X

Alfa Romeo 4C: The little red racer (pictures)

Alfa Romeo shows the much-admired and race-inspired 4C in production form at the 2013 Geneva auto show. Shame about those headlights, though.

Wayne_Cunningham.jpg
Wayne_Cunningham.jpg
Wayne Cunningham
AlfaRomeo_4C.JPG
1 of 8 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
GENEVA--If you can't afford a Ferrari, the Alfa Romeo 4C may be just the thing to satisfy any Italian sports car lust. Alfa Romeo showed this car off two years ago in Geneva as a concept, and this year brings the real thing to life. Very little has changed from the concept car, a rarity in the automotive world.
AlfaRomeo_4C-001_1.JPG
2 of 8 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
The most unfortunate detail are these headlight casings, odd matte-black pieces pierced with holes for the main projector, signal, and parking lights. The lack of a lens over the whole casing makes the design look even more out of place.
AlfaRomeo_4C-002_1.JPG
3 of 8 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
Headlights aside, the 4C should be an impressive performer, as its carbon fiber tub, aluminum suspension elements, and composite body panels keep the overall weight down to about 2,000 pounds.
AlfaRomeo_4C-003_1.JPG
4 of 8 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
The 4C is a rear-wheel-drive car with weight distribution of 40 percent front and 60 percent rear. Alfa Romeo chose to do without power steering as a weight-saving measure, which means the wheel will likely have some heft to it.
AlfaRomeo_4C-004_1.JPG
5 of 8 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
The engine sits under the rear canopy, its covers visible through the rear window. This position leads to the aforementioned 40/60 weight distribution. The 4C uses a turbocharged direct injection 1.75-liter four cylinder, good for 240 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Alfa Romeo says the 4C will hit 62 mph in 4.5 seconds.
AlfaRomeo_4C-006_1.JPG
6 of 8 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
Alfa Romeo hangs a dual-clutch automated manual transmission off the engine. The driver can shift it sequentially, using paddles on the steering wheel, or leave it in automatic.
AlfaRomeo_4C-005_1.JPG
7 of 8 Wayne Cunningham/CNET
Alfa Romeo had the 4C's carbon fiber tub on display at the auto show. This piece forms the cockpit for the two-seater and adds rigidity to the overall structure. Aluminum front and rear suspension pieces bolt on to the tub.
AlfaRomeo_4C-007_1.jpg
8 of 8 Alfa Romeo
Along with drive mode buttons, the 4C will feature what Alfa Romeo calls the DNA selector, which includes Sport and Race settings. The car also appears to use an LCD instrument cluster.

More Galleries

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone
Invitation for the Apple September iPhone 15 event

17 Hidden iOS 17 Features and Settings on Your iPhone

18 Photos
Take a Look at Apple's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: New Colors, Prices and More
iphone 15 in different color from an angled view

Take a Look at Apple's iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro: New Colors, Prices and More

19 Photos
I Got an Early Look at Intel's Glass Packaging Tech for Faster Chips
Rahul Manepalli, right, Intel's module engineering leader, shows a glass substrate panel before it's sliced into the small rectangles that will be bonded to the undersides of hundreds of test processors. The technology, shown here at Intel's CH8 facility in Chandler, Arizona, stands to improve performance and power consumption of advanced processors arriving later this decade. Glass substrates should permit physically larger processors comprised of several small "chiplets" for AI and data center work, but Intel expects they'll trickle down to PCs, too.

I Got an Early Look at Intel's Glass Packaging Tech for Faster Chips

20 Photos
Astronomy Photographer of the Year Winners Reveal Our Stunning Universe
andromeda

Astronomy Photographer of the Year Winners Reveal Our Stunning Universe

16 Photos
Disney Treasure Cruise Ship: Bookings Now Open for $9K+ Maiden Voyage
disney-treasure-tomorrow-tower-suite-3

Disney Treasure Cruise Ship: Bookings Now Open for $9K+ Maiden Voyage

16 Photos
Check Out the iPhone 15's New Camera in Action
A photo of a silhouette of buildings on the water taken on the iPhone 15

Check Out the iPhone 15's New Camera in Action

12 Photos
Take a Closer Look at the iOS Settings You Should Change Right Now
A smart man holding an iPhone 14 Pro Max

Take a Closer Look at the iOS Settings You Should Change Right Now

10 Photos