Chris Harris tests the Alfa Romeo 4C

Well known automotive journalists Chris Harris from DRIVE is one of the first journos who has got the pleasure of driving Alfa Romeo’s 4C.

Chris first attended the car’s official launch that took place in Italy and then put the 4C through its paces on the Balocco proving grounds. He described the car to be something between a Lotus Elise and a Porsche Cayman, and though he did mention a few downsides, overall he was pretty impressed with the latest Italian rear-wheel drive coupe which has just two doors.

Under the hood, the Alfa Romeo 4C comes fitted with a 4-cylinder, 1.75-liter turbocharged engine outputting 240 HP (177 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm) of torque sent to the rear axle via a dual-clutch gearbox. It tips the scales at just 895 kg (1,973 lbs) and can accelerate to 0-62 mph (0-100 kmph) in just 4.5 seconds and can hit a top speed of 160 mph (258 kmph).

The deliveries are expected to start in October, but not for Americans as Alfa Romeo’s long-awaited return has been postponed yet again. As per the reports, the car will be unveiled in the second quarter of 2014. The company will produce 3,500 units of which 1,000 cars will be reaching stateside.