Alfa Romeo CEO Admits the 4C Can Handle More Power

May. 08, 2014 8:00 AM ET by Jay Traugott Sports Cars / 43 Comments

He also reveals some interesting information about 4C in the US.

240 horsepower. A decent power output for any sports car, but possibly not enough for something such as the new Alfa Romeo 4C. Ever since Alfa released official power figures for its long-awaited sports coupe (and the upcoming spider), many suspected that there was more power to be found from the 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. The only question was whether Alfa would be willing to make that happen.

Fortunately, Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester has recently gone on record saying that the 4C's chassis could handle more power. "The stiffness is very high," Harald stated. "The first adjustment would be the brakes." Regarding the engine itself, Wester made it loud and clear: "We are only 134 horsepower per liter, so there is space." What's also interesting to note is that Wester said the 4C required some significant changes for the US market. Specifically, "the base car in the US has richer equipment. Europeans are more willing to have a naked driving machine."

Technically, Wester said that "the monocoque and the front and rear frames are different, the suspension has been reinforced and suspension tuning has been changed. It was a really significant overhaul." Expect the 4C to arrive in US showrooms next month with a base price of around $55,000. Fully loaded models will sell for about $70k.