The history of the automobile is full of "what ifs"—forgotten concepts, dream cars that never made it past the drawing board, last-minute setbacks, and more. What if Alfa Romeo had built a rival to the Porsche Boxster? Pure fantasy? Not at all.
The project did exist—at least from a design standpoint—but ultimately, the project was shelved. Now, the idea has resurfaced thanks to a new Instagram post from Juan Manuel Diaz, a former Alfa Romeo designer who recently shared a whole host of sketches for lost Alfa projects.
After previously revealing those five unrealized projects, the Argentine designer has now shared sketches of another Alfa Romeo concept that would have taken the fight to Porsche. And frankly, it looks fantastic.
Diaz says in his Instagram post: "In 2008, a proposal arrived at the studio for a mid-engine car as the foundation for a new design project. The brief was clear: create a compact sports car capable of rivaling the beauty and precision of the Porsche Boxster."
With this sketch, Diaz takes us back to March 2008. In his view, this wasn’t just about designing a car—it was about a broader vision: positioning Alfa Romeo as a true competitor to Audi and Porsche in the premium compact sports car segment. The goal was to create a model that was agile, engaging, and beautiful, while allowing Maserati to focus on larger, more luxurious vehicles.
The result was the idea of an Alfa Romeo convertible with a sculpted front end, dominated by the brand’s signature trilobe grille, and body surfaces that flowed from soft curves into sharper, more defined lines. It embodied a kind of elegant sportiness—similar to what Porsche achieved with the Boxster.
Diaz didn’t specify what engine the car might have used. The Busso V6 had already been out of production for several years, while the 1.75 TBi engine—introduced in 2009—could have been a natural fit, just as it later was in the 2013 Alfa Romeo 4C.
Motor1's Take: This latest sketch is another interesting "what if" from Alfa Romeo. With this open-top Boxster rival and the five lost concepts before it, the Alfa Romeo lineup could have looked drastically different throughout the 2000s.
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Context:
Alfa Romeo designed a Porsche Boxster rival in 2008 but the project was ultimately shelved.
Context:
This could have positioned Alfa Romeo as a serious premium sports car competitor alongside Audi and Porsche.
Context:
The concept featured Alfa's signature trilobe grille and would likely have used the 1.75 TBi engine from the 4C.
