Alfa Romeo To Introduce All-Electric 4C Successor Before 2030

A high-ranking Alfa Romeo official has confirmed the company is working on a new electric roadster that will arrive before the decade's end. Speaking to Autocar, Daniel Guzzafame, Head of Products at Alfa Romeo, shared some interesting tidbits about the upcoming Spider successor.

"There are some items from Alfa Romeo that we don't kill: one is the Spider, the other is a love of cars. We do want to continue them because that's the brand. And that's in our ideas, so let's see if we can make that a plan," said Guzzafame. That suggests the new Alfa sports car may wear the famed Spider badge, arguably the most iconic nameplate in Alfa's history.

However, the report suggests the new Alfa roadster will be called the 4E as a nod to the older 4C and its electric powertrain. Guzzafame didn't confirm this, so we'll have to take this with a pinch of salt for now.

"Alfa Romeo is Spider, and when you think about Spider, you think about Alfa Romeo," said Guzzafame. "At the moment, we're stable enough, and we do have the right basis. The main point is to make sure that when we do it, we are credible, are sustainable, and don't just throw something on the market for the sake of it."

However, the electric sports car will only arrive once Alfa Romeo has established its five-car-strong lineup. The Tonale was only revealed last year and will be followed by an even smaller crossover in 2024. Aside from the Giulia and Stelvio replacements, the Italian automaker also has plans to introduce a larger sedan and SUV after 2025.

Therefore, we can expect the small roadster to arrive closer to 2027 or 2028. The vehicle will reportedly borrow styling cues from the newly revealed 33 Stradale supercar, available with Alfa's first-ever electric drivetrain.

This includes the 33's new front grille, 'coda tronca' rear end, and lightning signature, among other things. To conserve range and improve performance, we expect Alfa Romeo to style the so-called 4E with aerodynamics in mind.

Alfa Romeo will also look to the past for styling inspiration. Guzzafame notes that its future sports car will take influence from the elegant Spider 'Duetto,' famed for its seductive lines and signature Kamm tail. The company has previously said the EV era will allow for iconic models to be recreated.

"Electrification is probably the direction we would be going for future special vehicles," Dominique said. "We have ideas left and right and some cool heritage-related cabrios, roadsters, Spiders, and other cool vehicles we've done in the past. There are lots of opportunities," said Larry Dominique, CEO of Alfa Romeo USA.

Alfa Romeo has plans to go all-electric by 2027, so there's no chance the Spider/4E will be offered with electric and combustion powertrains. Expect the vehicle to be based on the Stellantis STLA Medium platform, which will underpin the next-generation Giulia EV.

Power and performance figures will only be disclosed in the coming years, but we anticipate the Spider will be blessed with more than adequate outputs. We already know the next generation Giulia Quadrifoglio will have up to 1,000 hp and be able to charge from 10% - 80% in 18 minutes, so could we expect similar figures from the roadster?

Alfa sports cars have never been about outright speed, with more emphasis on delicate and balanced handling. We suspect the Spider/4E will receive less power and a smaller battery to keep the vehicle as light as possible.

Sadly, Alfa enthusiasts will have to do without the hum of a combustion engine, but Guzzafame isn't worried about this. "It's not what you hear, it's what you feel. We're working on how to transfer that into a vibe, more than sound, and something that will resonate in your ear because you need to get something from your gut. If you feel that, then that will be the future of Alfa Romeo," he said. Per Autocar, drivers will be able to disable the function described above.

"If I think about the next-generation Spider, I would love to be in a completely noiseless environment, in nature, and at the seaside," added Guzzafame.

The interior will be driver-focused and carry traces of the 33 Stradale's exquisite cabin design. Alfa Romeo has previously said it wants to keep building interiors that put driving at the center of everything. That doesn't mean advanced tech won't be offered, but it will be streamlined and display necessary information.

Enthusiasts will have to exercise patience, as Alfa is in no rush to introduce a new sports car. The brand must establish a range of mainstream vehicles before moving into niche markets.

"[Years ago], we went to the dealers, and they had the 4C, Giulietta, and Mito, and that was all they had. First, you need to have a solid line-up, and then, of course, the Spider has to be the cherry on the cake. If [the Spider] is the cake, that's a problem because then you can't be sustainable," said Guzzafame. "It's completely useless to do it now."

A new Alfa Romeo will arrive each year for the next five years. This will cement the automaker's position in the premium space and provide it with the foundation to produce unique models. With a range of refreshed cars, electrified options, and stronger quality control, the automaker hopes to surpass its current sales record, set in 1990.