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Alfa Romeo 4C Spider lives to see 2020 and gets an Italia special edition

Alfa Romeo is launching a limited run of special-edition 4C Spider sports cars for the U.S. Called the 4C Spider Italia, only 15 of these cars will be built. Before you get up in arms about how exclusive and impossible to find this will be, consider Alfa 4C sales numbers. All of seven were sold in January, and 2018 saw 238 cars find owners. So, perhaps the limited numbers aren't that limiting. The 4C Spider Italia is essentially a $5,000 appearance package. It takes the standard 4C Spider (the coupe was discontinued in the U.S. last year) and then covers it in an exclusive blue paint called Misano Blue Metallic. Then, the front air intake and rear diffuser are finished in piano black. You also get a "4C Spider Italia" sticker for the side of the car that looks properly Italian. On the inside, there's an aluminum dashboard insert designating this car as the special edition model, and the center console has a plate with the exact number it is in the 15-car run. And that's it. Our brains most recently associate the "Italia" designation with Ferrari, but this package does nothing to bring it closer to the incredible 458's performance. You'll get the same 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque from the little turbocharged four-banger. Perhaps the best news out of this special edition car is that it's a 2020 model year. Alfa announced this car and confirmed the 4C Spider will continue at least through 2020. Even with the only option being a dual-clutch automatic transmission, the 4C is one of the most barebones, pure driving experiences you can get in a new car today. Its continued existence is only a good thing for us sports car enthusiasts. With the $5,000 tacked on to the base price, a 4C Spider Italia will run you $73,495, including destination charges. Alfa says orders for the special edition car will open up in the second quarter of 2019. Related video:

On Location at the Alfa Romeo Museum with the new Giulia

The most exciting news from the reveal of the new Alfa Romeo Giulia was undoubtedly the 510-hp Quadrifoglio model that will top the lineup. To play up the brand's Italian-ness, as well as the fabulous sound the twin-turbo engine makes, Alfa had opera singer Andrea Bocelli sing the car out onto the stage. The event took place at Alfa Romeo's old headquarters in Arese just outside Milan. It's also the site of the brand's museum, which has been closed to the public for years and was recently expanded and redone. We got a quick preview ahead of the museum's official public reopening on June 30, 2015. Anyone traveling to the Milan area should definitely check it out, even if those who aren't die-hard Alfisti. Before the Alfa event, I got to spend some time at Expo Milano 2015. Expos like it are held every five years now around the world and are the modern-day equivalent to a world's fair. The theme was "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" with the pavilions from various countries showcasing displays on food production, shortages, and future solutions. When you're done watching our On Location video, stick around for an Alfa promo reel that teases the Giulia's insanely delicious noise.

2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio prices are a mixed bag

Something happened on the way to the end of 2024, and that happening has resulted in higher-than-expected prices for the 2024 Giula and 2024 Stelvio. When Alfa announced changes for both models in April, we were informed the new Giulia Competizione trim would start at $53,115 in rear-wheel-drive form, the Stelvio Competizione trim would start at $57,420 in obligatory all-wheel-drive form. A month later, Cars Direct got wind of price cuts thanks to Alfa Romeo wanting to give buyers even more reason to put money down on la dolce vita instead of a certain Bavarian. In that report, the entry-level Giula Sprint was going to start at $44,795 after destination, the Stelvio Sprint would start at $46,370. An an Alfa Romeo spokesperson even replied to Cars Direct with, "The reduction in pricing is a lifecycle direction for Stelvio and Giulia to enhance market competitiveness." Looking at the 2024 configurator, the Giulia Sprint improves its advantage before options, whereas the Competizione is $2,345 above expectations. Prices for the 2024 Giula range after the $1,595 destination charge are: Sprint: $44,670 Ti: $47,210 Veloce: $50,970 Competizione: $55,460 Quadrifoglio: $82,970 Quadrifoglio 100th Anniversary: $90,070 What's not included here are mandatory additional costs for the Competizione and both Quadrifoglio trims; they don't offer the free white exterior paint option that the Sprint, Ti, and Veloce do. So the above sums will go up by at least $500, the least expensive exterior color option, to as much as $2,200. As for the Giulia Sprint undercutting the BMW 330i, that only happens if you want a white Giulia on the stock 17-inch wheels. The 2024 330i starts at $45,495, which is $825 above the base Giulia. But the BMW comes on 18-inch wheels, the Giulia on 17-inchers, and stepping up a rim size on the Alfa Romeo costs $1,725. BMW also offers black paint as a free option, whereas going dark on the Giulia costs $660. The Giulia does come with 280 horsepower versus the BMW's 255, so there's that. At the very top, a Giulia Quadrifoglio asking $82,970 might be a tough ask against a BMW M3 asking $81,195, never mind a $90,070 Giulia Quadrifoglio 100th Anniversary. It's the same on the Stelvio side of the fence.