It’s hard to imagine getting tired of the Alfa Romeo 4C, but if the storied Italian brand is ever going to meet the lofty goals set by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), it’s going to need more than one model.
It looks like a companion for the 4C will arrive at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show in a couple of weeks. In a company blog post showcasing the delivery of 4C Launch Edition models, Chrysler ended with the tantalizing promise that fans will get their next “Alfa fix” at the Detroit show.
The company also noted that Alfa plans to launch eight new models by 2018, but which one will it bring to the Motor City?
The most likely candidate – and perhaps the most appealing – is the 4C Spider. Since the unveiling of a concept version at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the Spider has seemed like a natural for a brand many people still associate with Dustin Hoffman and The Graduate.
A production 4C Spider would also help Alfa quickly grow its sales without much effort. FCA also confirmed plans for a production version at the Paris Motor Show back in September.
Staying with 4C variants, there have also been reports of a high-performance 4C. It’s possible both that and the Spider will eventually see production, helping Alfa better compete with the sprawling Porsche Boxster and Cayman lineup.
Still, any 4C variant will be a low-volume affair like the base hardtop, and Alfa can’t live on sports cars alone.
There’s also been plenty of talk regarding an Alfa Romeo SUV, a less appealing but more pragmatic choice. That vehicle would likely be geared toward the U.S. market, making a Detroit unveiling particularly appropriate.
We may see all of the models proposed above eventually as part of Alfa’s product blitz, but which one will show up in Detroit is a mystery.
For the latest updates, check out our Detroit Auto Show news page, and be sure to check back the week of January 12 for full live coverage.
