It has the perfect combination of sporty and Italian soul. Nice rims, nice stop lights and nice shape. It will be a success.
Finally, after 2 years waiting for it, Alfa Romeo released the first official pictures of the 4C, the first product of its new age. As it happened to Maserati and the new Quattroporte, Alfa Romeo begins its second life with this sporty car. It is a new opportunity for this important brand because this time it will develop its models thinking of global markets, and failing is not an option. That’s why they took so long to launch it. They wanted to make sure the car will work not only in terms of volume, but especially in terms of image, that will help to reposition the brand in Europe and will allow the access to US market. However this car will not add units sold to the company. Alfa Romeo wants to sell around 4.000 units/year, based on the fact that the car uses some components that can’t be produced in large-scale. That’s why it would be priced around 50.000 euro, which is certainly a big amount.
In the front is very dynamic but its head lights are not as nice as the stop lights. They don’t project any family feeling
Though there isn’t official information yet about its engine and specifications, it is expected the car to be powered by the same engine the Giulietta QV uses: 1.8 TBi 16V with 235 hp. The good thing is that the 4C’s weight should not exceed 1000 kg, so the weight/horsepower ratio could be one of the best of all cars available in the market. That feature should come along with the latest carbon fiber technologies, so this small and genuine Alfa Romeo could become the car that all alfistas were waiting for. From the point of view of exterior design (interior has not been officially revealed) I have to say that it is a real sporty car. It looks just as Alfa Romeo wanted: a very light, dynamic and sculptural car with the Italian touch everywhere. Its proportions can’t be found in any other car: 4 meters long, 2 meters wide and 1. 18 meters tall! it is extremely short and wide. That’s why the top view isn’t my favorite as I think it is very wide. But it is a matter of taste. Personally what I like the most is the rear with the nice MiTo stop lights (yes, exactly the same) and the way the rear window ends. It looks very sporty, no doubt. In the front I don’t think the same. It is nice and original, but I don’t like the headlights, which I think are very simple and don’t create any new family feeling (as it happens in Audi or BMW). This car is the opportunity to create the family feeling that Italian cars lack. It’s not about producing the same cars in different sizes (like all Audis), but to project the way future Alfas will look. The form of headlights has become a way for distinguish a car. The 4C’s headlights don’t tell anything (in my opinion). Besides its side mirrors don’t look as sporty as the whole car. But those are just tiny details that don’t count for much when looking at this master piece.
The 4C is so wide that it looks shorter than its real dimensions. Is the car Alfa Romeo needs.
The new 4C is an awesome car. Alfa Romeo guys did a great job and I am sure it will work just as Marchionne wants: they will sell all its production as soon as the car is available, and the most important, it will be an impact car that will open the doors for the new Alfa Romeo.
Me and Alfa Romeo 4C Concept in Geneva 2011.
Fiat Group World 
It’s got a fantastic spec and should be a winner. Let’s hope the headlamps are changed on the actual production car. I’m a bit unhappy with the door mirrors too after those sleek ones on the show car. But overall what a fantastic car to relaunch the brand!
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Ok Juan..i remember one of the last benz advertisement: Details make the design..something similar.
Now..i don’t wont to be rude but: A car around 55.000,how can you think to use the mito lights?How can you just put a front-light like this?How can use Punto/500 mirrors?
Just one answer to all this..Fiat management doesen’t know how to create a premium car. I’m with you if you say: the important in this car is under..but:
They have Magneti Marelli and reuse the mito lights!!!!How!Who!Who said yes to this! Incompetent management!
Who changed the front-lights? Is he stupid?Yes! Just remember what happened with the range rover evoque..so similar to the concept and the market said YES!
I don’t want towrite about interiors..
Feel sorry for a lovely car who took lots of years and lots of diligence being medium/poor/banal with such details.
One more time thanks fiat management..you have lots of road in front of you.
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Those are details. But I don’t think are important. Regarding the stop lights, what’s the problem taking them from the MiTo if they are nice? actually MiTo’s stop lights are based on the 8C, but when Alfa did that (to take 8C’s idea and use it in the MiTo) no one said anything. But now, that they do the opposite, (take MiTo’s stoplights and use them in the 4C) everyone is complaining about it. If we look carefully, the 4C’s stoplights are coming from the 8C. And they all look awesome.
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Let’s use two examples..Evoque and Brera..The first one is fucking the market while the second one we all know the story.
Juan,they are not just details..Because they really make the design..One more example..Old Panda 4×4 Sisley..let’s focus inside: Leather Seats! Yes!Leather on a panda!And so many years after is the model who has more valutation.
And today no Panda can have leather..You see how much important is a detail if you want to create something.
You know better then me how much important is marketing or design etc..we all know how audi use all this..and,with such a car,seeing mito stops for me is a trauma!There is no evolution,and the worst is that fiat has magneti marelli!Just see the last pic where you are presents..petal light..is the right evolution of the 8C light..
Putting wrong mirrors or banal lights means override this magnificient italian car.
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And what do you think of the MiTo using 8C stop lights?
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MiTo using 8C’s taillights doesn’t cheapen the MiTo. But now … using a cheap car’s taillights in a EUR 50K sports car does cheapen that sports car, I agree with Ardit. At 50K there should have been enough budget to put in the taillights that were on the concept car.
The other problem is the two-year wait for the next new Alfa, and the first mass-market one, but that’s nothing to do with the 4C itself.
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Mito 2008..
4C 2013..
I don’t see any evolution..and this is bad!
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The 4C is important for Alfa’s return to NA but by no means is it their halo car. Using off the shelf parts is a means of cost savings – a practice many automakers use on more much expensive vehicles like a C6 ‘Vette using Cavalier interior parts. These are relatively minor details to the overall appeal of the car.
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Reblogged this on NARROW LANES and commented:
Here’s a thorough write up on the new Alfa Romeo 4C by my friend, Juan Felipe, over at Fiat Group’s World. I don’t like to re-blog, usually, but there’s no sense in writing this twice when I fully agree.
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Thanks a lot Gilberto! Regards.
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I really don’t think using the Mito tail lamps will cheapen the appeal of the 4C. Round tail lamps are signature feature of Italian sports cars as seen on Ferraris. If the Mito lamps fit perfectly why not use them? This is a car that is aimed to sell on substance like that amazing power to weight ratio, and I don’t think having bespoke tail lamps will affect this much. It’s better to share tail lamps and price this car lower imho. Since the interior is now reveal we can see that it also uses Mito vents!
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Totally agree
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When you spend,details are important.Increase the car.
Money and Style is skill.
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Sadly I fear Alfa will be part of the VW empire before long and they will be producing VW clones like Audi/Skoda and Seat. Ah well – at least there will be more on the road. If that’s a good thing?!?
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Wrong. Alfa Romeo will succeed in America and will continue to be a key brand in Fiat Group. Marchionne and his team will do it. Believe me
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Oh I see this VW madness still lingers. Very strange. Like Marchionne said he might have to “Say it in German” 😉
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Well as someone who has a soft spot for Alfa and wants them to remain Italian I hope you are right. To be honest their upcoming portfolio looks exciting I am just concerned about the constant delays in releasing new products. There is also a lot of investment in Maserati and I would like to see more cross engineering between Maserati and Alfa than Alfa and Fiat.
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More products and cross engineering with Maserati will come. The thing is that current economic situation in Europe makes more difficult to relaunch the brand. But America will make its part. They take time because they can’t be wrong this time.
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That makes good sense. I would rather they get it right – they have the resources and the technology and now have access to a huge dealer network – so all they need is a product that people want. The way in which Maserati has been turned around bodes well – but Alfa is a little more mainstream and a little more tricky – there is also heavy competition from Germany.
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Both brands, Maserati and Alfa, have an enormous potential. I’m sure they will succeed if they continue to build cars such as the Quattroporte and 4C
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I agree with Ardit, Those details are the key features of 4C which create values. Borrowing components from elder/cheaper model is okay but only be available on invisible parts. Don’t forget, style / design is the soul of Itailian cars. 4C should be the bellwether to introduce the new era of sports car to people, making elements for following models, not like this. I’m a 156 owner and waiting for this one for so long time, but I’m really disappointed and angry to this mass-produced 4C. Stylish just gone.
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Thanks for your valid opinion. I think we should all wait till seeing it in person. I will do it next week and I’ll let you know my impressions.
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The overall of MP 4C is a disaster, far from success. Being a potential buyer and an alfista, do you have any connection to report our strong disappointment to fiat management team? Someone should be fired, this is not my own opinion.
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Do you mean Marketing Plan? how do you know this? tell us why you think it is a disaster. Listen, before the official presentation in Geneva, lot of friends, said the same about the headlights, interior and mirrors. They just hated it, but I told them to wait till they see it in person. What was their opinion after they saw it the day before yesterday? they told me I was right, that the car was absolutely amazing, and the headlights, interior and mirror looked OK. They just love it. I’ll tell you what I’ll see when I’ll be there next week.
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What do you mean by MP Aron?
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