The new Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will make its European debut alongside the latest Alfa Romeo 4C Coupé during the press preview day of the Geneva Motor Show on March 3 2015. The Coupé enjoys a number of significant changes for 2015, including more standard features and a wider range of options, but it’s the new Alfa Romeo 4C Spider that will undoubtedly dominate the limelight.
Sharing much of its exterior design with its award-winning sibling, the 4C Spider is most noticeably different when viewed from behind, where its pronounced buttresses and body-coloured engine cover, complete with three heat extractors and a subtle rear spoiler, are clearly visible. There are changes at the front, too, with new, covered, projector-style xenon headlamps as standard and rounding out the aesthetic appeal of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, a vibrant new Giallo (yellow) paint scheme also joins the colour palette.
Built around an ultra-lightweight carbon fibre monocoque, weighing just 107kg, minimal structural enhancements were required to transform Coupé into Spider. The main developments include a new aluminium rollover structure, which is nestled underneath the black “halo” (a carbon fibre halo is optional), a specially-developed carbon fibre windscreen frame and an engine compartment cross-member made from high-strength steel. Special attention has been paid to the aerodynamic characteristics of the Spider to ensure minimal wind and noise intrusion, while a removable and stowable cloth roof can be installed to protect occupants from the elements. An optional carbon fibre hardtop will also be available.
New performance features to debut on the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider include the optional Akrapovič titanium exhaust system which is mounted centrally, finished with carbon fibre bezels and offers switchable modes which can be selected depending on the driving environment and driver inclination. A new carbon-fibre air intake system, engineered to provide additional transmission cooling for track-focussed drivers, also joins the options list, while a number of all-new wheel designs debut on the 4C Spider too, either in 17/18-inch (front/rear) or 18/19-inch sizes and in silver or dark finishes.
Inside, a new audio system is now available with wide-ranging device connectivity including Bluetooth phone calling and music streaming. To further enhance the Spider’s cabin it can be trimmed in premium leather with accent stitching and carbon fibre vent surrounds to create a more luxurious ambience for the occupants. A traditional tan leather interior is also offered as an option for the first time.
Powered by the same, all-aluminium, 240hp, 258lb.-ft., 1750 TBi engine as the Coupé, performance is on a par with the hardtop model, with a top speed of 160 MPH and a 0-to-60 MPH time of less than 4.5-seconds, as well as the capability to generate the same 1.1g of lateral acceleration and 1.25g of braking deceleration as the Coupé.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider was designed by Alfa Romeo Centro Stile and will be produced at the Maserati plant in Modena, Italy, alongside the Alfa Romeo 4C Coupé, which also benefits from a number of features which were previously optional now being made standard, including the Alfa Hi-Fi sound system; luxury floor mats; Bi-LED headlamps with carbon fibre surrounds; an Alfa Romeo 4C car cover and Alfa Romeo car care kit, while parking sensors and cruise control are now free options. The covered, projector-style xenon headlamps and Giallo paint will also be made available as an option on new Coupés later in the year.
Due to the increased level of standard specification, prices for the new Coupé now start from $79 861 MSRP while the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will be priced from $92 266 MSRP when order books open.
