Category Archives: Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo delivers on a track worthy SUV

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Outside of hauling a race car to the track, SUVs typically don’t deserve a spot in the paddock. There are a few exceptions, and the 2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is one of them.

It is a true performance machine, capable out pacing many sports cars. To start, under the hood is a comparatively small 2.9L twin-turbo V6 that pumps out an outstanding 505 horsepower. This paired with an 8-speed transmission and all-wheel-drive. The 2020 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is quicker off the line than the new Porsche 911, yet it can hold four full-grown adults with their luggage in the rear. It also handles surprisingly well with super sticky wide Pirelli tires. Click Here To Continue Reading

5 Must See Cars At The 2016 Miami Auto Show

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1. Alfa Romeo Guilia


I saw this car at the Frankfurt Autoshow last year and fell in love with it. Now it is for the US market to compete head to head with BMW’s M series and Mercedes’ AMG series vehicles. If you want a unique high performance sedan, this is your car!

2. Acura NSX


Acura (Honda, everywhere else in the world) has been teasing us with a new NSX for the past five years. Now it is finally here and a production ready prototype is on display at the Miami Auto Show. Get ready to see them on the streets of South Florida, because I know of at least one local dealer who delivered the car to a customer.

3. Genesis G90


While the Genesis G90 isn’t the most thrilling car on our list, it is definitely the most luxurious. The new G90 is the successor to the Equus and will give the Mercedes S-Class a run for its money.

4. Audi R8


The new Audi R8 is at the 2016 Miami International Auto Show. Its jaw dropping V10 motor and dual-clutch transmission makes it the fastest naturally aspirated production vehicle on the planet.

5. Lexus LC500 Hybrid 


Lexus has taken the luxury grand-touring car segment to the extreme with their newest vehicle. I saw it from a distance on stage at the Detroit Auto Show, but it is even more impressive up close.

The Alfa Romeo 4C Spyder is every racer’s dream car!

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In racing you want a car that is fast in a straightline and quick around the corners, which means that you need a powerful engine paired with a light weight and well balanced chassis. It was with this inspiration that Alfa engineered the 4C a couple years ago. The mid engine design means that the car is perfectly balaned, and it’s use of a carbon fiber tub increases occupant safety and greatly reduces weight. The US version weighed in at around 2,400 pounds (the Europen version weighed even less) and launched the car from zero to sixty in only 4 seconds. It is and was a true racing driver’s car with limited comfort amenities, but full on performance. The vehcile comes equipped with a turbocharged 4-cylinder and a six speed dual-clutch gearbox, which means that the Alfa Romeo 4C shifts quicker than you can say Alfa. The transmission rivals that of its much bigger cousin, the Ferrari 488 GTB/S.

You can read more about the Alfa Romeo 4C coupe here. Continue reading for details on the 4C Spyder.


The next variant of the Alfa Romeo 4C is here, and it comes as a Spyder. The targa top version of the 4C protects you from the elements using a folding cloth top, and lets the sunshine in with the release of two screws and four levelers. It is a manual collapsible top, so removing it and attaching it can be tricky, but it is easy once you get the hang of it. I even removed it once while stopped at a long stoplight! The ease of removing the top reminds me of the glory days of T-Tops. You can either fold the top up and place it in the seat next to you or their is a spot for it in the trunk. Putting the top on though requires you to get out the car for a few minutes in order to ensure a proper fit – I got caught in a rain storm one afternoon during my week with the car, so I pulled off the road and rushed to put the top on in order to protect the beautiful leather interior. While rushing to put the top on, I forgot to slip part of the cloth into the windshield seem; it protected me and the interior from the rain while stopped, but as soon as I started moving, I was blasted with water. I had to pull over again to remove and re-attach the top for a tight fit.

Driving with the top off and the windows down, it is a what you would expect from a Spyder: The wind blowing through your hair and an enhanced sound of an exotic engine exhaust roaring the in the background. The wind is almost non-existent with the windows up, because the rear window acts as a windscreen. This combination works well on the highway if you are trying to talk on the phone or have a conversation with the passenger next to you.

Driving with the top on is a very similar experience to the coupe version of the Alfa Romeo 4C. I haven’t compared the two side-by-side, but the only drawback that I can think of is a reduced noise insulation… But I don’t mind because I love its Italian exhaust note!

Choosing between the 4C Coupe and 4C Spyder is a difficult decision. The 4C Coupe looks sexier with a rear window peeping into the mid-engine bay, but the Spyder offers an enhance driving experience.

So the choice is yours!

Visit your local Alfa Romeo dealer for more information on the 4C or click here to visit Alfa Romeo’s website.

The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C is one of the best cars I have ever driven.

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The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C is striking… It has got seductive Italian curves and a Ferrari-like exhaust note. I drove the car everyday for a week, and every time I got behind the wheel, I had someone ask me about the car. Six out of the seven days with the car, I had fellow motorist roll down their window and compliment me on the car. Most admirers hadn’t seen the car before, but knew the brand. One admirer thought it was a Ferrari, which isn’t that far off… The Alfa Romeo 4C comes from the Fiat-Chrystler family, which includes Ferrari.

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Alfa Romeo comes from a long tradition of using cutting edge technology to achieve engineering excellence. The 4C is no exception. It’s mid-engine design give it a perfect 50/50 balance. It’s light weight carbon-fiber tub places drivers low to the ground and lowers the vehicle’s center of gravity. Very few vehicles can match the handling of the Porsche Boxster GTS and the new Mazda Miata, but the Alfa Romeo 4C could run circles around them.

The Alfa Romeo 4C comes with robust powertrain, a 237hp twin-turbo 4-cylinder motor paired with a super responsive dual-clutch transmission. But the real kicker is that this little monster weighs less than 2,500 pounds. All this combined, gives the 4C a 0 to 60 time of 4.1 seconds. Wow! Fun Fact: The US version is nearly 350 pounds heavier than its European counterpart, due to US safety regulations. In terms of a stock sports car, this is probably one of the safest cars you can buy. The carbon fiber tub acts like a 360-degree shield to protect occupants, and the vehicle offers a concealed roll bar (just in case you flip it over).

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When the first reviews of the Alfa Romeo 4C came out, many journalists criticized the 4C’s interior or lack there of. I don’t know which trim level they were driving, but the vehicle I tested was nice really. The center console was made of hard plastic, but the other premium materials more than made up for it: a smooth leather dash, microfiber seat inserts, and beautiful red stitching on the seats, doors and dash. The exposed carbon fiber tub reminds drivers that you are behind the wheel of a car that is engineered for performance. Fair warning: the seats are super thin and a little uncomfortable. The car also doesn’t have power steering. But that is a good thing, because it keeps the weight down.

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With its heritage, radical design, and mid-engine layout, most passer-by-ers would think you are driving a $200,000 super car – it even has a engine preview window like on the Ferrari 458 Italia and on most Lamborghini’s – but the 4C isn’t a $200,000 car, its not even a $100,000 car! The Alfa Romeo 4C starts at $53,000. You get the thrill and attention of a Ferrari for a 1/5 of the price. Finally an Italian exotic that doesn’t break the bank!

I love everything about this car. The way it looks, the way it sounds, and most importantly, the way it drives. It drives like a proper sports car should. It is low to the ground, rough riding and you can feel every bump. The Alfa Romeo 4C is one of the best cars I have ever driven.

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For more information on the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C, visit your local dealer or click here to visit the Alfa Romeo website.