It has been a long while since US car showrooms featured Alfa Romeos and after more than a decade, they are now back. Probably much to the joy of Alfa enthusiasts. Alfa’s officially back.

And what a way to be back in the still-largest car market in the world with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Remember how the new 8c is dubbed by Clarkson as “the best-looking car ever made”? And since it’s the US car market, I’m pretty sure someone with vanity issues had ordered this art piece.

This car’s propelled by a 450 hp 4.7L V8 engine. The engine’s mated to a six–speed transaxle gearbox with electronic gear selection. With this power, the car can go from naught to sixty-two in just 4.2 seconds. Clarkson and pals criticized its performance though.

US-certified 8Cs will be made available though Maserati dealerships in two weeks’ time. If that’s the case, then it’s most likely that they’ve already landed. Get ready for the invasion as this might be Alfa’s step to test the waters for a full comeback.

Well, if you happen to be eyeing one of these to buy, then tough luck to you too as the 84 slated for the US market are already sold.

Source: LeftLane

Hello and welcome to our weekly Top Gear recap.

First up, answering the question, “Can a car ever be art?” And to answer that, they seamlessly tie-in their take on Alfa Romeos from last week’s show to this review of the Alfa Romeo 8c. I wonder how many times Clarkson has ever dubbed a car, “the best looking ever made.” But he does it here (again?). Typical Clarkson nitpicking for this one and yes, he concludes that this one is “fourteen feet of art.” And The Stig takes it around the track posting a 1:38.2 (very wet). Quite very slow.

For the news, there’s the typical skinny on Internet photos, the Fiat Panda Mamy, the now-lame Dacia Sandero quip. Oh and a guy complained that Jeremy clipped a double-white road line in last week’s episode. Geek! And a continuation of their war against signs.

Oh, and next up is the buck that stops all. Introducing it as the successor to the Datsun 120Y, Top Gear’s take on the Nissan GT-R! And not just a simple take – an epic race. Nissan GT-R versus Japan’s bullet train from Japan’s west coast to the east coast! As always the race is not without its twists and turns with a supposed intense finish with the GT-R weaving through a mountain pass. Very nice. But it was a drag that it ended up as a foot race.

Oh, I totally skipped the Stars in a Reasonably Priced car but they had Fiona Bruce and Kate Silverton (newscasters). Again, if you’re stateside and don’t get BBC 2, have the Intarwebs help you out.

Here’s another one from the Fiat group. Making it’s debut in next month’s Geneva Motor Show is Alfa Romeo with the production version of the 8C Spider. The name’s not too foreign since the Alfa Romeo 8C has been around for more than 80 years now.

Numbers are quite familiar too with the specifications pretty much the same from the hardtop 8C Competizione and the concept that we saw many months back hasn’t changed much compared to this production version. This car’s propelled by a 450 hp 4.7L V8 engine. The engine’s mated to a six–speed transaxle gearbox with electronic gear selection. With this power, the car can go from naught to sixty-two in just 4.2 seconds.

Like the coupe, the 8C Spider will also be produced in limited numbers with only 500 units will come out of the factory lines.

Source: Alfa Romeo