FIRST LOOK

It looks absolutely sensational!

Yes, just pore over these first official pictures of Alfa Romeo's production-ready 4C... it simply looks like no other sports car on this planet, except for the near-identical concept car that preceded it two years ago.

Note some of the styling elements like the front and rear lights that can be found in the 8C Competizione, the other Alfa resurrecting an evocative badge.

The 4C gets a two-seat, mid-engine and rear-drive layout to chase for cars like the Lotus Exige and Porsche Cayman.

Will it be light as Alfa once promised?

It should because Alfa says the 4C comes with a carbon fibre chassis. The car is said to be no longer than 4m, less than 2m wide and 1.18m tall. The wheelbase itself is 2.4m long.

That makes the 4C roughly the size of the Exige, and that could mean the 4C weighs no more than 1,000 kilos. Alfa hasn't revealed the exact weight figure yet but hinted to a 4kg/hp weight to power ratio. The Italians also haven't disclosed any performance figures yet, although they have confirmed a 1,750cc inline-four engine with direct-injection, full valve-timing control and turbocharger; transmission is a dual-clutch auto.

Having said that, the power to weight ratio could point to a 250hp engine and 1,000kg body weight.

A new feature for Alfa is a four-step driving mode: Dynamic, Natural, All-Weather and Race _ the last setting being tailored for aggressive driving.

Cool. Will the 4C tickle the Thai agent?

Thai Prestige Auto Sales, the local Alfa importer, has been awfully quiet in the past years, so you might have to make use of an independent importer.

European sources are predicting that the 4C should undercut the Cayman in price when sales start this year, meaning that it shouldn't exceed 7.5 million baht in Thailand.

The 4C will be a series production car, although not many will be made for world markets annually. Alfa says Europe and America will get 1,000 each and the rest of the world 500.

The 4C is roughly the size of the Lotus Exige.