The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider has just been revealed at the Detroit Motor Show 2015. First previewed with a concept in March last year, the 4C Spider adds an open-air driving experience to the already proven Italian sports car. Consequently, we just had to take a closer look at the Alfa Romeo booth.
When the Alfa Romeo 4C was being developed, its carbon fibre monocoque was engineered to support the removal of the roof with very few tweaks. As a result, the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider only needs the addition of a carbon fibre roll hoop, a new crossbeam in the engine compartment as well as beefed up upper body brackets to support the soft top.
Beneath the skin, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider uses the same 1.75-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine as the coupe delivering 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque 80 per cent of which is available at a mere 1700 rpm. As a result, it can reach 96 km/h (60 mph) in a brisk 4.1 seconds while recording 1.1 g of lateral acceleration as well as 1.25 g of maximum braking deceleration. Three different exhaust systems are available for the 4C Spider with the range-topping Akrapovic dual-mode exhaust providing the rawest and most all-encompassing soundtrack. Elsewhere, the standard exhaust system is available alongside a racing exhaust from the factory.
Mated to the engine is a paddle-shift dual-clutch transmission which can pump through gear changes in a brisk 130 milliseconds at full throttle. The transmission also offers a selection of different driving modes with ‘Race’ mode being the most hardcore as it optimises the engine, transmission, electronic differential and electronic stability control system.
For more from the Detroit Motor Show 2015, check out our dedicated news channel. For more about the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, see our previous article!
