It was June 2018 when Alfa Romeo announced the triumphant return of the GTV and 8C but the two cars were sadly canceled not long after. If you recall, we even had a couple of official teasers (attached here) and some juicy preliminary technical specifications for both. The GTV was supposed to be a four-seater coupe with 50:50 weight distribution, all-wheel drive (with torque vectoring), and over 600 horsepower.
An even more exciting two-seater 8C was touted as being a mid-engined coupe with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis and an electric motor powering the front axle. At that time, Alfa Romeo said the supercar would have a combined output of over 700 hp to enable a 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than three seconds. However, both were axed before seeing the light of day, and we only got the Giulia GTA/GTAm instead.
Before Alfa Romeo becomes purely electric later this decade, the Italian brand will likely have a dedicated sports car. In an interview with Autocar, the automaker's head honcho Jean-Philippe Imparato said the bespoke performance machine is months away from being approved for production. In an ideal scenario, a public announcement could be made as early as March 2023. The British magazine speculates it could be a hypercar with a price tag well into the six-figure territory.
Details about the vehicle are shrouded in mystery, so all we can do is make logical assumptions. It seems highly unlikely that Alfa Romeo's parent company Stellantis will invest in a new large-displacement combustion engine for what would be a limited-run model. Instead, the twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 from the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio could be used, and ideally, mounted behind the seats.
In the GTA-badged sedans, it's good for 540 horsepower and 442 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque. It's unclear whether there's still room for more power and if adding an electric motor is being considered. A hybrid powertrain seemed to be the plan for the ill-fated 8C revival, but that was a few years ago.
Regardless of what will power it, enthusiasts are certainly excited to know Alfa Romeo is planning a swan song for the internal combustion engine. The new model has all the makings of an instant classic since there will never be another car like that in the inevitable EV era.
