Alfa Romeo 8C Gets Stunning Upgrades Including A Six-Speed Manual

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is one of the most beautiful cars of the 21st century, but it’s far from perfect. Upon its arrival, critics complained of the lackluster handling, recalcitrant gearbox, and underwhelming dynamics. But a Swiss tuner is getting ready to fix this with a new package that adds stronger brakes, new suspension – and a manual transmission.

Officine Fioravanti, which is responsible for some beautiful restomods, has released teaser images of the upgrade package. For a start, the much-maligned automated manual (operated via paddle shifters) has been removed. In its place is a six-speed manual transmission that should make the V8-powered Italian even nicer to drive. The tuner has done exquisite work, creating a thing of beauty from the new gear lever.

Performance To Match The Gorgeous Styling

An exposed gear linkage, like the one found on the De Tomaso P72, adds a high-class feel, while the gated shift pattern adds a sporty touch to the interior. The lever is topped off with a classy wood-trimmed knob. From an aesthetic standpoint, it’s far more pleasing to the eye than the collection of plastic gear selector buttons used in the standard vehicle. The metalwork pairs beautifully with the carbon fiber interior inlays.

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We’ll return to the interior soon. For now, let’s examine the other performance-enhancing modifications. The standard brakes have been replaced with a new carbon-ceramic braking system, while a new adjustable and electronically controlled suspension system from Öhlins should provide a sportier feel through the corners. Officine Fioravanti says the vehicle is lighter than before and notes that it has extracted extra horses thanks to new engine calibration but has yet to share power and performance figures.

New Carbon-Fiber Monocoque Seats

As a reminder, the standard 8C, which debuted in 2007, is powered by a 4.7-liter naturally aspirated V8 that, when new, produced 444 horsepower and 354 lb-ft of torque. Those were healthy figures for the time period and were enough to propel the gorgeous Alfa from 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds before reaching its top speed of 181 mph. It’s a very rare motorcar, with just 500 units produced. The 8C Spider is even more exclusive, with just 329 examples in existence. Neither is quite as rare as the new 33 Stradale, which will be limited to 33 units.

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Lastly, the 8C’s interior now boasts carbon fiber monocoque seats. These were developed with Laboratori Meccanica Torino, have FIA approval, and provide a superior driving position and enhanced comfort. The pictures show that the racing seats have been reupholstered in what appears to be red ostrich leather, which is very pricey. It’s great to see restomod work like this, taking a car destined for greatness and giving it what it needs to be perfect. We wouldn’t be surprised if 8C owners are brandishing their checkbooks as we speak.