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Abarth Classiche 1300 OT revives the Alfa Romeo 4C for one last hurrah

The Alfa Romeo 4C is back from the dead. Well, at least partially. This Abarth Classiche 1300 OT doesn’t wear an Alfa Romeo badge, but itÂ’s effectively a re-bodied and re-jiggered 4C built with an eye to the past. Limited to only five examples, the Classiche 1300 OT is part of StellantisÂ’ “Reloaded by Creators” project that aims to reinterpret beloved cars of its past in a modern form. This time, the model is the Fiat-Abarth OT 1300 race car from 1965. WeÂ’ll put new and old side-by-side below for you to critique how Abarth did. One of the original carÂ’s most distinctive features was the big periscope atop the roof meant to cool the cabin while racing, and Abarth made a small attempt at recreating it with a little scoop atop the roof. Its hood features a scoop that looks a little like the originalÂ’s, and you can see similar inspiration found for its rear taillghts. All that said, this re-body job doesnÂ’t really go far enough to make you forget itÂ’s actually just an Alfa Romeo 4C underneath. You may recall a similar attempt made a few years ago with the Abarth 1000 SP that used the same formula, but instead was based on the 4C Spider. Technical details are practically non-existent for this new Classiche 1300 OT, but we suspect itÂ’s powered by the same 1.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder as the 4C was and cracks off shifts via a six-speed dual-clutch gearbox. We donÂ’t know the curb weight, but Abarth says all of its body is now made of carbon fiber, so itÂ’s likely to be even lighter than the standard 4C. If weÂ’re lucky, Abarth has done some re-tuning of the powertrain and suspension to differentiate how it drives compared to the 4C. And if you want one of these creations, Abarth says ordering is open now, but remember, only five are ever going to be built.

Alfa Romeo could introduce a new model in June

While the automotive industry's collective attention is turned towards the 2020 Geneva Motor Show opening in March, Alfa Romeo is also looking forward to the party it will throw in Milan, Italy, to celebrate its 110th birthday. The city-wide festivities will culminate with the unveiling of a mysterious new model, according to a recent report. Thousands of Alfisti from all over the world will convene in Milan on June 24 to commemorate the milestone, and Italian website MotoriOnline learned Alfa will take advantage of the media coverage to organize its own mini auto show. The publication added the model we'll allegedly get a preview of will be either a crossover or a coupe. Both are intriguing propositions. While enthusiasts would undoubtedly prefer to see a born-again GTV, or a follow-up to the 8C, sales figures clearly demonstrate the crossover body style is popular all over the world with no risk of falling out of style, and Alfa's only take on it is the Stelvio. The yet-unnamed model that could break cover in Milan will be about the same size as the Jeep Renegade, the Fiat 500X, and the Mini Countryman, among other city-friendly soft-roaders. This positioning rules out the production version of the Tonale concept introduced during the 2019 Geneva show; besides, it's expected to appear at this year's edition of the event. Little would prevent Alfa from using the platform found under the aforementioned Renegade and 500X, as all three carmakers are under the same umbrella, but MotoriOnline speculated the firm's third high-rider will be the first Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) product built on a PSA platform. If that's accurate, it signals Alfa will unveil a concept car, not a production model, because the tie-up between the two giants hasn't even been finalized yet. The second option floated by the publication is a heritage-laced two-door developed as a tribute to emblematic past models, like the Duetto and the GTV. While that's plausible, especially considering the event will be a anchored to Alfa's illustrious history, the chances of one day seeing it in showrooms are low because executives gave two-door models the boot when they put together the firm's latest product plan in late 2019. Crossovers remain an essential component of Alfa's future range, however, and the aforementioned product plan clearly states a small SUV will join the range in 2022, a year after the Tonale, with an available electric powertrain.

Is Alfa Romeo readying 4C Spider for Detroit reveal?

The 2015 Detroit Auto Show just keeps looking like one of the best automotive events in the Motor City in years, and it seems increasingly likely that we're going to see another sports car reveal there with the production Alfa Romeo 4C Spider. The latest hint towards the unveiling of the Spider comes from FCA's own blog. In a story about the first customer deliveries of the 4C Launch Edition, the last sentences nearly let the cat out of the bag: "Alfa Romeo plans to introduce eight new models by 2018. You'll get your next Alfa fix at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January." Just looking at the roofline of the 4C, it's pretty clear that a convertible was in the cards from the very beginning. Alfa confirmed that with the Spider concept (pictured below) at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, and reaffirmed the drop top in the company's five-year plan. Further evidence for the fast approaching debut came recently when a fully production-spec 4C Spider (pictured above) was spotted being professionally filmed in Spain. It sported some changes over the concept, including a cooling inlet on the driver's side rear fender and exhausts at the corners, instead of the center. Related Gallery Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Concept: Geneva 2014 View 13 Photos Related Gallery Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Design Preview News Source: Objects in the MirrorImage Credit: Carscoops, Related images copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL, Alfa Romeo Design/Style Rumormill Detroit Auto Show Alfa Romeo Convertible Performance FCA 2015 Detroit Auto Show alfa romeo 4c alfa romeo 4c spider