Alfa Romeo will build a 500-unit run of the beautiful 8C Competizione show car and use it to spearhead the marque's reentry to the U.S. in 2008. Its engine is based on Maserati's 4.2-liter V-8, but uses Alfa-designed cylinder heads and gets an increase in capacity to 4.7 liters. It drives 20-inch rear wheels through a six-speed rear-mounted gearbox. The bodywork is mostly carbon fiber.
The two-seat coupe was first exhibited as a concept at the Frankfurt International Auto Show in 2003. It was designed by Wolfgang Egger, chief of Alfa's in-house studios and recalls the era of coachbuilt track-biased Alfas. "We remembered the 2000 Sportiva, the 33 Stradale, and the TZ," Egger says. The production version will make its debut at the September Paris show.