Geneva Motor Show On-Site Report | Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo 4C | Alfa Romeo 4C

Alfa Romeo's Lightweight Sports Car Unveiled

A lightweight body, an accessible 4-cylinder turbo engine, and a midship layout. The Alfa Romeo is packed with elements that make for an enjoyable sports car.4Chas finallyGeneva Motor Show 2013reached its unveiling moment. A report from the scene by Tatsuya Otani has arrived!

Text by OTANI Tatsuya
Photographs by MOCHIZUKI Hirohiko & Alfa Romeo

The Lightweight Sports Car of the 21st Century

The highly anticipated compact sports car, the Alfa Romeo "4C," has finally shed its cover at the Geneva Motor Show.

With a carbon composite monocoque and a 1.75-liter inline-4 turbo engine mounted longitudinally in a midship configuration driving the rear wheels, its fundamental structure is ideal for a lightweight sports car of the 21st century.

GiuliettaThe engine, inherited from the Giulietta, produces 240ps. Meanwhile, the power-to-weight ratio is announced to be under 4kg/ps, confirming the vehicle's weight is certainly under 1,000kg. This is likely a specification made possible by the carbon composite chassis. The gearbox is a dual-clutch type, similar to the Giulietta.

Despite constant talk of fuel efficiency and CO2 reduction, the automotive industry, particularly in Europe, has established a paradigm where high-performance cars equate to high-output engines.

The author believed that lightweight sports cars should receive more attention in such times, but the only models actually in production are the Mazda "Roadster" and the LotusEliseat best. In that sense, the debut of the Alfa Romeo 4C is welcome news that has us excited after a long time.

The only slight disappointment is its exterior design.

Debuting in 2007,8CWhile we understand the need to share a common image with the 8C, it's clear that trying to fit the somewhat "stumpy" design of the 8C into a 4-meter length makes it difficult to achieve a low-slung, crouched proportion.

Even seeing it in person, the somewhat "squashed" impression remains, and the treatment around the engine cover feels drawn out.

Nevertheless, knowing it's an Alfa, it's clear it will possess nimble handling, and we can't help but eagerly anticipate the day we can get behind the wheel. Surely, once you experience the 4C unleashed on a winding road, you'll either forget about the design or find it even more appealing.