28.09.2004 The fabulous Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione concept is once again hogging the limelight, this time it is in Paris BRUSHING ofF attempts by the world's biggest manufacturers to eclipse it

The fabulous Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione concept this week is headlining Alfa Romeo's display on a modern and spacious stand at the Paris Mondial de l'Automobile.

Once again this car is a star. A year on since it was first shown to the world in Frankfurt, it still stops you dead in your tracks, and everything else, just fades into the background. They're all trying to be something, trying to catch your attention. This car doesn't have to try, it is perfect.

You stand and stare at this amazing car and you see Alfa Romeo's near century of fabulous achievements. They flash before your eyes: On the track: Mythical Argentine racer Juan-Manuel Fangio hanging out of the cockpit, sliding around a bend, tyres squealing, as he charges to the F1 world title in his Alfa Romeo. The evocative TZ2 sportscar, hurtling round and round Sebring for twelve solid hours, on its way to yet more endurance glory. The aggressive, huge bulges of the Autodelta-prepared GTAm locked once more in bumper-to-bumper combat with its more powerful Ford and BMW rivals. Cars, too numerous to detail here, all painted red, all proudly bearing the famous 'heart'-shaped grille, humbling more powerful machines, on the legendary roads of the Targa Florio and Mille Miglia. You look at the 8c Competzione and you feel that history.

The 8c Competizione truly embodies everything the Alfa Romeo name stands for. A lot of water has flowed under Alfa Romeo's bridge in the last few decades and there have been tough times and cars to forget.

However let their talented engineers, bred on Italian style, a history littered with masterpieces and racing victories too numerous to count, off the leash and they have lost nothing. This car is absolutely right. Absolutely.

A year on from its unveiling at the Frankfurt IAA, the 8c Competizione has come to Paris, a motor show that the world's biggest manufacturers all regard as a major showpiece. They flex their muscles, but as hard as they try, there is nothing here to touch this car. Nothing.

The 8c Competizione looks at you from its plinth: it needs liberating. This car was not created to sit still at a motor show. You want to take it home. You want to drive it.

Alfa Romeo threw open the bonnet in Paris. Just like a genuine racer, the whole lightweight front end hinges forward to reveal the potent Maserati-sourced 4.2-litre V8 engine. It's an amazing engine bay, just how the engineers find anything is baffling enough to consider.

In keeping with the concept's minimalist, sporty theme, an aluminium badge sits astride the large inlet manifold. Just like the hub caps and steering wheel centre logo, this is a simple polished badge, with just its edges highlighted. Further alloy plates, bolted firmly to the red cam covers, spell out 'Alfa Romeo' in traditional lettering.

As this Centro Style built concept continues to evolve from a dream to a production-ready sportscar, a host of minor new changes can be seen in and around the car.

The flush-fitting automatic door entry handles have now been dispensed with in favour of a more conventional hinged arrangement. The alloy wheels, which previously comprised of eight chunky spokes, have been replaced with new, more complex wheels, while the beefy 4-pot brake calipers are now painted silver.

Inside the snug cockpit, a number of minor changes aim to enhance the finish. A new gearknob, which neatly blends aluminium with leather, matches the steering wheel. Likewise a more prominent alloy handbrake lever is firmer in the grip.

Elsewhere, the cut-out that houses the superb interior door release cable, is now picked out in silver, while a silver trim now chases the lower edge of the storage bins, subtly matching the similar-coloured finisher which highlights the speakers. The steering wheel boss has also been cosmetically improved.

Careful improvements have also been made to the glass tailgate. The high-level brake light now has a cover which juts deeper into the tailgate, while the flowing glass edge finisher sweeps back on itself at the base of the screen.

by Edd Ellison in Paris