The Alfa Romeo 4C could be the performance car of 2014 when it eventually arrives on South African shores.

With a breathtaking exterior, potent 1.75-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, the Alfa Romeo has set hearts racing since it was announced. There’s also an Alfa Romeo 4C convertible in the works.

At the heart of the Alfa Romeo 4C is a 1.75-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 177 kW and 350 Nm, which gives it a 0-100km/h time of 4.5 seconds. This particular engine does duty in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, but the 4C’s great performance is primarily due to the mass of the vehicle. At under 900 kg, the Alfa Romeo 4C weighs very little.

Hotter Alfa Romeo 4C

This engine is therefore ripe for tuning and receiving a performance boost. According to American publication Car & Driver, Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester is considering a high-performance 4C. Wester talked about how there’s space for extra power and the car’s carbon fiber chassis could handle the extra grunt. High-performance brakes to match the uprated engine were also mentioned. Let’s keep our fingers crossed and hope a hotter Alfa Romeo 4C makes production.

Want to know more about the Alfa Romeo 4C? Check out the video by YouTube car journalist Chris Harris.