Insider: Alfa Romeo 4C gets 240PS / 270PS, Racing, Stradale & Roadster Variants Confirmed

Sergio Marchionne’s ambitious plan for the resurrection of Alfa Romeo calls for no less than six new models for launch in the U.S. market until the end of 2016. The thing is that, four of them are earmarked for 2015 and one for 2016, leaving just one model for this year: the 4C mid-engine sports coupe.

Thanks to a CarScoop reader who happens to be a Swiss dealer and who attended an Alfa Romeo meeting earlier this month, we are in a position to share several new details about the production 4C that will likely be presented at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Contrary to initial reports that its 1.7-liter turbocharged inline-four could put out as much as 300-horses, Alfa Romeo officials told dealers that its output will be 240PS or 237hp for the base model, the same as in the Giulietta QV from which it is borrowed.

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Scoop: Production Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe Sports Minimal Changes

It’s almost time for Alfa Romeo to unleash its first true rear-wheel drive sports car since the demise of the 8C Competizione coupe and roadster in 2010, the new 4C mid-engine coupe.

This week, our spies nabbed a pre-production prototype of the 4C testing in Europe. While Alfa Romeo's engineers had the car covered almost from top to bottom, we can still see all some of the styling modifications made over the impressive concept displayed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show.

These include the addition of new exterior mirrors with a larger surface mounted on the doors, the visible door handles positioned right in front of the side air vents, the new circular tail lamp fixtures, and the redesigned (and dare we say, more impressive looking) diffuser at the rear end that also gains a set of auxiliary lights.

When Alfa presented the study two years ago, it told us that the 4C features a 1.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine coupled to a dual-clutch transmission driving the rear wheels. We still don’t know how strong the engine is, but the word on the street is could deliver 300 or more horses.

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Alfa Romeo 4C will Arrive in the U.S. by the End of 2013, Says Marchionne

We won't blame you for being dubious about Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne's latest reference to Alfa Romeo's return to the United States, but fact is, the Italian-Canadian executive told reporters after an InForum breakfast on Friday morning that the Alfa Romeo 4C should land in the country before the end of 2013.

"We're finalizing the car now, so it should be here by the end of the year," said Marchionne, according to a report from the Detroit News. "It's ready in the sense of all the work with architecture and types of models."

The mid-engine 4C was introduced as a near-production concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and was recently spotted testing in Michigan. Alfa hinted at the presentation of the final production model at the end of last year, likely pointing towards the Geneva Motor Show in March for the big reveal.

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Alfa Romeo Teases New Model for 2013, will Likely be the Production 4C Coupe

If there's one thing Alfa Romeo has graciously afforded us these past years, it's broken promises – be that its fabled return to the U.S. market or a swarm of new models covering just about every segment in the market, none of which ever happened.

That might change now that parent company Fiat has made the decision to aggressively compete in the lower and mid premium segments with Alfa Romeo and in the upper levels with Maserati.

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Fiat Group Plans to Re-Launch Alfa Romeo…Again, Product Plan Shows 9 New Models

It's a story that we've heard again, and again, and again from the Fiat Group; re-launch and turn the Alfa Romeo brand into a global player in the premium segment.

Whether the Italians will to stick to the program remains to be seen, but given the recent developments with Maserati, including the introduction of the new Quattroprote and sightings of Ghibli prototypes, there's a good chance Fiat means it this time.

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Oh, Oh, Someone Just Ditched an Alfa Romeo 4C Prototype…

It's been a year and nine months since Alfa Romeo pulled the covers off the impressive 4C Sports Coupe concept at the 2011 Geneva motor show, and even though it had been initially suggested that we could see the final production model on sale this year, obviously that never happened.

Alfa Romeo officials have said that this may happen sometime in 2013, but with the Italian brand, one can never take these statements for granted – Alfa's on and off return to the U.S. market is a prime example…

Well, while we're waiting for the Italians to give us a date on the only interesting model it has in store for us , a driver in Italy spotted a camouflaged prototype of the 4C coupe -ahem- stranded on the side of a road.

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Production Alfa Romeo 4C Now Rumored to Bow at 2013 Geneva Show, Roadster to Follow

With Alfa Romeo having cried wolf one time too many in the past few years due to Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne constantly revising the company's schedule, it’s reasonable to take any news about future plans with a grain (or a truckload) of salt.

This time, a source from within the company has revealed to British publication Autocar that the mid-engined, rear-wheel drive 4C sports coupe, which has been displayed as a concept, will be unveiled in production form at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2013 and go on sale, in Europe at least, later next year.

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Alfa Romeo Projected to Build a Convertible Version of 4C Sports Car in 2015

Alfa Romeos stunning new 4C mid-engined sports car concept made its debut early last year at the Geneva Motor Show. While we’ve been back and forth with projected production dates, we now expect the 4C to be making its way into the Alfa lineup for 2014. Read more »

Maserati to Build Alfa Romeo 4C at its Modena Plant, will Introduce Three new Models

It's that time of year that the Fiat Group reveals its plans for the near future and on Thursday, the Italian automaker announced that Maserati will expand its product offering and significantly increase volumes over the next two years with the presentation of three new models in three different market segments.

The Italian company did not provide additional information, but we already know that the three new Maserati models planned for production are the Kubang luxury SUV that was previewed in showcar trim at the 2011 Frankfurt motor show, a mid-size sports sedan to compete with the BMW 6-Series Gran Coupe and Mercedes CLS, and the next generation of the large Quattroporte sedan.

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Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Rendering: Should the Fiat Group Build it?

You know that there's a lot of interest in a model when independent designers begin to imagine different versions and body styles of a car that has not yet entered production.

Case in point the Alfa Romeo 4C mid-engined sports car that remains in show car form for now but is slated to reach dealerships around the world –including North America- as early as 2013.

The artists over at Teamspeed created their vision of what an open-top Spider version of 4C would look like. We think that the rendering is pretty much spot on and would make for a very interesting addition to the Alfa 4C's lineup.

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Alfa Romeo Lays Out Product Plans Until 2014, Readying a New RWD Saloon with a V6 Engine

Out of all the mainstream brands included in the Fiat Group and Chrysler LLC portfolio, Alfa Romeo has the most potential to achieve a global reach and bring in some much needed cash and sales. The Italian company's boss Sergio Marchionne is well aware of this and that's one of the reasons he doesn't want to sell Alfa Romeo to Volkswagen, despite Ferdinand Piechs' persistent efforts.

However, one of the most pressing problems with Alfa Romeo is the constant delays, be that for the successors to models like the 159 series or the company's long-awaited return to the U.S. market.

Suffice it to say, there's no way of being sure that the Fiat Group has managed to sort out the time schedule-related problems when it comes to Alfa Romeo. Nevertheless, at a recent event for investors, the Fiat Group introduced an updated plan for the Milanese brand, which it hopes will revitalize Alfa Romeo through the presentation of new models.

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IAA 2011: Alfa Romeo 4C Concept Shows us its New Metal Finish

While many were expecting to see the final production version of Alfa Romeo's 4C mid-engine sports car in Frankfurt, the Italian automaker chose to keep playing the waiting game and simply displayed the concept in a different shade called "Fluid Metal". Read more »

Alfa Romeo 4C Concept gains New Color for Frankfurt Motor Show

Instead of presenting the final production version of is 4C mid-engine sports coupe at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show, Alfa Romeo will once again display the concept model but with a different paint job.

The new color is named 'Fluid Metal' with Alfa claiming that it "dynamically enhances the smooth and sinuous lines of the car". We find it much better looking than the washed out matte red shown on the original Geneva Salon concept.

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We Heard: Changes to Frankfurt-Bound Alfa Romeo 4C Concept Limited to a New Hue

We've already shared with you the information that Alfa Romeo plans to bring an updated version of its 4C sports car concept featuring a "new exclusive look" to the 64th International Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Well, now we can tell you that, according to our sources, the "new exclusive look" will be a bespoke gray/silver color for the mid-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe that we first had the chance to see in a flat, washed out red finish at this year's Geneva Salon. Nothing more, nothing less…

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Alfa Romeo Says 4C to Appear in "New Exclusive Look" at Frankfurt

On Thursday, we brought you news on Alfa Romeo's plans to exhibit the 4C at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. Today, the Italian automaker's social network gurus released an updated announcement saying that the 4C will be presented in a "new exclusive look" at the German auto show.

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Alfa Romeo Announces 4C Debut at 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show

The countdown for the highly anticipated 2011 Frankfurt auto show in the second week of September has begun and carmakers are trying to keep us on our toes with enticing teasers like this invitation from Alfa Romeo.

Shown on the Italian firm's Facebook page, the teaser is about the new 4C mid-engined sports car that was previewed as a thinly disguised concept study at this year's Geneva Salon.

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