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

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.