Alfa Romeo 6C to target Jaguar F-Type, but only in limited numbers – report

An unidentified source has informed Auto Express that Alfa is planning to launch the 6C in 2017, two years after the important new Giulia sedan makes its debut. Blessed with a front-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, the Giulia will take on the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and will form a key part of the brand’s plans to make a serious return to the US and achieve 400,000 sales worldwide by 2018 — last year Alfa Romeo sold a mere 74,000 cars.

Although the 6C will be sized to compete with the Jaguar F-Type, it won’t be based on the Giulia. Instead, the 6C will utilise a platform from corporate stablemate Maserati. For the 6C, Alfa will shrink the upcoming Alfieri coupe’s underpinnings to suit; the production Alfieri, which is scheduled for sale in 2016, uses a shrunken version of the Maserati Ghibli's architecture.

As indicated by its name, the 6C will utilise six cylinder motivation. It's expected that the 6C will feature a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 under the bonnet. This engine is currently employed in both the Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli, where it delivers 243kW/500Nm or 301kW/550Nm depending on specification. It's claimed that the same engine will tuned for between 355kW and 390kW of power in the range topping Giulia Quadrifogio Verde.

Like the 4C and 8C before it, the 6C coupe will be a limited production model, with output likely to be capped at a few thousand.

According to Auto Express’ source, the 6C will be aggressively styled with narrow LED headlights and taillights, large air intakes at the front, a prominent rear diffuser, muscular wheel arches and quad exhaust pipes.