The German-based car tuning specialists at Novitec have a long history of tuning Italian cars. The company is divided into a number of branches based on the type of cars they modify. There's Novitec Tridente for Maserati cars, Novitec Rosso for Ferrari, and for the other Italian automakers such as Fiat and Alfa Romeo, there's Novitec.
One of the most celebrated designs to come from an Italian automaker in the past decade has been the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. The car was built to honor the eight-cylinder racing cars at the height of Alfa's motorsport success. The 8C proved to be immensely popular, and from this popularity, spawned a convertible variant. Just in time for the warm summer months, Novitec has introduced a tuning program for the Alfa Romeo 8C Spyder.
Since the topless sports car is roughly based on the Maserati GT and uses a similar engine, Novitec called in their Maserati division to tune the engine. The 4.7-liter V-8 engine was fitted with a supercharger driven by the engine's crankshaft via cogged-tooth belt. The supercharger was designed to provide an even power band, even at low speeds.
Maximum boost pressure is set at 0.37 BAR (5.37 PSI). In addition to the supercharger itself, Novitec Tridente has also added a water-to-air intercooler with dedicated radiator and larger fuel injectors. The entire engine upgrade is completed with advanced car tuning, in which Novitec has recalibrated the injection and ignition mapping for the optimum power output.
Since the Alfa Romeo uses a Maserati-based 4.7-liter V-8, it also boasts one of the most attractive exhaust notes in the industry. To make it even better, Novitec has installed a stainless steel sport exhaust with a flap system that varies the volume of the note depending on the engine speed and throttle input.
The result of the engine tuning is an astonishing 600 horsepower (441 kW) at 7,300 RPM and 433.63 lb-ft. (588 Nm) of torque at 5,400 RPM; an increase of 150 horsepower (110 kW) over stock. This added power helps improve the acceleration time for the Alfa Romeo 8C by cutting the 0-62 mph time down to 3.9 seconds. Top speed is also increased from the stock 180 mph (290 k/h) to 189.52 mph (305 km/h), making it the fastest Alfa Romeo model.
Novitec has kept the body and overall design of the Alfa Romeo 8C Spyder stock, as to preserve the already popular appearance. The only exterior modification for the 8C is Novitec's three-piece NA3 wheels. Measuring 9Jx21 up front and 11.5Jx22 at the rear, the five double-spoke wheels are fitted with sporty Pirelli 255/30 ZR21 front and 315/25 ZR22 rear tires. Finishing the stance is a threaded coil-over suspension with adjustable ride height and damper rates.
Novitec will also custom tailor the interior with a large selection of fine leather and alcantara for Alfa Romeo 8C Spyder owners.