Alfa Romeo was always known as a manufacturer of fun and sporty cars albeit not the most reliable. Its history in the motorsports world is unparalleled and their racing cars were even driven by one Enzo Ferrari before he started making his own. While the Italian charm and character gave birth to some of the most beautiful sports cars ever made, financial difficulties saw the manufacturer turn away from sports cars and take a more conservative mainstream route.
That changed in 2003 when Alfa Romeo unveiled a stunning concept car called 8C Competizione. After hugely positive reactions to its sports car, the Italians decided to make a limited production run of 1,000 cars powered by a 4.7-liter V8 cross-plane engine developed by Ferrari. The 8C Competizione was considered by many to be one of the most beautiful cars of its time, and the one that brought Alfa Romeo back where it belongs.
Encouraged by the 8C Competizione, Alfa Romeo began working on a new lightweight, mid-engined sports car to rival the likes of Lotus Elise and Porsche Cayman. The new model was called 4C and it officially debuted at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show ready to take over the world.
Seven years later, Alfa Romeo decided to end the production of the 4C after launching the special 4C Spider Stradale Tributo edition. So, what are the main reasons 4C was discontinued and never quite as successful as Alfa hoped for it to be? Let's break it down.
The 4C Was A Great Idea But Had Questionable Execution
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While it definitely isn't perfect, the 4C is an exciting car with loads of character and flair.
The main reason 4C was discontinued is Alfa Romeo's new strategy that positions the Italian brand as a luxury division of its parent company, the Stellantis group. The strategy gives the advantage to SUV and city car segments while completely abandoning any sports car projects until further notice.
So, at the end of the day, it comes down to politics and economics, the main enemies of every sports car. While the 4C might not be continuing, it will leave behind an awesome and solid legacy. It was produced from 2013 to 2020, as both a Coupé and a Spider.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Is Lightweight And Nippy
Alfa Romeo had the ambitious idea of creating the 4C as a no-compromise driver's car combining lightweight with a rigid carbon-fiber chassis. The monocoque was designed by the Alfa Romeo Style Center and featured carbon fiber with aluminum subframes. The entire chassis that weighed only 236 lbs offered great rigidity and power-to-weight ratio. In fact, the entire car weighed just over a ton.
The 1.75-liter engine that produces 237 hp was taken from Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde was mid-mounted and designed to minimize weight. its