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Friday, May 29, 2009

Fiat to German Government: Are you verrückt?















FIAT REAFFIRMS ITS INTEREST IN PURSUING A TRANSACTION WITH GENERAL MOTORS REGARDING THE POSSIBLE MERGER OF ITS AUTO BUSINESS WITH OPEL

Fiat reaffirms its determination in pursuing its strategic objectives of participating in the consolidation of the auto sector in Europe, and views the potential merger with Opel as an excellent means of creating the second largest car maker in Europe with a global geographic footprint and all the technological, managerial and financial resources required to successfully compete in the current market environment. Fiat’s proposed plan will limit the social costs of the integration process, while delivering at the same time significant synergies derived from the sharing of platforms, related components and power-trains.

"The search for a partner for Opel which has been initiated by General Motors, and which has involved the German government due to the request for financial assistance, has been a complicated and uneven process," said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive Officer of Fiat S.p.A. "We have been involved in these activities for a number of weeks now, and have tried to follow in a responsible manner the requests made by the various parties involved in the selection process. The issues that emerged from the last round of negotiations on Tuesday and Wednesday have left us perplexed, since we had not been advised until then of certain key financial factors and data which we consider to be essential to the formulation of a proper merger offer. Given the nature of the process itself and its short duration, Fiat has been unable to have full access to the financial records of Opel to determine its precise financial condition and thus properly frame a merger proposal that would be fair to General Motors as the seller and to Fiat S.p.A."

"The last round of requests which would require Fiat, among other things, to fund Opel on an emergency basis while the German government determines the exact timing and conditions of the interim financing, would expose Fiat to unnecessary and unwarranted risks. It is in fact unreasonable to expect, on the basis of prudent business judgment and proper governance of its affairs, that Fiat would provide funds to an organization whose financial details and position remain unknown to date. The brevity of time between the request and the date that the commitment must be made is such that proper due diligence cannot be performed."

"We remain committed to finding ways to bridge the expectations of both General Motors and the German government," continued Sergio Marchionne, "but the emergency nature of the situation cannot put Fiat in a position to take on extravagant risks. We have already offered to contribute our auto business assets to the merger on a debt-free basis and thus provide substantial, and absolutely necessary equity to the merger, but also the related cash-flow stream which will help stabilize the performance of the combined entities during the integration and restructuring process. More cannot be asked."

On the basis of the above considerations, Fiat S.p.A. has decided not to attend the meeting tentatively scheduled by the German government in Berlin on Friday, May 29th that has as its sole topic the emergency funding of Opel. It remains open and committed to continue discussions with all parties involved with a view to find a stable and lasting solution for the industrial activities of Opel.

TURIN, May 29, 2009

Monday, May 25, 2009

About the New Fiat 500...


In previous postings we've explored the origins of the Fiat 500 starting with the Nuova Fiat 500 from the 1950's. We've covered the original designer Dante Giacosa and discussed the 2004 Fiat Trepiùno show car. In this installment, we'll take a closer look at the New Fiat 500.

Fiat introduced the new Fiat 500 on July 4, 2007 in Torino, Italy, exactly 50 years after the Nuova Fiat 500 was introduced in 1957. It heralded the revival of the new Fiat Automobiles SpA.

Fiat Trepiùno 2004 Concept Car


The New Fiat 500 is based off of the Trepiùno "3+1" show car that made its debut at the 2004 Geneva Motor Show. It was designed under master designer Frank Stephenson leadership at the Fiat Style Centre. A world renown designer who previously worked at BMW and designed many well known cars such as the BMW X5, the New Mini and is credited with the Ferrari F430 and the Maserati MC12. The actual design was penned by Roberto Giolito, a gifted designer whose specialty is small car design.  Giolito's Fiat Multipla, has been displayed at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. 

A car created for the people, with the people’s ideas

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In an extraordinary move, Fiat openly sought the active involvement of the public in creating the New Fiat 500. Fiat launched operation "500 wants you" 500 days before the launch of the new car. It started as a huge online laboratory, where users discovered the styling concept of the new car and could express their preferences, propose ideas and contribute, for the first time in motoring history, to its creation. The www.fiat500.com site was open to the public’s contributions and expectations, which were assessed by Fiat during the actual development of the product.



It was an unprecedented response with over 3 million enthusiasts submitting ideas through the Internet site. These ideas helped shape the New Fiat 500. It also marked a change of corporate culture, using an open approach to creating a car and marked a new way of a car company interacting with its customers, to meet their needs and expectations. ‘The 500, the car of the people, by the people’: this slogan sums up the philosophy behind the development of a project which, in the best Fiat tradition, ‘democratizes’ access to contents and technologies that have never been offered in this segment before.


As the company says:
"For the company, the birth of the 500 represents the start of a new chapter, a declaration of the role that Fiat aims to interpret in the future on the market and in society. The stimulus to a new model of conscious consumption. A model for the exploitation of experience in the automotive field that focuses on quality and emotions, on uniqueness rather than on mass-production, where simplification does not mean doing without. The 500 is the tangible synthesis of these aspirations. With the 500, Fiat smiles at the future."


Undisputed leadership in this category


The New Fiat 500 has won acclaim from all over the world. Among some of the awards it has won are "European Car of the Year 2008" , "World Car Design of the year", and Japanese "Best Compact Car". Fiat is Europe’s leader in the production of compact vehicles, which are by definition the most eco friendly and, for the second year running, its confirmed that Fiat has the lowest average value for CO2 emissions from the vehicles sold in 2008. Below are some of the awards the Fiat 500 has won.


Awards

  • What Car? readers' affections 2007
  • CAR Magazine: Car of the Year 2007
  • EuroCarBody 2007 award
  • European Car of the Year for 2008
  • The World’s Most Beautiful Automobile (City Car and Small Car category)
  • AUTO EUROPA 2008
  • Fifth Gear: Best Small Car 2007
  • Top Gear: Best 'City Car' 2007
  • Auto 1 Europa 2008 - (Auto Bild)
  • 2008 ‘What Car?’ Green Car of the Year Award
  • Auto Express: "Best City Car" 2008
  • evecars.com Best Supermini/City Car Award 2008
  • evecars.com readers Sexiest Car of 2008
  • Best Compact Car Consumers' Choice Award-Car of the Year in Japan
  • 2009 World Car Design of the Year

The Fiat 500 confirms Fiat Automobiles SpA’s undisputed leadership in small car design - a result of its extraordinary heritage of technical, design and human experience accumulated in over a century - and it takes a substantial leap forward in terms of comfort and safety, technology and equipment for this segment.


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Keep an eye on Fiat500USA.com as we go for an in depth view of the features of New Fiat 500

Read More:


Research: Internet and Fiat Press

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Fiat gets three financial institutions as global coordinators













****** Fiat Press Release ******


Three financial institutions as global coordinators

Fiat S.p.A. is pleased to announce that it has secured the support of three financial institutions in its current efforts to act as consolidator in the European car sector with the ultimate objective of carving out these operations from the Group as a Newco and eventually list Newco securities in the major European financial markets.

Intesa Sanpaolo, UniCredit Group and Goldman Sachs have been selected as global coordinators and will assist and guide Fiat in all the required operations in the months to come.

"I am delighted that we are going to be able to rely on the expertise and financial strength of these institutions in such a crucial time for the development of the automotive sector and Fiat in particular. Our long standing relationship with these houses, who have been close and participative in the reshaping of Fiat in the last few years, gives us the required comfort and assurance to undertake these efforts", said Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive of Fiat S.p.A. "Their strength and financial expertise will ensure that we will develop and deliver the optimal structures for the Group going forward, for the ultimate benefit of all stakeholders."

Turin, 21 May 2009

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Fiat submits offer for Opel and Vauxhall...














******* Fiat Press Release ******

Fiat Group announces that today it submitted an offer for the European businesses of Opel and
Vauxhall.

Should this transaction be concluded, a new company encompassing the activities of Fiat Group Automobiles (including its stake in Chrysler) and Opel would be created.

Turin, 20 May 2009

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

New Fiat technology coming to America.



The press and indeed, even the President of the United States, have been talking about the new technology Fiat is offering Chrysler and bringing to the US. One of the new technologies Fiat is bringing to the New Chrysler Corp. is the SGE modular engine. Developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT), it represents the most advanced solution currently available on reducing fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and achieving the same performance as a large engine.


Fiat SGE-Twin Cylinder- 900cc Turbo - bifuel (gasoline/CNG hydrogen blend)
8 valves - 105 HP with Multiair technology


The concept behind this new engine is the downsizing from a conventional 4-cylinder engine to a 2-cylinder turbocharged engine that incorporates the innovative Multiair electronic inlet valve control system. In addition to advantages in terms of fuel consumption, the twin-cylinder engine also results in a 20% reduction in weight and 25% in volume inside the engine bay compared to a 4-cylinder engine with the same power output.

The SGE (Small Gas Engine) is a modular engine system built on the single cylinder displacement of 450cc. In the two cylinder, 900cc version, it can come as naturally aspirated or turbocharged or as a CNG natural gas version. The maximum output achievable by the new twin-cylinder engine, in the turbocharged, Mono Fuel gasoline form is 105 hp (a 65 hp aspirated version, also equipped with the Multiair system, is under development). In addition, there are 80 and 90 horsepower versions available. The SGE engine family adopts a crankshaft balancing system that significantly reduces vibration and noise levels compared to other two and three cylinder engines.

Fiat Multiair Valve Actuation

The innovative Multiair variable valve actuation technology developed by Fiat is heralded for its relative simplicity, low power requirements, intrinsic fail safe nature and low cost potential.

The Multiair system controls the air intake in gasoline engines without the usual throttle valve, and therefore offers a greater degree of flexibility than mechanical timing systems. In stead of a conventional throttle valve, this electro-hydraulic valve activation technology works in conjunction with the camshaft and intake valve to alter the valve lift. This allows the valve lift to be modified in response to the request for air from the engine and to the running speed. Different strategies can be employed (Early inlet valve closing – EIVC, Late inlet valve opening – LIVO, or Multi-Lift) to optimize combustion efficiency, with considerable benefits in terms of power output, torque, consumption and emissions.

Another advantage of this system is the fact that the air pressure upstream of the valves is always constant. This characteristic, combined with the high system activation dynamics (from partial load to full load in one engine cycle) allows the torque response of the engine to be increased (up to 20% more torque at lower rpm compared to conventional systems) without any delay, on both an aspirated and a turbocharged engine, increasing the ‘fun to drive’ factor.



Fiat SGE -Twin Cylinder- 900cc Turbo

This innovative Fiat SGE, when combined with Fiat's Stop&Start system (that turns the engine off temporarily and starts it again, when the engine is idling and the vehicle is stationary, thus saving 10% reduction in consumption in the urban cycle), promises to offer outstanding fuel economy.

In addition, the intake manifold is also a space saving, integrated design that lends itself well to the Hybrid version that is being developed. This compact Hybrid system consists of an electric motor built into a special transaxle. The hybrid system is set to revolutionize hybrid cars as it is the first compact system that can be fit into smaller A and B segment cars. Previously, hybrid systems tend to be bulky and are usually used in much larger cars and SUV's.

Starting next year, the Fiat SGE in various forms is slated to power the New Fiat 500 and Fiat Panda as well as the upcoming Fiat Topolino city car.

This exciting engine technology is just some of what Fiat is bringing to the US. There are other advancements in the wings such as an update to the common rail diesel technology that Fiat invented in 1997, Fiats hybrid technology and a new dual clutch transmission.



Thursday, May 7, 2009

GM to Fiat: Give us 30% for Europe and Latin America















There are twists and turns in Fiats quest for GMs European car division.

As been previously discussed, Fiat is interested in merging with GM Europe and becoming the second largest car maker in the world. This would give Fiat economy of scale and help safeguard Fiats viability in these hard economic times. Sergio Marchionne, Fiats CEO, has been on record stating that in the next few years, there will only be maybe 6 car makers left in the world and he wants to make sure Fiat is one of them.

Now Fiat is also interested in GMs Latin American division. GM Europe is losing money but it's Latin American arm is much stronger. Fiat is a best seller in Brazil but not as strong elsewhere in Latin America. By combining with Gm Latin America, Fiat could be in a very profitable position.

This fact is not wasted on GM and now, in a twist, GM proposes to take a 30% stake in Fiat for exchange of giving up both it's European and Latin American divisions. However, it's been reported that Sergio Marchionne is willing to cede just 10% of Fiats equity to GM.

As of now, this is all speculation and not been confirmed by any party, but these merger talks are definitely heating up!




Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Fiat Panda 4x4: The new JEEP MINI...


The Fiat Panda has been mentioned as one of the cars coming to the US. The interesting thing is the name of the Panda was listed as the Jeep Panda in a deposition filed in a US Bankruptcy Court. Could this be the next Jeep Mini?

Below is some information on the current Panda 4x4.


Fiat Panda 4x4


Panda 4x4. A unique car. Elegant, bold and smart looking, it combines Panda styling with the character of an off-road vehicle. The compact line of the vehicle’s exterior, characterized by the vertically arranged rear light clusters and the originally styled side windows, is mated to the commanding all-road attitude, that enables Panda 4x4 to be tough enough when things get rough. Specially designed bumpers with guards, side moldings, reinforced tails and carryall bars endow it with the look of a veritable off-roader.



Fiat Panda cross section


Fiat Panda dashboard

The cockpit, wide and luminous, is cheerful and attractive, thanks to the colored fabrics, the innovative materials and the chromatic contrast created by the controls, featuring a darker shade of color. Significant details include the facia, housing the main controls and the gearshift for maximum driving comfort, the commanding driver seat, ensuring optimal visibility and accessibility, and the door panels fitted with big pockets for odds and ends, a comfortable armrest with a big handle.







The Fiat Panda 4x4 in action



Panda 4x4 Cross. Strong personality and an appealingly ‘aggressive’ character. The Panda 4x4 Cross stands out for the protective body side moldings and carrier bars for an ‘all-terrain look’, enhanced by the driver’s high seat position, fenders with protective shields, bump strips, and oversize headlights. The under body shield protects the car’s mechanical elements and emphasis's the car’s off-road credentials. Standard 15” alloys complete the ‘strong’ appeal of the Panda Cross.

More Fiat Panda Stories:

Which Fiats are coming to the US

Earlier today, in a US bankruptcy court in New York, Chrysler filed a deposition that describes what cars Fiat is planing on bringing into the USA.
These are the cars that were listed as coming to the US:


Fiat 500


Fiat Grande Punto



Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA



Fiat Panda 4X4


Besides the Fiat 500, Panda and Grande Punto, there will be a new car developed from the new Fiat C-Evo chassis (the C-Evo platform is an evolution of the of the current Fiat Bravo/Lancia Delta floor plan). This has been mentioned on Fiat500USA as the Fiat Bravo with 4 door sheet metal designed by Chrysler.

Alfa Romeo will contribute the MiTo and the future Milano. The Milano is being developed on the C-Evo platform and will be the first to use this platform. This car is slated to be introduced in Europe in January 2010.
The deposition explains Fiat would provide cars for market segments not served or under served by Chrysler. This would be in proportion to market demand increases for more fuel efficient vehicles.

Monday, May 4, 2009

Alfa Romeo is coming too...

Let's take a look at the other cars that Fiat has in the wings that could be showing up on our shores. What does Fiat Group Autos have to offer the US drivers? Well. take a look at these cars. Any of these cars would add excitement to the mass of boring cars on the US roads today.

What's it like to own an Alfa Romeo? Well it's difficult to put into words. For a true car enthusiast, it's a feeling and a connection with a glorious heritage that you can feel. A connection with people, some legendary, each sharing the same passion for Alfa Romeo.

In the following, we'll explore the Alfa Romeo European lineup with the help of a Fiat Group press release:

ALFA ROMEO

The best spirit of Alfa Romeo is beautifully encapsulated in this statement by Orazio Satta Puliga (1910-1974), one of the brand’s great designers: ‘Alfa Romeo is not just a car factory: its cars are something more than automobiles built in a conventional manner. Enthusiasm for a means of transport is a kind of disease. It is a way of life, a very special way of seeing a motor vehicle. Something that defies definition. Its elements are like those irrational traits of the human spirit that cannot be explained by logic’.


***** Alfa Romeo 159 *****




    The new Alfa Romeo 159 1750 TBi 200 CV embodies a long heritage of motoring excellence and is characterized by all the elegance and taste of the Italian school of automobile design. Today, as always, Alfa Romeo designers and engineers can draw on the great Alfa tradition to design and build cars of beauty and personality, achieving a magical balance between reason and sentiment, technology and creativity.
    For the Alfa 159, quality also means class-beating dynamism, obtained by careful calibration of the sophisticated suspension and the outstanding torsional rigidity of the body shell.
    With the new “Alfa 159” project, the Italian car maker intends to take the lead in passive safety. The Alfa Romeo engineers have designed a specific new “premium” floor pan which adopts high performance materials, multiply sheet metal and laser welding. The architecture of the body shell also benefits from numerous measures such as: the use of boxed elements that are connected rigidly both transversely and vertically, three load lines in the front, longitudinals that run the whole length of the car, built-in structures and a larger number of spot welds around structural nodes. The result is the excellent torsional rigidity of the body shell, the best in its segment at over 180,000 daNm/rad.



The Alfa 159 has been awarded the prestigious five-star rating from Euro NCAP, which puts it ahead of the field for its segment where safety is concerned.


The Alfa 159 also boasts as many as eight airbags (including special bags to protect the knees and side bags that extend all along the window area), innovative restraint systems (pretensioners on the clasps and decreasing load limiters on the seat belts), and front seats with an “anti-whiplash” device that brings the head restraint nearer to the occupant’s neck in the event of a rear impact.


The Alfa 159 sets the new benchmark for its segment in terms of safety, certified by the five-star Euro NCAP rating which acknowledges that the car has sailed through the most difficult tests simulating all types of accident (head-on, side-on, overturning, rear impact and fire), taking into account the various speeds at which impact may occur, the different types of obstacles, and the need to protect occupants with very different physical characteristics.


***** Alfa Romeo Brera *****

Alfa Romeo Brera. Sportiness and elegance packaged in a unique, exclusive style. Harmony of shape and volume that add up to a good-looking, powerful and solid car supplemented by Alfa Romeo mechanical and engineering excellence. This, in short, is the soul of the Alfa Brera, a new prestige coupé that is able to arouse great emotion and guarantee maximum driving satisfaction.




The planners and designers had only one aim in mind: to marry the elegant, sporty line of an outstanding car with the quality and comfort of a luxury saloon. They achieved this result by basing the new product on the attractive Giugiaro-designed Brera prototype that won the hearts of the press and the general public, as the long list of prestigious international accolades reveals:


"Best of Show" assigned by Auto week magazine at the Geneva Motor Show


"Best of Show" in the Prototype category at the Villa d\'Este Concorso D\'Eleganza


2 category prizes at Challenge Bibendum 2002, one as "one of the most elegant cars in the world"


The title of "the most fascinating car" conferred at the Super Car Rally 2002 from Paris to Monte Carlo.


This very respectable CV has been inherited by the new Alfa Brera that went on sale at the end of 2005.


The true heart and the true strength of every Alfa Romeo model is its engine. The Alfa Brera\'s attractive, personality-packed looks conceal a diverse range of outstanding high-tech power units that offer generous performance: a 185 bhp 2.2 unit and a 260 bhp 3.2 V6 unit, both JTS direct injection petrol units. The Alfa Brera combines a sporty attitude with a very comfortable drive and also offers a state-of-the-art Alfa Q4 four wheel drive on the 3.2 JTS



The exterior styling is full of classical references, an ideal opportunity for a modern interpretation of traditional Alfa styling cues. A quick glance tells you everything. The rear window, for example, is reminiscent of the historical Giulietta Sprint window. The rear end also retains the distinctive traits of the latest Alfa Romeo models. Similar retro touches are also present at the front: the bonnet is reminiscent of a Fifties bonnet, i.e. dominated by a shield set into the center. The broad tail-lights and four exhaust pipes contribute to the impression of a powerful sports car, as do the generous tires and sporty-looking alloys (standard over the entire range).

The center of the Alfa Brera dashboard also houses a built-in radio and all controls for the sophisticated-looking automatic dual zone climate control system. The radio plus CD player (or MP3 player as an option), offers outstanding Bose® sound quality and was designed and built for the passenger compartment. It consists of six speakers and delivers a power output of 570 Watts.

The Alfa Brera adds a host of sophisticated devices and systems to this equipment array that makes it a new benchmark in its segment. Examples include: VDC, Xenon headlights and seven airbags (under the heading of Safety); infotelematic system with radio and phone controls on the steering wheel, Bose® Hi-Fi system and CD-changer (for Audio and Infomobility); Cruise Control (for stress-free driving); 16, 17 and 18 inch alloy wheels .



***** Alfa Romeo MiTo *****





Alfa Romeo MiTo. An up-to-date and innovative car, a name redolent of history. The name MiTo has great evocative resonance for Alfa Romeo for it was chosen to mark the deep-seated link between the past and future of the brand: between Milan, the city of design that brought to the car’s style into being, and Turin, which will be responsible for its industrial production A decision that highlights the brand’s strong desire to consolidate its Milanese roots.



The Mi.To is the first car to be built since the 8C Competizione – Alfa Romeo’s icon of style and technology, from which it borrows certain characteristic traits: The particular shape of the side windows described by the flush windows, the three-lobed motif that distinguishes the front bumper, the shape of the headlights and the LED tail-lights. The headlight and tail-light surrounds represent a distinctive personalized feature : A frame featuring different forms of material processing and colors to create an ultra-stylish eye-liner effect that underscores the cars style and aggression.




The MiTo packs all the Alfa Romeo values into 4 meters.For young people, it represents a chance to gain access their first sports car that is safe with its own distinctive style and technical content.Its dynamic attributes, good fuel economy and low emissions and petite dimensions also make the car an attractive proposition for a more adult audience, within a motoring scenario that now seems to set a premium on downsizing.


The central console also encloses the controls of the climate control system, radio, satellite navigation system, gear lever and Alfa D.N.A. system. The circular analogue speedometer and rev counter on the dashboard are also linked by a high resolution reconfigurable digital display, and perfect lighting (red or white, according to the version) guarantees clear, easy reading of all the instrumentation, particularly at night. And finally, hand position and grip are perfect on the three-spoke steering wheel, even when negotiating difficult maneuvers.


The highly distinctive dashboard and seats ensure that the interior of the Alfa Romeo MiTo represents the ultimate expression of Italian style, welcoming yet sporty, with high material quality and scrupulous attention to detail.



The interiors, created by the Alfa Romeo Style Centre, take driving position as their starting point and make the driver the center of attention: excellent distance ratio between pedal, seat, steering wheel and gear lever allow a perception of full control to ensure a typically Alfa Romeo standard of driving satisfaction.


The seats feature a juxtaposition of materials that can be seen and felt upon touch. The outer skins are smooth and silky with a clean, opaque-colored look. The central part is always trimmed with the most opulent materials: carbon fiber has been printed onto the microfiber to create an outstanding contrast of shiny/opaque. The feel is unique, sporty due to the underlying microfiber and silky due to the shiny fiber on the surface.

Last but not least, the car's compact size does not detract in any way from the overall roominess that is at the top of its category as evidenced, for example, by the outstanding amount of room available for rear passengers.

The Alfa Romeo MiTo also offers a number of convenient compartments of various sizes to accommodate small and medium-sized items. The luggage compartment on the new Alfa Romeo is also impressive for its regular shape and 270 liters of capacity.


The Alfa Romeo MiTo was specifically mentioned as one of the cars coming over to the USA.



***** Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione *****



The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is all ready sold here in the US through select Maserati dealers.

The Alfa 8C Competizione was designed by Alfa Romeo in co-operation with the Alfa-Maserati Sports Centre. The name recalls the great sporting tradition of Alfa Romeo: the 8C code was used to identify cars equipped with the revolutionary eight cylinder engine produced by the famous designer Vittorio Jano in the 1930s and 1940s.


The "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.







Alfa 8C Competizione interior is filled with leather, aluminum and carbon fiber.




The car is powered by an unprecedented 4,591 cm3, 90° eight-cylinder engine. The objective of the design is very clear: To offer compromised performance in every situation, from racetrack to city traffic.


Maximum engine performance is 450 Cv at 7000 rpm, with a peak torque of 470 Nm at 4750 rpm and top speed capacity at 7500 rpm. With six gears and a computerized gearbox system situated behind the steering-wheel, the car offers pinpoint gear response and has been developed to be driven at Manual-Regular, Manual-Sporty, Automatic-Regular, Automatic-Sporty and Icemodes.



The 8C’s suspension and brake systems have been designed using racetrack engineering and developed technologies. The front and rear dual wishbone suspension and aluminum calipers ensure exceptional traction and braking performance. The 8C makes use of Alfa Romeo’s latest VDC technology (advanced stability and traction control systems) for best driving performance in any situation as well as guaranteed driving safety. The outstanding and superior driving pleasure and the exuberance of its design is only a starting point for the stature Alfa Romeo is sure to achieve as a global brand.



Below are some videos of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione for your enjoyment.