The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is a two-seater convertible that borrows design cues from the now-defunct Maserati-powered 8C. Built by Maserati in Modena, Italy, the 4C Spider is essentially a topless version of the 4C coupe.
Recent Changes
For the latest model year, Alfa Romeo has upgraded the 4C with an available Alpine stereo system and an optional Akrapovic dual-mode exhaust system.
Overview
Designed in-house, the 4C Spider's supercar-inspired silhouette is nearly identical to the award-winning 4C Concept displayed by Alfa at several major trade shows around the world. The car is characterized by a highly-aerodynamic body with sculpted flanks, futuristic-looking headlights and round tail lamps that hark back to race-winning Alfa sports cars built in the 1950s and 1960s.
Air vents mounted next to both doors hint at the car's mid-engined configuration, and a transparent engine cover allows pedestrians to admire the direct-injected four-banger as they walk by.
Engineers put a big focus on saving weight and the 4C Spider is built out of a combination of aluminum, steel, carbon fiber and fiber-glass reinforced composite materials. It weighs 2,487 pounds, a relatively low figure that made it possible for Alfa Romeo to remove the power steering system altogether.
Turbo Four
The 4C Spider is powered by a turbocharged and direct-injected four-cylinder engine with a displacement of precisely 1,750 cubic centimeters, a number chosen for its historical resonance. An evolution of the mill that powers the Europe-only Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde hot hatch, the transversally-mounted four-banger is fitted with several model-specific parts including the intake manifold and the entire exhaust system.
The engine is equipped with Alfa's Scavenging technology, which modifies the fuel delivery and valve timing parameters in order to maximize low-end torque and reduce turbo lag.
The mid-mounted all-aluminum mill sends 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft. of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed TCT dual-clutch transmission equipped with a built-in launch control function. The sprint from zero to 60 mph takes approximately 4.1 seconds and top speed is reached at over 155 mph.
The Spider returns 24 mpg in the city and 34 mpg on the highway.
Brembo brakes all around help keep the engine's power in check and slow the 4C from 60 mph to a full stop in roughly 118 feet.
The 4C Spider comes with a thoroughly revised version of the DNA switch introduced several years ago on the MiTo hatchback. It allows the driver to choose one of four distinctly different driving modes: Dynamic, Natural, All-Weather and Race. Each setting automatically adjusts the car's throttle response, steering feedback and suspension.
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