Purely a limited edition

The 8C Competizione supercar went on sale in Europe last week for a staggering $270,000 and is limited to a production run of 500 cars.

All are left-hand-drive and are unable to be driven on our roads, leaving their owners with the prospect of taking them out on private track days. Alfa has spread the 8C Competizione thin on the ground across the globe. The US was allocated 90, Italy 80, Germany 80, Japan 70, France 40, UK 40 and Switzerland 35.

At a presentation to financial investors in New York last week, Fiat group CEO Sergio Marchionne also announced a limited production run of 500 convertible versions of the 8C Competizione, to be called the 8C Spider. The convertible 8C Spider will make its worldwide debut early in 2009 at a price of about $300,000. Based on the success of the hardtop, Alfa is confident the car will be a sell-out.

The 8C Competizione is powered by a Ferrari/Maserati-derived 4.7-litre V8 with 331kW at 7000 revs and 470Nm at 4750 revs, with 80 per cent of peak torque available from 2500 revs.

The engine is mated to a six-speed auto-manual that has five-mode computerised gear selection using steering wheel paddle shifts.

Marchionne also announced the return of Alfa Romeo to the US market in 2009. The last time Alfas were sold there was in 1993, but a poor dealership structure and quality issues damaged the brand. Since then, Alfa quality has improved to become the equal of its European competition.

It will use its 159 sedan, Brera, and the Spider as a springboard back into one of the biggest markets in the world. Alfa aims to move upwards of 20,000 cars a year in the US; selling through Maserati's existing US dealership network.