Alfa Romeo 4C convertible tipped

Carsguide believes the roadster version of the mid-engined two-seater will likely debut at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, two years after the original concept was shown at the same venue. Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester refused to confirm the company is developing the car, but admits one would not be a problem to design.

“It will be much easier than with any other technologies to realise an open car, because all the torsional and bending stiffness you need -- which in many cases is the tricky issue to achieve for making an open version -- is already in place (with the carbon-fibre chassis),” he says. “On the other hand, we have not yet formally decided or announced something like this is going to happen.”

Alfa development boss Guglielmo Caviasso likewise won’t speculate on the existence or development of a convertible 4C but concedes that -- hypothetically -- such a car is possible based on the 4C platform. He adds that any such vehicle would have to conform to the mantra behind the development of the 950kg car in minimising weight (by comparison, a Lotus Elise weighs around 900kg).

That makes a targa-top the most viable and easiest-to-achieve option -- and it would have the unique selling point of being the only targa vehicle on sale in Australia. Developing a soft-top or hard top version would require remodelling of the 4C’s svelte design to house the roof and motors to operate it. Both would be anathema to the Alfa designers and engineers.

Caviasso did confirm the 1.7-litre engine powering the 4C won’t find its way into the Alfa Spider. That car is a joint venture with Mazda and will be based on the next MX-5 platform, with Alfa providing its own bodywork and drivetrain. That makes a version of Alfa's 1.4 MultiAir engine the most likely Spider option and could keep costs below $50,000. “The 4C engine architecture is for this car and the Giulietta QV,” he says. “The Spider will use another engine.”