Auto Car | 2010 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider | The Italian brand has announced the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider price for the United States market. The Alfa Romeo 8C Spider will be built in a limited run of only 500 units, out of which 35 are scheduled for the North American market. Under the hood of the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider there's a 4.7 liter 8 cylinder engine that's good for 450 hp at 7.000 rpm and 354 lb-ft of torque. The engine of the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider has been coupled with a self-shifting 6-speed gearbox and is able to take the car from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.
The last time Alfa Romeo sold cars in the U.S. was in 1995. Even though the premium Italian carmaker had a faithful following for its sporty cars, quality and reliability problems proved to be its Achilles' heel. Now more than a decade later, Alfa Romeo is making a comeback by producing a world-class exotic sports car — the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Coupe. And now there's a Spider version that promises equal driving excitement plus the added thrills of fun under the sun.
The Spider is equipped with the same powerful 450-bhp 4.7-liter V-8 found in the Coupe. The transmission is the 6-speed electrohydraulic transaxle mated to a limited-slip differential for optimal traction. The front and rear suspension are double-wishbone designs. The chassis is constructed with tubular steel, while the body is completely dressed in carbon-fiber panels. Tipping the scale at around 3500 lb; the Spider is said to hit 100 km/h (62 mph) in about 4.5 sec.
The Spider and Coupe share the same interior appointments, such as the carefully crafted leather upholstery and carbon-fiber interior panels matched with the one-piece aluminum center console. To minimize weight and maintain structural integrity of the open-top, the Spider's windscreen frame is made of one-piece carbon fiber. The soft convertible top is automatic and folds neatly to the rear in a Z-pattern fashion with a simple touch of a button.
During a brief drive of the 8C Spider around Fiat's test track in Balocco, the Alfa performed impressively, exhibiting excellent balance and handling. The steering felt nicely weighted and communicative. In Sport Mode, the paddle-shift transmission upshifts quickly; under braking in a straight line and through the corners, however the downshifts seem delayed. In full-throttle acceleration, the V-8's thunderous sounds are positively mesmerizing, especially with the top down.
Only 500 8C Spider's will be available worldwide, with a mere 35 destined for the U.S., starting at $299,000. This 2010 model goes on sale in late 2009.
( www.roadandtrack.com )
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