Alfa Male: The 8C's Pheromones of Design | FerrariChat

Alfa Male: The 8C's Pheromones of Design

Discussion in 'Other Italian' started by VisualHomage, Apr 12, 2012.

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  1. VisualHomage

    VisualHomage F1 Veteran

    Aug 30, 2006
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    #1 VisualHomage, Apr 12, 2012
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    from:
    http://chadglass.blogspot.com/2012/04/alfa-male-8cs-pheromones-of-design.html

    excerpt:
    Last night I was on Sunset Strip at Cafe Primo with the Elysee Wednesday group. With talk already going on as I arrived, one of the attendees remarked that there had been an Alfa 8C Competizione sighted in the lower parking deck. So I thought how wonderful and great, cool, neat-o, what nice conversation this is --but it didn't penetrate my mind initially that it was there right now. As it became apparent, I eventually got a clue as people began rising from their seats, getting up to have a look. I had just taken a seat and then found myself up again, as if I had not sat down. Alas, the night had officially begun.
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  2. B R

    B R F1 Rookie

    Aug 31, 2005
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    Sorry I couldn't make it last night. Catch you next time.
     
  3. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    those wheels :(
     
  4. VisualHomage

    VisualHomage F1 Veteran

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    Yes the rims were awful, hence, why I didn't really feature them.
     
  5. VisualHomage

    VisualHomage F1 Veteran

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    Hi, Brian.
     
  6. MacGeek

    MacGeek Formula Junior

    Oct 4, 2007
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    Nice writeup!

    Just a small correction: 84 8C Competiziones and about 30-35 8C Spiders made it to the USA.

    Couldn't resist, I'm an 8C geek :D
     
  7. VisualHomage

    VisualHomage F1 Veteran

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    Very well, any help in accuracy is invited. I am a geek, too. So what is the breakdown? Were more than 500 8Cs made? Or does the 84/30-35 absorb into the 500?
     
  8. MacGeek

    MacGeek Formula Junior

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    #8 MacGeek, Apr 14, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2012
    Disclaimer: I should warn you that am a bit OCD like NNO, except my field of obsession-compulsion is the 8C :D

    First of all, I should specify that the 500 unit production run is for each variant. So, 500 Competiziones, and 500 Spiders (there is some info floating around suggesting that they made less than 500 Spiders, but that's another story).

    I can't say for sure whether they made 500, or a bit more. The fact that chassis numbers are not contiguous doesn't help: all cars made at the Maserati factory follow a single numbering sequence, so you might have a number of contiguous 8C chassis numbers, then a whole bunch of GranTurismos, Quattroportes and Grancabrios, then some more 8Cs, depending on the production mix at the factory. There's no consistency at all.

    There is also no way of knowing the x/500 number, as the cars aren't numbered. The x/500 number only appears on the sales contract and on the "Certificate of Authenticity" coming with the car. Some people had the number engraved on the dedication plate, but most kept the standard one (including myself: I hate the typeface they chose for the custom engraving option, and the graphics layout of the custom plate looks worse than the standard one).

    I should also add that I have 485 8C Competizione and 231 8C Spider VINs in my little "8C register", so I don't have data on all vehicles. My register also includes some pre-production VINs.

    My database has 84 Competizione US VINs (and I do believe I have all of them); and 15 US-bound 8C Spiders, but I'm fairly sure I'm missing some, since I was given the "about 30-35" quote by Alfa Romeo.


    On an unrelated note, here's a breakdown by exterior color. 8C Competizione only, since I don't have enough 8C Spider data for a meaningful statistic.

    - Rosso Competizione: 60%
    - Rosso Alfa: 19%
    - Black: 15%
    - Yellow: 2%
    - Custom color: 4%

    Just two custom-colored cars were sold in the US. One is Napolis', in Rosso P 4/5; the other one is painted in Grigio Nuvolari, and was owned by a F-Chat member (I think he sold it).

    Among the 10 yellow cars made, two came to the US. A Ferrari Magazine article about Phil Bachman's collection mentions "a handsome pair of Alfa Romeo 8C Competiziones". Knowing his love for yellow, I believe he owns at least one, maybe both of them.
     
  9. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    How many are off colors like the Grigio that is for sale at Miller Motorcars?
     
  10. MacGeek

    MacGeek Formula Junior

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    #10 MacGeek, Apr 14, 2012
    Last edited: Apr 14, 2012
    I edited my previous post to include just that, and more bits of information which came to mind afterwards :)

    I have 20 Competiziones in a custom color, 2 of those in the USA. See above for info about those two :D

    Other custom colored Competiziones I know of include white (both plain white and Fuji), Vinaccia, a light blue which could be Azzurro California or Avio met (I can't tell for sure from the pics), and I'm probably forgetting more.

    Edit: John Elkann owns one in Blu Oceano as well.
     
  11. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Here is the one i saw 2 weeks ago. Gorgeous, too bad he didnt go for red leather and red top.

    http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/2975/img5644a.jpg
     
  12. MacGeek

    MacGeek Formula Junior

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    That is probably 49814, can you confirm the VIN?
     
  13. amenasce

    amenasce Three Time F1 World Champ
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    i will ask. i know the owner had a coupe also in red.
     
  14. MacGeek

    MacGeek Formula Junior

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  15. VisualHomage

    VisualHomage F1 Veteran

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    Thank you, MacGeek for your additional information. Much enjoyed and appreciated. I have updated my reportage to reflect your clarifications.
     
  16. Greg23

    Greg23 Karting
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    Jun 1, 2011
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    The rims on that 8C yell out for "SACRILEGE!!!!!!"

    However Mac your are such a source of information, that I ask my self why don't you write and print out a book! You would have many of us willing to buy!

    :)
     
  17. LamboRider

    LamboRider Formula Junior

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    What are prices for the Alfa 8C at now?
     
  18. merstheman

    merstheman F1 Rookie

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    #18 merstheman, Feb 14, 2013
    Last edited: Feb 14, 2013
    I liked your blog post, but I agree the wheels on the car you saw are hideous.

    The first one I ever saw was actually a red coupé parked unceremoniously in a lot by the train tracks about 20 - 30 mins outside NYC when I took the amtrak down from Boston. I lived in Boston for college from 2007 to 2011, and used to take the train to NY on occasion. I remember exactly what part of the train ride I could see it, from the left side of the train. Almost every time I went to NY it was there, sometimes parked next to a red 911 convertible, which looked pedestrian next to it... I wonder if it was Jim's car...

    After that, I used to see this 8C fairly regularly in Boston, usually flanked by a red 458 which also looked exaggerated next to the sublime lines of the 8C. Too bad the owner seems to be a bit of a hooligan... To me it is the most beautiful car built in a very long time...

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dvtgm-jEiyc]Alfa Romeo 8c- Playing in the snow. - YouTube[/ame]
     
  19. VisualHomage

    VisualHomage F1 Veteran

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    merstheman, thanks for your reply and that vid. Yes, the 8C proves that great Italian design and function do live and breathe today more than ever. The 8C is evocative of the earlier times of panel beaters and artisans.
     
  20. LamboRider

    LamboRider Formula Junior

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    Is there more than one black color than Nero Ossidiana?
     
  21. 4th_gear

    4th_gear F1 Rookie

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    Not sure if this video has been posted before but this young man did an excellent job describing the allure of this very cool car.

    [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQ5BmyOAnAo]Marchettino video on the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider[/ame]
     
  22. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Alfa's were never the fastest or had the most HP

    Alfa's never were the best engineered and always had their weird quirks you had to live with.

    Alfa's never were the most reliable or easiest to fix

    Alfa's never were the cheapest sports car or sports sedan out there.

    Alfa's never were designed or intended for "everyone".


    But Alfa's always were beautiful expressions of car design both visually and in the driving pleasure they delivered. The 8C continues these traditions.

    It will be interesting to see how much of the 4C is carried over from it.
     
  23. MarchettinoYT

    MarchettinoYT Karting

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    Thanks man, that's me in the video.

    Last week I've driven this 8C Spider for 1600km up to Monte Carlo, I completely love this car!
     
  24. schumacherf2006

    schumacherf2006 F1 Veteran
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    Great job! That was the first car review I have seen you do. Well done my friend!
     
  25. The Red Baron

    The Red Baron Formula 3

    Jan 3, 2005
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    The cars been sitting in the garage for a while so yesterday made the time, to go and drive it. Must admit the 8C Competizione is one of the great pieces of car art made. Also a beautiful car to drive and enjoyable. One of the best exhaust notes around, bar none.
     

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