Alfa Romeo 4C Spider “Design Preview” is much more than a concept or a design preview, as it previews an actual production model, scheduled to arrive in early 2015.

Alfa Romeo 4C Spider looks almost identical to the coupe, featuring a lightweight canvas soft top and carbon fibre rollover bars.

Carbon fibre is also used for the windscreen frame and spoilers. Compared to the coupe, the open-top model has added just 60kg, weighing around 955kg.

There are also new carbon fibre clamshell headlights as part of the concept.

The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Design Preview is also distinguished from the coupe with a new dual-stage central exhaust system with titanium and carbon tailpipes by Akrapovic.

A key feature of the new exhaust is an electrically-operated valve system which can improve performance and enhance the exhaust note at the push of a wirelessly-linked button.

Power comes from the same 240bhp 1.75-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine with 350 Nm of torque found in the coupe, taking the 4C Spider fro 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds and on to a top speed in excess of 155mph.