Alfa Romeo 4C – Australian pricing & specs

It’s arriving a lot later than expected, a bit more expensive than expected and, worse, a bit heavier than expected, but the arrival of the otherwise highly desirable Alfa Romeo 4C to Australian shores is nigh.

Deliveries will start next month with pricing starting at $89,000. Those extra keen to show off can aim to get their hands on the 4C Launch Edition, which will be priced from $109,000.

The unladen weight of European-spec 4Cs is 895kg. Here, in Australia, that weight bumps up to 1025kg thanks to the addition of extra crash protection in order to meet local safety and design rules. Yay, Australia!

Alfa Romeo maintains the 4C can still reach 100km/h in 4.5 seconds. An extra 130kg in weight and no effect on the 0–100km/h time?

Either that means the original sprint time in 2013 was under quoted, the 1750cc turbocharged engine has been tweaked a little or Alfa Romeo Australia is telling porky pies.

All told there will 1300 4C Launch Editions sold worldwide, 75 of which are coming to Australia. For your extra 20 grand you get to choose from Rosso Alfa or Madreperla White paint colours, a better sounding exhaust, enhanced suspension, staggered forged alloys in matte black (18″ front, 19″ rear), bi-LED headlights, fancy stitching and stacks of carbon fibre trimming.

It’s a shame we’re getting heavier 4Cs here in Australia, but that still doesn’t alter the fact the car has one of the most evocative shapes on sale at the moment and we expect to see quite a few of these on our roads in the next few weeks.

The Italian revolution begins: All-new Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe has arrived in Australia, offering groundbreaking design, F1-inspired technology and supercar performance at an incredible price

• Jaw-dropping looks, breathtaking performance: 177kW @ 6,000rpm, 350Nm @ 2,200rpm and 0 to 100km/h in a blistering 4.5 seconds
• Race-inspired performance: 4C offers advanced materials and technological solutions from Formula 1 including carbon-fibre monocoque, aluminum chassis structures and a composite body shell for an ultra-lightweight design with incredible performance
• State-of-the-art powertrain technology: all-aluminum 1750cc direct-injection turbocharged engine with intercooler, dual variable-valve timing and advanced scavenging technology is paired to a blistering fast Alfa TCT (twin-clutch transmission) with Alfa DNA selector
• Excellence made in Italy: Alfa Romeo 4C combines the best technical and manufacturing competencies of two brands, Alfa Romeo and Maserati
• The all-new Alfa Romeo 4C coupe has arrived in Australia with an MSRP of just $89,000
• Also available as limited-edition, generously specified Launch Edition, with an MSRP of just $109,000

January 19 2015 – Alfa Romeo’s stunning 4C is set to take Australia’s supercar segment by storm, offering F1-inspired technology, jaw-dropping looks and phenomenal performance at an incredibly attainable price.

“Coupled with our dealers, we are thrilled to be bringing this sensational new Alfa Romeo to Australia,” said FCA Australia President & CEO, Pat Dougherty.

“The 4C marks the dawn of an exciting new era for Alfa Romeo. This is a true Italian supercar offered at a price that is within reach of many Australians.

“The 4C is the first of an outstanding fleet of Alfa Romeo products and all will share the 4C’s focus on style, performance and luxury”.

Alfa Romeo’s halo sportscar has arrived in two distinct variants, the uniquely appointed Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition with a MSRP of $109,000, and the stunning Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe with an MSRP of $89,000. The 4C Launch Edition is limited to 1,300 units worldwide, of which Australia has secured an initial allocation of 75 units.

Both models offer stunning mid-engine proportions, near-perfect weight distribution and each draws inspiration from the brand’s proud racing heritage to combine design and technology for maximum performance. The Alfa Romeo 4C is inspired by the century-old tradition of Alfa Romeo and projects the brand’s values for the future: Italian style, performance and engineering excellence, offering maximum driving satisfaction in total safety. The “4C” name recalls Alfa Romeo’s great sporting tradition: the acronyms 8C and 6C in the 1930s and 1940s distinguished racing and road cars fitted with powerful eight and six cylinder engines. The Alfa Romeo 4C model’s designation continues this tradition with the latest all-aluminum 1750cc turbocharged direct injection four-cylinder engine.

Designed to be innovative and revolutionary The Alfa Romeo 4C confirms its supercar credentials by offering:

• Most advanced and innovative engines
• A unique set of F1-inspired technical solutions
• Performance-inspired power-to-weight ratios
• Distinctly Italian design and ground-breaking performance

Supercar performance, compact size

Thanks to Alfa Romeo 4C’s advanced technological solutions and compact size, the coupe demonstrates its precision, agility and performance credentials with:

• 400cm overall length
• 186cm overall width
• 118cm overall height
• 257km/h top speed
• 0-to-100km/h acceleration of 4.5secs
• 0.335 Coefficient of drag (Cd)
• Lateral acceleration >1.1 g
• Maximum braking deceleration > 1.25g
• 1,025kg tare mass

High-tech 1750 Turbo engine and Alfa TCT pair for exceptional performance and drivability

The engine is the beating heart of any Alfa Romeo, and for the 4C, it beats to an all-new 1750cc direct-injection, all-aluminum engine. To ensure exceptional performance and drivability on the racetrack or city streets, this new engine features cutting-edge technical solutions, including direct-injection, intercooler, dual (intake and exhaust) continuous variable-valve timing (VVT), a crankshaft with eight counterweights, and intake and exhaust systems optimized for Alfa Romeo 4C’s mid-engine layout.

A new generation turbocharger features a pulse-converter exhaust manifold to exploit pressure waves and boost torque at low-engine speeds. A waste gate valve adjusts turbo pressure and improves the engine’s efficiency. Advanced scavenging technology enables the Alfa Romeo 4C to maximize torque at low engine speeds and deliver more response to driver input by increasing combustion efficiency and turbine speed, all while eliminating turbo lag. As a result, torque delivery is instantaneous, with a peak of 350Nm; 80 percent of which is available at only 1,700rpm.

Teamed to the all-aluminum engine is a paddle-shifting Alfa TCT twin-clutch transmission, which has been specifically tuned for the all-new Alfa Romeo 4C. With its uniquely calibrated software that adjusts with the Alfa DNA selector system, the Alfa TCT’s gearshifts are designed to become most aggressive in the Dynamic and Race modes. The Alfa TCT system also integrates a “launch control” mode – delivering the utmost acceleration possible as soon as the driver releases the brake.

Innovative Alfa DNA selector

The all-new Alfa Romeo 4C features the brand’s innovative Alfa DNA selector with “Race” mode – enabling the driver to optimize the right level of performance through four modes. With a touch of the Alfa DNA selector, the character of the Alfa Romeo 4C can be changed to (in order of increasing capability):

• All-weather – designed to ensure maximum control under adverse weather conditions and enables gentler accelerator input and special engine and brake control logic to match road speed and prevent skidding.
• Natural – enables grand touring comfort and smooth drivability for the Alfa TCT gearbox.
• Dynamic – enables improved driving performance via a more aggressive powertrain calibration and less intrusive electronic stability control (ESC) setting.
• Race – is the most extreme performance mode, putting the driver in total control of the car under race conditions.
• ESC and anti-slip regulation (ASR) are deactivated to allow the driver to control traction through the accelerator pedal. The Alfa Romeo Electronic Q2 differential control system remains active for fast exits out of corners or bends.
• In Race mode, launch control can be activated, allowing the Alfa Romeo 4C to deliver supercar-level 0-100km/h acceleration blasts of just 4.5 seconds.

For driving convenience in Dynamic, Natural or All-weather modes, the Alfa Romeo TCT gearbox can utilise an “auto” mode.

4C combines the best technical and manufacturing practices of Alfa Romeo and Maserati

The very best technical and industrial expertise of the Alfa Romeo and Maserati brands were used to develop the all-new Alfa Romeo 4C.

Teamwork between the two brands included the integration of the Alfa Romeo Style Center design with the well-known craftsmanship of the Maserati brand’s Modena production plant. In addition, the Alfa Romeo 4C was boosted by the technological contributions of Italian suppliers, who are international leaders in manufacturing high-performance components.

This is a distinguishing trait of Alfa Romeo, a brand with a century of history that continues to be one of the most famous and popular ambassadors of Italian products around the world.

“The all-new 4C represents the purest formation of the brand’s DNA with its supercar-levels of performance and innovation, all while focusing on making the driver an integral part and completion of the machine,” said Harald Wester, global CEO of Alfa Romeo.

“With its technological solutions derived directly from Formula 1, the Alfa Romeo 4C creates a fusion of body and machine, an extension of its driver’s soul that is ready, capable and willing to respond and deliver.”

Limited to an initial allocation of just 75 units: Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition

For true “Alfisti”, a special Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition has been produced. These stunning vehicles include the following appointments above and beyond the generously appointed 4C Coupe.

• Rosso Alfa, or Madreperla White exterior paint
• Bi-LED carbon fibre headlamps
• Front fascia with side air intakes
• Carbon fibre rear spoiler and mirror caps
• Race suspension tuning with front- and rear-sway bars and shock absorbers
• Racing exhaust
• Staggered 18-inch (front) and 19-inch (rear) forged wheels painted in Matte Black
• Red lacquered brake calipers
• Sport seats with black microfibre
• Red or White interior accent stitching on the instrument panel steering wheel, floor mats and door handles
• Interior carbon fibre trim plates
• Carbon fibre cluster bezel
• Carbon fibre gear shift bezel
• Carbon fibre passenger side trim plate

Customer deliveries for the Alfa Romeo 4C will commence in February.