Alfa Romeo 4C GTA

The struggling sports car brand is but a shadow of it’s former self when throughout its glory days of the 50s, 60s and 70’s Alfa produced some of the world’s great looking sports cars that not only went well, but were entirely affordable – the poor man’s Ferrari if you like.

Nothing would please enthusiasts more than if Alfa could produce a pretty sports car that actually went as well as it looked, and even better, if the car were affordable to the hard working greater majority.

Word has it that the new car will be known as the 4C GTA, a smaller version of the hugely expensive, but drop dead gorgeous Alfa 8C GTA.

Reports indicate that the car will be a rear-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe (with Spider to follow) that would lead the brand back to the top of the shopping list, when it comes to sports cars under sixty grand.

Alfa good be on a real winner here, if reports about the car’s construction are correct. The 4C GTA is rumoured to be a joint venture with famed Italian racing car constructor Dallara, who will combine carbon-fibre and aluminium to keep the weight of the car down to a super light 850 kilograms. That would mean a better power to weight ratio than the acclaimed Porsche Cayman, even though power would come from the 1.8-litre four-cylinder direct injection engine out of the Giulietta albeit a more powerful version developing 186 kW (250 HP).

Fast moving Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne is on a mission to dramatically improve the bottom line of all his brands and Alfa is key to that revival, with sales of the new car expected to include the United States. The 4C GTA would become the brand’s halo car, which the company would hope to leverage against sales of both the Giulia mid-size sedan (replacing the 159) and a compact SUV from the Jeep Compass/Patriot replacement.

The concept is supposed to appear at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, but this now appears to be in doubt due to delays.

CarAdvice will keep you posted.