After Alfa Romeo’s 1995 withdrawal from the American market, they marked their return with its 8C Competizione, a limited-edition coupe that heralded the brand’s North American revival when it became part of the Fiat group, joining Ferrari and Maserati. Only 500 coupes would be built, with an additional 500 spiders also available – both of which quickly sold out. Only 90 coupes were earmarked for the United States.

The Competizione was based on a concept car that was first shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2003, the twin-seater was designed to tout Alfa's grand racing heritage. The 8C nameplate was one of the first to gain real credibility among aficionados, while the designation, Competizione, is a nod to the 6C 2500 Competizione driven to second place by the legendary five-time Formula One World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio with Zardi at Italy’s famed Mille Miglia in 1950.

The coupe was unveiled at a preview in suburban Detroit. The limited edition Alfa is powered by a 4.7-liter, 90-degree V-8 making 450 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque. Alfa utilized a six-speed, electronically controlled manual gearbox that can operate in five different modes, including auto-shift with paddles. The sweeping body lines look fantastic and are made entirely of carbon fiber, and mounted on a space-frame chassis; it was penned by Wolfgang Egger. The platform is reported with a 50/50 front-to-rear weight distribution, and by weighing in at just 3,100 pounds, the 8C launches from 0- to 60-mph in just 4.5 seconds and is said to top out at around 190-mph. The company claims much of the 8C Competizione's technology is racing-derived, including the suspension and its aluminum brake calipers; these are optional red in tone at $1,590. The huge Brembo brakes sit behind 20-inch alloy wheels and performance-oriented Pirelli tires.

The goal, company officials acknowledged, was to give a high-profile push to the Alfa brand, staging a comeback with the assistance of its sister marque, Maserati. That luxury brand, in turn, owes its own revival to Fiat's top-line division, Ferrari. "We're doing for Alfa what Ferrari did for us," noted executives within. Maserati of Beverly Hills took original delivery of this particular car from its Port Newark, New Jersey importation location.

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is agile, fast and fun. There are many flattering appointments that begin with the distinctively styled Alfa Romeo grille and nose. The cabin is lined with carbon fiber; the bespoke lightweight sports seats are trimmed with the finest Poltrona Frau leather (black with red stitching); the aluminum console and grab handles are machined from solid billet. Finished in Code 202/b Red Metallic (a $6,180 option), the paint remains in superb condition, as expected with such a machine that only displays less than 3,300 miles. A set of optional and matching eight-piece factory luggage ($5,300) is a welcome addition to absolutely maximize the car’s available storage area while touring. Other equipment is found with carbon fiber dashboard panels, dual zone climate control, stability control system, bi-Xenon headlights, adjustable steering column, cruise control, radio with CD and MP3, dual-stage front airbags and “500 Limited Edition” badging. The car’s window sticker and assorted paperwork also is included.

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione has been embraced by sports stars, a Dutch prince and Fiat CEO, Sergio Marchionne, is said to have both the coupe and spider versions of the 8C Competizione at his disposal. Exciting and uncommon are traits of this desirable machine that make it a meaningful candidate to include in your own stable.