Alfa Romeo 4C coupe set to launch in Canada this summer

4C set to debut in Canada in June or July, according to Chrysler Group executive

April 17, 2014 by Dan Ilika, Assistant Editor

TORONTO—The long-awaited, highly-anticipated Alfa Romeo 4C coupe will make its Canadian debut this summer, according to a Chrysler Group executive.

Gualberto Ranieri, senior vice-president of communications with the automaker, confirmed with CanadianManufacturing.com that the car will hit dealerships here in June or July.

The stunning mid-engine 4C marks the Italian brand’s return to North America in nearly 20 years, and comes after a fistfull of delays that make the 2014 debut a long time coming for Alfa fans on this side of the Atlantic.

Boasting “supercar-level performance” in a no frills package, the 4C sports a carbon fiber tub and all-aluminum powerplant that lend credence to the Italian brand’s racing history while ushering in a new era of affordability.

The lightweight chassis, a pre-impregnated carbon fiber monocoque with front and rear aluminum cell structures, combined with a composite body that is 20 per cent lighter and more rigid than steel, helps drop the 4C’s curb weight to a paltry 1,118 kilograms, or about the weight of a Fiat 500.

Powered by a 1.7-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, the svelte sportscar makes about 237-horsepower and 258 lb.ft. of torque—enough to send the 4C from 0 to 100 km/h in a scant 4.5 seconds.

By contrast, Porsche’s comparably priced Boxster accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds.

Mated to the tiny powerplant is Alfa’s TCT twin-clutch transmission, a six-speed semi-automatic gearbox that features paddle shift and the so-called “Alfa DNA selector”—a system designed with four modes to optimize the 4C’s driving performance.

Dubbed “All-weather,” “Natural,” “Dynamic” and “Race,” the DNA system’s modes adjust the 4C’s inputs and outputs to suit a Saturday at Calabogie or a Sunday in Niagara wine country.

With a top speed limited to about 260 km/h, the 4C may not be the fastest car on the market, but with a sub-$60,000 sticker price, the bang for your buck is hard to beat.

After years of promising, the return of Alfa Romeo looks to be worth the wait.