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Alfa Romeo 4C headed to Australia


The sexy Italian coupe is only revealed this week in Europe but is already booked for down under deliveries in 2014.

The high-tech hero car leads a product-led revival for Fiat and Alfa Romeo in which is expected to boost value and increase the model mix for brands that are twinned with Chrysler in Australia under a global merger. 

The 4C promises everything from a carbon fibre chassis and rorty 1.7-litre turbo petrol engine to final assembly in the same factory that builds upmarket Maserati models.

But it's likely to be a costly car with a Porsche-style pricetag on the far side of $100,000. Confirmation of the 4C comes this week as Fiat Chrysler Group goes public with its plans from 2013 into the future. "The car will arrive in Australian dealerships in around Q3 2014," says Alex Tam, director of product strategy.

"The wait is finally over for the 4C. The final production version will be revealed next month at the Geneva motor show." The 4C will set new standards ... and mark the renaissance of Alfa Romeo on the world stage."

The 4C - with a name tapping the Alfa heritage back to the 1930s - is a pure two-seater that is spun out from the limited-edition 8C Competizione. It is less than four metres long, 200 millimetres wide and is rear mid-engined with rear-wheel drive.

It is likely to go nose-to-nose with the Porsche Cayman as Alfa promises a power-to-weight ratio less than four kilos for every horsepower, as well as a twin-clutch gearbox incorporating a ‘race' mode.