Alfa Romeo doesn't resonate on many Americans' lust radar, largely because the Italian manufacturer has not sold cars here for more than a decade. That's changing next summer, though, when Alfa Romeo reenters the U.S. market with the $250,000 8C Competizione, with more models promised to follow in 2009.
There is no mistaking that the 8C is an Alfa, as the diagonal hood creases and triangular grille, two key Alfa design elements, give it away. It's an absolutely striking car to stand beside, and photos do not do it justice. The Alfa's carbon-fiber body is mated to a much shorter version of the Maserati GranTurismo platform. The 8C's wheelbase is some 11.7 inches shorter than the GranTurismo's, and the Alfa is 19.7 inches shorter overall.
The Heart of a Ferrari
The 8C's engine is derived from a Ferrari block that dates back to the one found in the 360 Modena, which is the same block design used in the Maserati GranTurismo and Maserati Quattroporte. In 8C form, the 7500-rpm twin-cam V-8 is good for 444 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque, owing to a bump in displacement by a half-liter to 4.7. All the power gets to the ground via a rear-mounted six-speed automated manual transmission coupled to a limited-slip differential.
Engineers were given the task of designing a chassis that was easy enough to be driven every day—not that an 8C will ever be asked to do so—and firm enough to perform well on a track. Although the control arms are borrowed from Maserati, the shocks, the springs, and the anti-roll bars are unique to the 8C and have no adjustments.
While on a bumpy, ride-evaluation road at the proving ground, the 8C's passive suspension absorbed the bumps better than we expected. One might think the mélange of a carbon body and steel chassis would produce a head-jarring ride, but the chassis tune was more reminiscent of the well-rounded Corvette's than that of the track-oriented Viper. To our surprise, the engineers on hand were asking how the 8C compared with the two American bruisers. We do not think there will be any cross-shopping.
Unfortunately, All We Got Was Rain
A wet track at the Fiat Group's Balocco proving ground did not allow us to totally wring out the 8C, but the taste we received left us salivating. Power is available down low, and the exhaust note lets you know. Chief engineer Domenico Bagnasco's inner child came out while on an orientation lap. With every downshift he would shout, "There it is!" with an ear-to-ear grin. "It" is the glorious garble of pops and burps emitting from the quad-pipe exhaust. Push the sport button on the console, and the sounds get even better.
Besides opening a butterfly valve in the exhaust—similar to what happens in the 2008 Corvette, but in the 8C the note also changes at idle, not just at full throttle—sport mode changes three other things. The automated manual shifts quicker, executing gear swaps in 0.2 second instead of 0.4. The other changes are a quickened throttle response and a more lax stability-control program.
If stoplight showdowns are your forte, the 8C will get it done. With an estimated 0-to-60-mph time of 4.2 seconds, the 8C will knock the doors off Mustang GTs all day long. The steering is adequately weighted, but we would prefer a little more feedback. Another concern we had was the pedal placement. The throttle and the double-wide brake pedal are placed too close together, and aiming for the brake but hitting both leaves a "was that a defibrillator?" feeling in your chest.
Nevertheless, this car is at its best squatting down and accelerating out of corners. The seats are placed so far aft—nearly over the rear axle—that even the slightest yaw is easily detectable and the resulting oversteer is easily controlled with the throttle. The 8C just might be the ultimate two-seat GT.
Tipping the scales at 3500 pounds, the 8C is by no means a featherweight. The shocking part is that 47 percent of that weight—some 1645 pounds—is composed of carbon fiber.
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