Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce on 2040-cars

Auto blog

The Manhattan Classic Car Club | AutoblogVR

The Manhattan Classic Car Club is a haven for enthusiasts in America's biggest and busiest city. Traffic, taxis, and just people getting you down? Head to the former NYPD horse stables on the banks of the Hudson River for your car fix. Senior Editor Greg Migliore shows what life is like for members. Sure, they get to drive a fleet of expensive cars, but they also have access to perks like movie nights and other social events. Want to catch a classic film in a classic Bronco? The CCC is the place to be. Greg then hops behind the wheel of an Alfa Romeo 4C Spider for some rush-hour fun. Across town, motorcycle fans have their own haven, Ryders Alley. Need a place to store or work on your bike? This is your sanctuary. Tucked away in a downtown alley that's nearly impossible to find, Ryders serves the cult of two-wheel enthusiasts in the Big Apple. Consumer Editor Jeremy Korzeniewski tours the workshop and storage area and takes a few laps around New York in an Indian Scout Sixty. Each week, new episodes will launch on the AutoblogVR App. We'll preview them here on Autoblog, but for the full immersive experience, head over to the app, which you can download for free from the App store and Google Play. Be sure to try it with a cardboard viewer, too! Alfa Romeo Driving Motorcycle Classics Videos VR Original Video alfa romeo 4c virtual reality 360video

Alfa Romeo 4C production to continue until at least late 2020

Maserati will end production of the GranTurismo and the GranCabrio in November 2019, and it will retool the historic Modena, Italy, factory that makes both models in preparation for a new sports car due out in 2020. But Autoblog learned production of the Alfa Romeo 4C made in the same facility will continue even after the retooling, debunking rumors of the model's immediate demise. "Production of the 4C will continue in the same production plant/line until late 2020 for the NAFTA and APAC regions," an Alfa Romeo spokesperson told us via email. The factory will close during the retooling, so "there will just be some weeks of technical interruption" during the process, according to the same spokesperson. Production will resume as soon as the overhaul is completed, and Alfa's carbon fiber-intensive two-seater will be built alongside Maserati's next sports car. North American enthusiasts still have time to put a new 4C in their garage. Available only as a convertible, the 4C recently entered the 2020 model year with a limited-edition model named Italia that gains an array of visual add-ons, like piano black trim on the front end. Just 15 Italias will be built, but the standard 4C remains available as a regular-production model. It's powered by a mid-mounted, 1.75-liter four-cylinder engine turbocharged to 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The engine's displacement wasn't chosen at random; Alfisti will know right off the bat that it echoes the 1750 engine Alfa offered in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. European enthusiasts aren't as lucky. Autoblog also confirmed an earlier report claiming 4C production for the European, Middle Eastern, and African markets ended in August 2018. While the GranTurismo will be replaced by a new model in 2021, what the future holds for the 4C is up in the air. Alfa Romeo's product plan doesn't currently include a second-generation 4C, which is too bad. It's one of the purest, most undiluted sports car on the market; may it live long. Featured Gallery 2020 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Italia Auto News Alfa Romeo Convertible

Alfa Romeo abandoned the Spider to focus on crossovers

As much as enthusiasts like to forget or deny it, automakers are in the business of making money, and sometimes that means doing things that seem counter to a brand's image or history. Alfa Romeo, for example, is attempting to make a comeback in the US. The make has a long history of making sporty vehicles, so news that Alfa has ceased plans on some new cars in order to focus on crossovers should be disappointing, but far from surprising. The new Fiat 124 Spider, based on and build alongside the Mazda Miata, was originally supposed to be a new Alfa Romeo Spider. A while back, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne has said that as long as he's in charge, Alfas will be built in Italy. That seemed to be reasoning enough for the new car's switch to Fiat, but Automotive News is reporting that the company actually abandoned the new Spider in order to build SUVs. The Spider isn't the only vehicle that appears to be off the table. While the new BMW 3 Series-sized Giulia is set to hit dealers later this year, larger sedans meant to compete against the 5 Series and 6 Series have been axed. Alfa's first crossover, the Stelvio, is expected to debut later this year. The company has plans for a Giulia-based crossover as well. A lot of this seems counter to Alfa and FCA's five-year plan that was announced fewer than three years ago. Then, the 400,000 annual sales target worldwide by 2018 powered by Italian-designed and -built engines. In actuality, the company has struggled to get even the Giulia to market, delaying everything else in its wake. Related Video: