Alfa Romeo 4C to Have 237-HP, Convertible and Street-Legal Racing Versions Planned

As the Alfa Romeo 4C gets its finishing touches for its 2013 Geneva Motor Show debut, insiders have been leaking information on the Italian sports coupe.

The newest round of information comes from a Swiss dealer for the brand and attended an Alfa Romeo meeting earlier this month. Originally thought to have upwards of 300 hp, the Alfa Romeo 4C will actually be powered by a 1.7-liter, turbo-four engine with 237 hp for the base model. That powerplant will actually be borrowed from the Giulietta QV model.

Though 237 hp isn’t as impressive as the 300 hp the 4C was originally believed to have, its sub-2000-pound weight will surely still make it an impressive sports car. In concept form, the 4C weighed in at 1,874 pounds and now it’s believed that the production model will be slightly more.

As for pricing, the Switzerland-based dealer stated that Alfa Romeo hopes to have a target price between $76,400 to $87,300 (€56,000 and €64,000). It is unlikely that pricing will be that high in America, especially if Alfa Romeo intends to be competitive with the Porsche Cayman, which has an MSRP of $52,600 in base form.

Also confirmed at the dealer meeting is a convertible variant, with production split 50/50 between that and the coupe. Initial global production will be limited to just 2,000 units, which also includes the high-performance, track-only “Racing” and street-legal Stradale variants. Those 4C models will arrive next year and will have around 266 hp thanks to a more powerful engine.

Though the news may be disappointing to some that looked forward to a lightweight sports coupe with around 300 hp, we’d still take these rumors with a grain of salt until the Alfa Romeo 4C makes its official debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show. AutoGuide will be reporting live from the show floor, so check back for final specifications.