Production-Spec Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Goes Officially Topless in Detroit

The look of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is no longer a secret. It’s been leaked online prior to its official Detroit motor show debut, but this is our first chance to see it unobstructed by silly oversized watermarks and learn a little more about its specs.

So its engine remains untouched, obviously, making the same 237 hp, as well as 258 lb-ft (350 Nm), 80 percent of which is available at 1,700 rpm. Engineers have tried to keep the weight down, so one of the things they did was give all 4C Spiders thinner, lighter glass and a body made entirely out of SMC (sheet molded compound), a “high-strength composite material that is 20 percent lighter and dimensionally more rigid than steel.”

Buyers will be able to specify three different exhaust systems, one of which is an all-new Akrapovic dual-mode. It won’t be made available from launch, but it will be added to the options along the line.

Finally, a track package can also be opted for. It adds higher performance shocks with larger sway bars front and rear and larger rims with uprated sporty tires (Pirelli P-Zero “AR Racing”). Carbon fiber exterior mirrors and gauge cluster bezel along with contrasting interior stitching end the list of additions.

As for performance, the 4C Spider is quoted as being able to hurl itself to sixty in 4.1 seconds, handle 1.1 lateral g and hit a top speed of 160 mph (257 km/h). It must be noted that the standard soft top provided by the manufacturer is actually good for that speed, so you don’t need a special hardtop for that. One will be made available later down the line (and probably be made out of carbon fiber), but at launch canvas will be the only way to go.