Alfa Romeo Spider unveiled before Auto Show

A group of automotive journalists gathered in Toronto’s Distillery District recently to get a closer look at an Italian exotic car from a brand that was for the most part forgotten in Canada, Alfa Romeo.

At the end of a red carpet in a small rustic room, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider made its debut in Canada. Spectacular with its giallo (yellow) paintjob and as small in person as it appears in images, the Spider will join the 4C Coupe this summer.

For the unveiling, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider was air-lifted in a crate directly from Modena. The car arrived in Toronto just in time to be presented to journalists by Reid Bigland, CEO of the FCA Group in Canada and Head of Alfa Romeo in North America. It then appeared at the toronto Auto Show, Feb. 15-22.

Here’s what we know about the 4C Spider. It will be powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder all-aluminum engine that delivers 237 horsepower and 258 lbft of torque which make it possible to reach 100 km/h in only 4.1 seconds.

The engine’s sound will be sublime according to Alfa Romeo, which will offer three (yes, three) exhaust systems. In addition to the basic exhaust system, buyers can opt for a racing exhaust that replaces the muffler by a Y-shaped system positioned after the catalyst, or a third alternative developed jointly with racing exhaust specialists Akrapovic.

The power is sent to the rear wheels through a dual-clutch automatic transmission capable of changing gears in 130 milliseconds at full throttle. It will be possible to adjust the behavior of the throttle, transmission and stability control system using four driving modes to achieve better performance based on road conditions, or based on the track the driver is preparing to attack.

The chassis of the 4C Spider is made up of carbon fiber to ensure not only its rigidity but also to keep everything as light as possible. The removable roof is also made of carbon fiber. The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will be built alongside Maserati models in Modena, Italy.