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Alfa Romeo 4C coupe will be gone for 2019, but the Spider lives on

This post has been updated with confirmation from Alfa Romeo. Not with an expensive bang, but a barely audible whimper: That's the way Alfa Romeo's 4C sports coupe goes out. The slow-selling mid-engined car has been cut from the lineup for next year. An Alfa Romeo spokesperson has confirmed to Autoblog that the 4C coupe will be gone from Alfa's U.S. portfolio after the 2018 model year. It will remain for sale in this country while supplies last, and will still be produced for other markets around the world. View 12 Photos The 4C never sold in enormous numbers during its 2014-on tenure, but monthly sales have slowed down to just a couple dozen cars in the past year. In January, 12 were sold, with October 2017 a particular high point with 45 units delivered. By contrast, the strongest month was January 2015 with 97 4Cs sold. Not a single month has seen three-figure U.S. sales. Those sales figures seem to cover both 4C models, so we can only assume the coupe was the weaker part of those numbers. However, if a 4C is what you want, you don't have to give up on the dream. The open-topped Spider version remains on sale, but Motor Authority reports that it gets a $1,000 price hike for next year, to $66,900; at $55,900 the coupe was $10,000 cheaper than the open version, so those wanting one should act on it quickly. In addition, the racing-oriented Track Package will be unavailable after 2018. That included handling improvements like sturdier sway bars and better shocks, along with sportier wheels and tires. Related Video: Related Gallery 2018 Alfa Romeo 4C Competizione: Geneva 2018 View 11 Photos News Source: Motor AuthorityImage Credit: FCA Alfa Romeo Car Buying Coupe Performance alfa romeo 4c alfa romeo 4c spider

Alfa Romeo Stelvio to get a new rear-drive base version

Good news for those who want an Alfa Romeo Stelvio but do not have the need for all-wheel drive: Alfa is reportedly introducing a cheaper, solely rear-drive version. It will still have plenty of power. Car & Driver is reporting that there will be a new, rear-wheel-drive base Stelvio for 2019, one that undercuts the current cheapest Q4 model by $2,000. That would mean a starting price of $41,440. However, the gap will widen slightly as the all-wheel-drive cars will see a price bump for 2019. The base model's only engine option will be the four-cylinder turbo, offering 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque. The transmission is the eight-speed automatic. C&D also says that the RWD versions will be kitted out more cheaply than AWD models, as a posher Ti version will always come standard with AWD. The new base models are likely to bear Q2 badging to differentiate them from the "quattro per quattro" Q4 models. And, if you're still willng to add a little something to the RWD Stelvio, there will be an available Sport package that offers 19-inch wheels and performance-oriented accessories such as aluminum pedals, painted brake calipers, paddle shifters and more. This does almost negate the price difference between the 2018 and 2019 base models, as it is said to cost $1,800.

Alfa Romeo Giulia gets top safety award from IIHS

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has awarded a Top Safety Pick+ rating, its highest award, to the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia midsize luxury sedan — but with a caveat. The Giulia must have been built after May of this year, when the car's front-end structure was improved and the door hinge pillar and door sill were reinforced, among other changes. Vehicles that earn the IIHS's Top Safety Pick+ must achieve good ratings in all five crash tests — small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraints — an advanced or superior rating in front crash prevention and and acceptable or good rating for headlights. The Giulia's optional front crash prevention system earned a superior rating after it avoided a crash in the 12 mph track test and reduced its impact speed by an average 24 mph in the 25 mph test. The car's optional curve-adaptive headlights earned a good rating, while the base headlights rated poor. It joins 2017 versions of the Lexus ES 350, Audi A3 and A4, Volvo S60 and V60, and BMW 2 series and 3 series, as Top Safety Pick+ awardees for its segment. You can read our First Drive review of the Giulia here. Featured Gallery 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti Lusso View 26 Photos Alfa Romeo Luxury Sedan crash test alfa romeo giulia