02.12.2003 ALFA ROMEO'S 8C COMPETIZIONE CONCEPT TO MAKE ITS ITALIAN DEBUT IN BOLOGNA

Alfa Romeo unveiled its long awaited stunning sportscar concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The stylish car, titled the '8C Competizione' uses the Ferrari-developed 4.2-litre V8 Maserati with a volumetric kompressor offering 420cv.

Since then the 8c Competizione has been show at last month's Tokyo Motor Show and it is now poised to make its Italian debut this week at the Bologna Motor Show.

Designed and developed at the Alfa Romeo Style Centre, this prototype will become a true brand icon, evoking a great sports car tradition of which the name is part. In the Thirties and Forties, the '8c' signature that returns here, identified the racing and road cars that were equipped with the new eight cylinder engine developed by the famous engineer Vittorio Jano. The term 'Competizione' on the other hand, is a tribute to the 6C 2500 Competizione, the sports coupé driven by Fangio and Zanardi in the famous Mille Miglia race in 1950.

So '8c Competizione' is not an invented name, but a clear reference to Alfa's racing history. And of course the Alfa Romeo legend was created to a great extent by the victories its cars achieved on race courses all around the world. There were so many of them that alone they represent a long, fascinating chapter, made of men and competitive spirit, engines and cutting edge technical ideas. The protagonists of the inestimable human and technological heritage that is responsible for today's beautiful cars, full of character and, above all, capable of combining the beauty of the styling with the pleasure of driving them.

Let us admire then the captivating, original lines of this prevalently carbon fibre 2-seater, with its aggressive proportions: 1900 mm wide, 4278 mm long and 1250 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2595 mm. The body is given extra dynamism by the horizontal furrow cut into the side above the front wheelarch.

In addition to this, the large tyres (245/40 - R20 at the front and 275/35 - R20 at the rear) and the powerful, muscular rear wings accentuate the impression the model gives of a strong, forceful personality.

This does not detract in any way from the elegance of the lines that run smoothly from front to back, to the light clusters set into the front bumper. A stylistic balance that has its maximum expression in the daring design of the rear window and the whole rear mudguard.

The front elements have been repositioned as they were on the most important Alfa racing cars of the past - the 'whiskers' and shield are aligned at the same height - a decision of historical and evolutionary significance. But a rapid glance will reveal that the styling of the whole exterior is full of classical references, an ideal opportunity for a modern interpretation of traditional Alfa stylistic cues. For example, the front end recalls the former 33 Coupé Stradale, while the rear sports the characteristic round light clusters of the Giulia TZ.

It is difficult to be indifferent to the '8c Competizione' concept car, because it is the pure expression of Alfa Romeo's concept of the car. And with this new model, Alfa's stylistic language takes a further step forward. Compared to another concept car, the 'Nuvola', which also featured the shapes and surface treatment of the new Alfa Romeo aesthetics, the styling approach of the Alfa 8c Competizione enhances the brand's DNA with a modern hi-tech interpretation of the most famous designs in Alfa Romeo history.

Nor can we forget that the Alfa Romeo sports cars of past and present all share a particular feature: the ability to thrill even the most experienced drivers when they take the wheel. And the Alfa 8c Competizione is no exception. Suffice it to say that under the bonnet lurks a 4.2 litre V8 (90°) turbo engine with a volumetric compressor. This powerful unit delivers over 400 bhp at 7000 rpm and together with a 6-speed manual rear transmission, takes the prototype to a top speed above 300 km/h, accelerating from 0 to 100 kilometres in just 4.5 seconds. This engine commands not only absolute performance and outstanding peaks of power and torque (over 45 kgm at 4500 rpm), but also smooth, effortless delivery even at low speeds. The result is a car capable of exciting performance, that is perfectly at home on everyday roads and not only on the racetrack.

The 8c Competizione combines this brilliant performance with extraordinary roadholding and the handling of a true thoroughbred. The merit goes to the dual wishbone suspension at front and rear, which ensures extremely enjoyable handling, combining the driving control you would expect of rear-wheel drive with an exceptionally sporty drive and pinpoint response, which are particularly important on mixed routes. We must underline that Alfa Romeo chose rear-wheel drive on the 8c Competizione to support the exuberant engine and to deliver truly unbeatable emotions.