Auto Trader NZ
Published 3 September 2020
Bulging with advanced technology, which includes a 1750cc all-aluminium turbocharged direct injection engine with intercooler and dual CVVT, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider delivers – where the law permits – a top speed of 257 kmh, it crushes the dash from zero to 100 kmh in 4.5 seconds and when it comes to corners and stopping, the 4C Spider generates 1.1 g of lateral acceleration, and 1.25 g in peak deceleration when braking.
But, for all its style and performance, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will not be making a significant addition to Fiat Chrysler sales in New Zealand which has seen sales for FCA products rise by 70 per over the last two years. That’s because just five Alfa Romeo 4C Spiders have been allocated to New Zealand and they already have owners, five very lucky Kiwis who are clamouring for the arrival of Italian supercars.
“To say we would like to have access to more Alfa Romeo 4C Spiders is substantial understatement,” says David Smitherman, CEO of Fiat Chrysler New Zealand. “But the demand for this car around the world has been and remains insatiable. It offers a blend of supercar performance that makes it equally exciting on the Hampton Downs Race Track as driving through the Southern Alps, while its unmistakable style could only from Italy ensuring, regardless of what speed it is going at, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will turn heads everywhere.”
Designed by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, this captivating two-seater, rear-wheel drive, mid-engine 4C Spider is the latest confirmation of excellence for this Italian brand in a sector which has recognised some of its models as among the most beautiful in world automobile history.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is built around an ultra-lightweight carbon fibre monocoque with minimal structural enhancements required in the transition from Coupé to Spider. The main developments include a new aluminium rollover structure, which is nestled underneath a black “halo”; a specially-developed carbon fibre windscreen frame and an engine compartment cross-member made from high-strength steel.
The Spider has classic and distinctive buttresses and a new engine cover which also features three heat extractors and a subtle rear spoiler. There are significant changes to the front, too, with new, covered, projector-style xenon headlamps as standard.
Special attention has been paid to the aerodynamic characteristics of the Spider to ensure minimal wind and noise intrusion when the cloth roof is removed and stowed away, and for those owners who want to use their Spider all year round, a carbon fibre hardtop is available as an optional accessory.
A new carbon-fibre air intake system, engineered to provide additional transmission cooling for track-focused drivers, also joins the options list, while a number of all-new wheel designs debut on the 4C Spider too, either in 17/18-inch (front/rear) or 18/19-inch sizes in silver or dark finishes. The exterior features are rounded out with a vibrant new pastel Giallo Prototipo (yellow) paint.
Inside, a new Alpine head unit and standard Alfa Hi Fi sound system offer improved audio quality, usability and device connectivity, and to further enhance the Spider’s cabin ambience, there is leather with accent stitching and matching door cards.
For the lucky five New Zealanders who have their name against the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, the recommended retail price from $129,990 excluding delivery and dealer costs.
