French website Unica Strada has published the first spy shot of the 2014 Alfa Romeo 4C. Tentatively scheduled to be revealed next summer, the mid-engined sports car will go on sale in the United States a year later.

Save for the door mirrors, the camouflaged test mule appears to be nearly identical to the concept that bowed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show but the story is different under the skin: When the 4C debuted in Geneva, much of the car was made out of expensive carbon fiber. In order to avoid Ferrari-like prices, the production version's exterior panels will be made from sheet-molded composites and, while the car's central tub will still utilize carbon, the front and rear frames will be made with aluminum. When all is said and done, the production-bound 4C will tip the scale at approximately 1,980 pounds.

The test mule pictured is equipped with federally-mandated side marker lamps on the front wheel arches, a good indication that it is a U.S.-spec model.

The 4C will be powered by a 296-horsepower turbocharged four-cylinder engine with a displacement of 1,750 cubic centimeters, a number that Alfisti around the world will immediately associate with the Italian automaker's illustrious past. Linked to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the four-banger will propel the 4C from zero to 60 mph in a brisk 4.5 seconds.

More details about the 4C and Alfa Romeo's strategy to return to the United States will be revealed during a press conference that will take place on October 30th.