Canvas roof, new headlights and plenty of carbon fibre added to the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider prototype.
The Alfa Romeo 4C is about as beautiful as it gets when it comes to cars. Until you notice its spidery headlights. It is, therefore, incredibly good news to see the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show benefits from new headlamps.
Alfa Romeo’s 4C Spider is said to maintain the structural rigidity of its hard-top cousin. The use of carbon fibre for the rollover bars, spoilers and windscreen in conjunction with a canvas roof has meant the 4C Spider is only 60kg heavier than the coupe.
Work has been done to ensure the 4C Spider maintains ‘the highest levels of aerodynamic efficiency and downforce’, while ensuring you and your passenger aren’t blown out of the window as you waltz around the countryside.
The Alfa Romeo 4C has a dual-stage central exhaust system with titanium and carbon tailpipes created by competition exhaust maker Akrapovic. This new addition has an electrically-operated valve that is said to improve performance and the engine note at the press of a button.
Other features that set the 4C Spider Design Preview (to use its full name) apart from the 4C coupe include carbon fibre clamshell headlights, new alloy wheels and bespoke Pirelli tyres. A fetching three-layer gloss white paintjob, which will no doubt prove practical on UK roads, completes the look.
Performance is said to mirror that of the 4C coupe, which means the 1750 Turbo Petrol engine and its dual dry-clutch six-speed gearbox provide the 4C Spider with a 0 to 62mph time of 4.5 seconds and a top speed in excess of 155mph.
Inside the 4C Spider the door sills, rear bulkhead and centre console are made from yet more carbon fibre, which Alfa said is to do with more than just aesthetics. True or not, it will almost certainly make the cockpit an even nicer place to be.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will go into production in 2015 for an undisclosed price. We expect it to cost more than the current 4C, which starts from £52,000.
A part of us worries Alfa Romeo will do what it did with the 4C coupe concept and stick ugly headlights on the final production car. If you’re reading this, Alfa, please don’t – we can only have our heart broken once.
Leave a Reply