Alfa Romeo 4C Takes on the Nürburgring | Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo 4C
Lightweight Mid-Engined Car

Alfa Romeo 4C Takes on the Nürburgring

Alfa Romeo's two-seater, lightweight, mid-engined car.The "4C"challenged the Nürburgring. What was the lap time for Alfa's passion project sports car, boasting a maximum output of 240ps from its 1.75-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine mounted midship?

Text by SAKURAI Kenichi

Alfa Romeo 4C Records 8:04 at the Nürburgring

We've already brought you the first drive report,on the Alfa Romeo 4C, the brand's first mid-engined car in a long time. Positioned as an accessible entry-level supercar, it's the hottest new model, capturing the attention of not only Alfisti worldwide but also sports car enthusiasts.

From the winding roads of Mount Etna in Sicily to the freezing cold of Sweden, where temperatures dropped to minus 35 degrees Celsius, and the deserts of Abu Dhabi and Arizona in the US, where temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius. Of course, the 4C has undergone rigorous testing in various conditions, including the proving grounds of Balocco, the heart of Alfa Romeo's development.

The final chapter in this testing saga is, as you know, the Nürburgring in Germany. Any car aspiring to be called a sports car must take on this circuit, famously dubbed the "Green Hell" by F1 legend Jackie Stewart. The Nürburgring lap time is a crucial factor in performance evaluation. With a lap exceeding 20 km, 172 corners, and an elevation change of 300 meters, this track is considered the ultimate proving ground for high-performance sports cars on Earth. Alfa Romeo has also subjected its production cars to testing on the Nürburgring since 1962.

The tires fitted to the 4C for this occasion were Pirelli P Zero Trofeo. This is the sportiest version within the Pirelli P Zero line, approved for both German public road use and circuit driving.

September 12th. At the Nürburgring's North Loop, the driver behind the wheel of the Alfa Romeo 4C was Horst von Saurma, a German journalist and professional racing driver, formerly the editor-in-chief of the German automotive magazine "Sport Auto" and known as a Nürburgring Meister.

With a curb weight under 900kg and performance figures of 240 ps/6,000rpm maximum output and 350Nm (35.7kgm)/2,200-4,250rpm maximum torque, it boasts class-leading figures of 137ps and over 200Nm (20kgm) per liter. What kind of performance would the Alfa Romeo 4C, with its top speed of 258km/h and 0-100km/h acceleration in 4.5 seconds, deliver in the hands of a Nürburgring Meister?

Amidst the keen attention of the development staff, the recorded time was an astonishing 8 minutes and 04.40 seconds. This matches the times set by the BMW M3 Coupe (E92) and the Audi R8 V8, cars equipped with V8 engines more than twice the displacement. It's a remarkable record for a car powered by a 1,750cc turbocharged inline-4 engine.

The culmination of technologies employed by the Alfa Romeo 4C—its ultra-lightweight carbon fiber body, mid-ship layout, TCT transmission, double-wishbone front suspension, strut rear suspension, and ventilated disc brakes (305x28 mm front, 292x22 mm rear)—made this time possible. The lap time serves as proof of its exceptional overall performance.

On the day of the challenge, how did the 4C tackle the Nürburgring, the "Green Hell"? We encourage you to watch the video compiling the on-track footage. Pay close attention to the occasionally displayed readings on the full-digital speedometer and tachometer, the movements of the "G-meter," and the driver's steering and pedal work.