Alfa supercar hits the streets -- but not in Oz

Undoubtedly the prettiest Alfa Romeo in decades has been launched internationally, but, unfortunately, the stunning 8C Competizione (more here) will never be seen on Australian roads.

Just 500 examples of the ultra-niche V8-powered coupe will be offered for sale, but the fact that they are all left-hand drive means there's no way of registering the car Down Under.

Be that as it may, a handful of Australians and Kiwis have forked over the readies (believed to be not far short of $500K) in the full knowledge they'll only be able to drive the car on a racetrack or private road.

Although by no means a mainstream car, the 8C has a big role to play as it spearheads Alfa Romeo's return to the potentially lucrative US market, which the brand withdrew from over a decade ago.

And while its execution is thoroughly modern, the 8C is a car steeped in history as it recalls Alfa's great motorsport tradition.

In the 1930s and '40s, the 8C name was used to identify cars, both racing and on-road, equipped with the powerful eight-cylinder engine developed by the legendary designer Vittorio Jano.

The term 'Competizione' on the other hand is intended as a tribute to the 6C 2500 Competizione, a sports coupe driven by the team of Fangio and Zanardi in the famous Mille Miglia race in 1950.

An Alfa Romeo would be nothing without a great engine (which is why owners of yesteryear models tolerated infuriating ergonomics and dubious reliability), and the 8C certainly appears well endowed in this department.

Concealed under its shapely snout is a new 4691cc 90-degree V8 unit designed not only for sporting characteristics, but also for low-speed tractability, according to Alfa Romeo.

The raw numbers are as follows: maximum power of 336kW arrives at 7000rpm, while peak torque of 470Nm comes on stream at 4750rpm. The engine is redlined at 7500rpm.

Perhaps more telling is the fact that 80 per cent of peak torque is on tap from just 2000rpm.

The rear-mounted (for better weight distribution) six-speed gearbox is a robotised unit that's activated via shift paddles behind the steering-wheel, and can be used in Manual-Normal, Manual-Sport, Automatic-Normal, Automatic-Sport and Ice modes.

There's also a self-locking differential that, according to Alfa, "lets the driver control acceleration and stability in any situation with extraordinary efficiency."

Stopping power comes via perforated, ventilated discs with aluminium calipers and Alfa Romeo claims this set-up is capable of withstanding sustained punishment.

The delectable 20-inch multi-spoke rims are shod with 245/35 rubber at the front and 285/35 gumballs at the rear, and the 8C is equipped with the latest edition of the Alfa Romeo VDC, an "evolved" stability and traction control system.

As for the styling, the pics say it all, really. Bellissimo!

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