Welcome back to the supercar world, Alfa Romeo! After years of trying to overcome the shackles imposed by Fiat – which means using their front-wheel drive underbodies – Alfa Romeo has come back from the sick-bed with the stunning Alfa 8C Competizione.
Yes, here is a super looking two-seater coupe, powered by a 450 bhp V-8 engine. Alfa Romeo is working hard to get back into the sporting territory it did not just inhabit, but more or less owned back in the early 1950s, but most of its volume-produced models have not quite made it.
But that's history. The Alfa 8C Competizione, sty;ed in Alfa Romeo, is a superb coupe, with flowing lines,that are up to the minute yet distinctive, with just a shade of tradition in the front end.
Great looking coupe
The traditional Alfa grille is flanked by wide and deep air intakes, and the headlamps are behind neat flush-fitting lenses. At the front, the fenders are just a little higher than the low hood, giving the driver a great view of the road ahead.
At the sides, there are neat triangular vents behind the front wheels, and the lines flow into the rising curve of the rear fenders. The vertical tail meets the fastback roof in a built-in spoiler, which all goes to make this look a very fast car.
Limited edition model
Well, is it fast? Nowadays, Fiat has pushed Alfa Romeo and Maserati into the same sub-group within Fiat, and it is this new grouping that made the Alfa 8C Competizione possible.
In fact, the Alfa 8C Competizione is not to become a regular production model – at least, at present Alfa Romeo is saying that only 500 will be built. That is not many – Lamborghini makes about 2,500 Gallardos a year – so if you want one you will need to act quickly.
Incidentally, having been out of the US market for a couple of decades, Alfa Romeo seems intent on using the Alfa 8C Competizione as a lever to get back in.
4.7 liter V-8 similar to Maserati unit
The heart of the Alfa 8C Competizione is a 4.7 liter V-8 with twin ohc per bank and four valves per cylinder. This development of the Maserati V-8 used in 4.2 liter form in the Maserati GranSport is also similar to the 4.9 liter unit in the Ferrari F430.
By choosing a displacement of 4.7 liters, Alfa Romeo engineers ensured that the car would be quite a bit quicker than the Maserati GranSport, which has 395 bhp.
In the Alfa 8C Competizione, this engine produces 450 bhp at 7,000 rpm, with peak torque of 347 lb ft (470 Nm) at 4,750 rpm and a top engine speed of 7500 rpm.
Sporting engine with the emphasis on quick response
Alfa has done quite a lot of development to create a really sporting engine, but a smooth one at that. The crankshaft is of the two-plane type to eliminate vibrations, and the intake and exhaust systems have been developed to give quick response, plenty of low-speed torque and a sporty exhaust note – there is a valve in the exhaust system that opens to reduce back-pressure at speed.
Of course, the cylinder block and heads are aluminum, and the valves have variable valve timing. With this much power, the engine is assured of being quick in a straight line.
Rear-mounted transaxle with six-speed sequential box
Power is transmitted to the rear-mounted transaxle – as on the GranSport – and the six-speed sequential box is controlled by paddles at the steering wheel. There are both sporting and normal modes in manual and automatic, and there is a special mode for ice or snow.
To prevent the loss of adhesion under power and keep you driving round slippery corners, there is a limited-slip diff.
Wishbone suspension is used at the front and rear to give good geometry, and there is is the usual power-assisted rack and pinion steering. To save weight, the links are made from aluminum forgings.
Large ventilated discs visible behind 20-inch wheels
Brakes are what you would expect – ventilated discs with aluminum calipers, but the wheels are about as large as you can get – 20-inch diameter, with 245/35 section tires at the front and 285/35 at the rear. These are big enough to give plenty of grip, and in case you get over-exuberant, there is a stability system to help keep you on the road.
Without doubt, the Alfa 8C Competizione is a welcome addition to the supercar world, with a plush leather-trimmed interior to justify that term. The instruments are right in front of the driver, and the seats and much of the interior are carbon fiber to reduce weight and give the car a distinctive look.
