Spied: 2014 Alfa Romeo 4C

What It Is: Believe it or not, proof of the Alfa Romeo 4C, which we first saw in concept form at the 2011 Geneva auto show. This is a running prototype, and it looks every bit as exciting as the show car. The doorsills are simplified and the rear window seems to have slightly grown, but that’s about it as far as changes go, from what we can tell. Thank you, Alfa, for staying true to a wonderful idea.

Why It Matters: The mid-engined 4C will spearhead Alfa's latest plan to return to the U.S., and it will be an eminently important car for the brand's global image, as well. The brand's diminutive lineup of vehicles has become stale, but the 4C promises to serve as a convincing foundation for a reinvigoration of the lineup. For sports-car enthusiasts, the 4C could bridge the gap between the Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S and the Porsche Cayman. 

Platform: The 4C will use an entirely new mid-engine platform. Details are sketchy, and we hope that the high-performance, lightweight approach of the concept remains intact. That concept, for instance, made liberal use of aluminum and carbon-fiber chassis elements. If, as claimed for the concept, the weight remains below 2000 pounds, Alfa engineers will have pulled off a triumph.

Thanks to: Car and Driver