Alfa-Romeo 8C Competizione: when will electric cars deliver this?

August 25, 10:30 AMElectric Car ExaminerNicolas Zart

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Alfa Romeo's Ultimate 8C Competizione.

I had the pleasure and privilege to drive Alfa Romeo's 8C Competizione which left me me with questions about the electric vehicle world.  When will get these kind of GTs and performance?

The gist is that while we love electric vehicles, EV and want them to answer our every needs and more.  If the Lightening GTS is the epitome of what the ultimate EV sports car should be, the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is its equivalent in the internal combustion engine, ICE world.

The Civilized Beast.  $300,000 would have bought you one of the only 200 made, 75 of which in the states, the stunning 8C is a very limited edition of what Alfa Romeo can do, and has done repeatedly in the past.  The 8C is what an ultimate GT should and can be.  After spending some time behind its steering wheel, the question was, when will EVs get this kind of performance and all around class?

Technically Speaking.  Boasting 450hp, this car roars to life when the engine goes past 4,000rpm.  In fact, Alfa Romeo did such a fantastic job with the engine sound, you rarely want to bring it into higher gear.  But where Alfa Romeo also excelled is making this beast very civilized and a perfect GT for Nappa valley wine cruising, where we tested it.  If the Maserati GT leaves you ho hum in canyon and mountainous driving and the Ferrari 430 is a little too much out there, Alfa's 8C is the perfect combination.

With hand sawn leather seats, high carbon material use, what comes close in the EV world?  If the Tesla Motors Roadster is a good first step in that direction, it offers great performance with decent luxury.  In many ways the Lightening GTS, whenever it will be delivered will be the 8C Competizione of the EV world.  It offers alike performance, if not better with stunning lines, and a luxurious interior.

In the meantime, we can only dream one day Alfa Romeo will deliver an electric 8C Competizione.  After all, Mercedes is working on its electric SLC.

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