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Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition Arrives In US Dealers This Summer

The Italian marque's two-seater model will spearhead Alfa Romeo's return to the United States of America with exquisite European sports car design, supercar-level performance and state-of-the-art powertrain technology. Until the standard 4C lands Stateside this fall sporting a $53,900 sticker price, 500 anxious U.S. Alfisti can get the Launch Edition for a slightly hefty $68,400 including delivery and destination.
2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition 6 photos
Photo: Alfa Romeo
2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition
Naturally, each and every unit of the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition is fitted with a serialized plaque numbered from 1 to 500 to reassure their owners with added exclusivity. But the special edition mid-engined model comes with a fair bit of extra kit to make up for that big $14,500 price difference compared to the standard 4C coupe. So what kind of chocolate sprinkles do you get on top of your already yummy cake?

First and foremost, you'll have the liberty to choose between three special appointed exterior finishes: Rosso Alfa, Rosso Competizione and Madreperla White (like the car pictured). The rear spoiler and side mirror caps are made from lightweight ultra tough carbon fiber, just as a handful of cabin elements such as the passenger side trim plate, instrument cluster and gear shift bezel. The interior is further beautified with Italian flair thanks to red or white accent stitching on the instrument panel, steering wheel, floor mats and door handles.

As opposed to the entry-level Alfa Romeo 4C, the Launch Edition's cabin is mostly wrapped up in the finest quality Italian leather. Bi-xenon headlamps with LED daytime running lights give this pocket rocket a strong visual identity, further enhanced by the side air intakes on the front fascia, red lacquered brake calipers and 18-inch front, 19-inch rear forged wheels finished in a lovely matte black hue. The more spirited driver will be happy to find out that race suspension tuning with front and rear sway bars is also on the menu, along with a racing exhaust system which lets the 1.75-liter engine sing its cylinders out with all the might and glory imaginable.

Speaking of which, the small turbocharged four-pot features direct-injection, an all aluminium block and dual continous variable valve timing. 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque are available from as little as 1,700 rpm, which is pretty much enough considering the 2,315 lbs (1,050 kg) the Alfa Romeo 4C weighs. Thanks to a paddle-operated Alfa TCT twin-clutch gearbox and a specially calibrated launch control mode, the mid-engine Alfa can do the 0 to 60 mph run in 4,5 seconds or so, which is more than respectable all things considered. Even though the price is quite steep compared to more American sports cars such as the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray or a fully loaded 2015 Ford Mustang GT, the Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition, like all Alfas before it, is a car you buy with your heart, not with financial reasoning in mind.

“The all-new 4C marks the return of ‘the great Alfa Romeos` and represents the purest formation of the brand’s DNA with its supercar-levels of performance and innovation, all while focusing on making the driver an integral part and completion of the machine,” said Harald Wester, CEO of Alfa Romeo. “With its technological solutions derived directly from Formula 1, the Alfa Romeo 4C creates an infusion of body and machine, an extension of its driver’s soul that is ready, capable and willing to respond and deliver.”
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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