July) will help mark this occasion by playing host to the UK public debut of the mid-engined Alfa 4C Concept.

The Alfa 4C Concept is a classic formula of a two-seater, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive coupé. Lightweight materials such as carbon-fiber and aluminium are used extensively throughout. These solutions, used in conjunction with a powerful 200bhp four cylinder petrol engine coupled with the new automatic Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission allow a top speed of 250km/h, kerb weight under 850kgs, 0-100km/h in under five seconds, and a power-to-weight ratio lower than 4kg per bhp.

While celebrating the future of Alfa Romeo at this year’s Festival of Speed, the marque will also be embracing its rich past, by showcasing five cars from the Alfa Romeo museum collection in Italy. These automotive legends include Fangio’s Alfa 6C 3000CM, which alongside the Alfetta 159, will celebrate the 60th anniversary of Fangio’s historic 1951 Formula One World Championship title, as well as the Alfa 6C 1750GS, Alfa 750 Competizione and the Alfa 33 TT 12. Spectators at the Festival will be able to see the cars in action over the three day event, and they will be on display in the Cathedral Paddock area.

In the Supercar Paddock, you will find Alfa’s 8C Spider. Alfa Romeo will also be exhibiting at the Goodwood Moving Motor Show.