- A former Alfa Romeo designer has revealed a mid-engined sports car concept meant to rival the Porsche Boxster.
- This project aims to position Alfa as a competitor to Audi and Porsche.
- Although never built, the design displays classic Alfa styling.
Automobile history 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 built a Porsche Boxster rival? Pure fantasy? Absolutely not.
The project existed—at least from a design standpoint—but ultimately, it was shelved. Now, this idea has reappeared thanks to something new Instagram post from Juan Manuel Diaz, former Alfa Romeo designer who recently shared a number of sketches of lost Alfa projects.
After previously revealing the five unrealized projects, the Argentinian designer has now shared a sketch of another Alfa Romeo concept that will compete with Porsche. And honestly, it looks fantastic.
Diaz said in his Instagram post: “In 2008, a proposal arrived at the studio for a mid-engined car as the basis for a new design project. The brief was clear: to 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, it 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, attractive and beautiful, while allowing Maserati to focus on larger, more luxurious vehicles.
The result is the idea of an Alfa Romeo convertible with a sculpted front end, dominated by the brand’s signature trilobe grille, and body surfaces that flow from gentle curves to sharper, more defined lines. It embodies an elegant sporty feel—similar to what Porsche achieved with the Boxster.
Diaz did not specify what engine the car might use. The Busso V6 has been out of production for several years, while the 1.75 TBi—introduced in 2009—might be a suitable engine, as is the case in the 2013 Alfa Romeo 4C.
Motorcycle Pickup1: This latest sketch is another interesting “what if” from Alfa Romeo. With the open-top Boxster rival and five previous concepts gone, Alfa Romeo’s lineup could look very different throughout the 2000s.
