Alfa 4C - "Without The Heart We Would Be Mere Machines"

It reminds me of the modern Dino that Ferrari still won't build. I like it, can't wait to see one in person.

 

I have seen it in person, even sat in one, and I think that the short wheelbase makes the curves on the car too steep. Don't get me wrong, it isn't the short chassi that I dislike; the steep angles created by generating enough roof height put me off a bit. The chassi on the other hand is a work of art and I am sure that the car will be tremendous fun to drive. I want to love the car and maybe the looks will grow on me; the MZ4 did.

 

I think this car could be a game changer when it finally makes its way to US shores. Here is a car, with a carbon fiber tub, and a turbocharged engine.. styled by Alfa. It is also rumored to have a fairly accessible price point. I want at least one.

 

One of the few new cars that strike a chord.
Probably way too small for me.

 

Doubtful. I am 6'6" and 220lb. I am not a small guy. Most say I am not fat, I wear a 36-37 waist so I could lose 20lb but not bad.

I had head room, it was snug but not bad at all. Now getting in is another story. The sills are so high and wide compared to the seating position that getting into the car isn't elegant and getting out would be difficult if you aren't in reasonable condition.

 

It's actually smart marketing this way, if Ferrari marketed it they would have to justify why the other models didn't have a carbon tub …and so on. Alfa having it makes sense, it preserves the line up over at Ferrari.

 

Another poor review for the 4C... Autocar compares it to Toyota GT86 and Porsche Cayman

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aI-WkHBUFN4]Alfa Romeo 4C v Porsche Cayman vs Toyota GT86 / Scion FT86 - sportscar shootout - YouTube[/ame]

 

NAFTA Version Job 1 2nd half of February 2014
500 4C US version Launch edition planned in 2014
Also the Targa version is on the way ....

Luque

 

Well weems the alfa reviews are mixed at best so far. American journalists being more positive than british. Thing i would worry most about is steering which should be universally praised as last of the manual units but its not getting the love. I know steering in my elise is best of all time.

As for targa version, let me guess. A folding canvas one and an optional hard top. Just like elise

 

Where to you get "poor review" from this?

It's different. Some of us like different. The 246 Dino was not better than the 911 at the time.

Did it matter to the 6000+ people who bought one? No.

I could care less if the McLaren 12c is "better" than the Ferrari 458. I don't want one. I'm sure there are people out there who love Lambo Gallardo's even if the 458 is better.

A poor review is one where the car just doesn't work. Everyone has their own opinion on what they want in a car. That doesn't make it "poor".

 

So from that review I get the British tester did not like the 4C because it was sticking to the road to much and was faster?? Why was that Toyota even in the test. It looked like the Alfa 4C was by far the fastest.


Why don't they post the lap times??


I sense alot of bias from this tester.............


My guess is he owns the Toyota and has always dreamed of owning the Porsche

 

Les face it, like many an alfa the 4c is not yet fully cooked. In time they will get the steering so sublime, maybe there will be a motor that revs and inspires, and even the aftermarket will turn it into the car it should be with lots of boost, cans and headlight conversions.

Look at it this way, a stock harley motor sucks, a tuned(as opposed to loud) exhaust, intake and remaping changes it radicaly. I could say similar things about many tiurbo cars. For power and revability methinks a tune and cams will transfrom the Alaf. Alignment, camber, castor etc will be fiddled with to get the steering right. As to why Alfa does not start that way, blame emissionsmid engined cars benign handlers so fools can drive them.

The potential is there, its just not fully realised yet. 3 or 4 years in it may be great, either from Alfa or the aftermarket..

 

Please do not refer to Harley Davidson cr@p as some sort of comparison to any Alfa Romeo motor!
Pete
Alfisti

 

Here's a direct comparison between the 4C and a standard new Cayman, and the lap times are identical. The tester still seems to favour the Porsche, but I think this may be part of a industry media bias. The only publication I saw that gives the not in performance to the Cayman but prefers the Alfa 4C is Top Gear UK Magazine's November 2013 issue, definitely worth reading. Also Top Gear UK has stated for years that you're not a true car enthusiast until you own an Alfa Romeo, which is high praise indeed. Read the Nov issue's article by Richard Hammond entitled "It's Not A Cayman But I Don't Care". Anyway, here's the video link to the newest AutoExpress UK test:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgO0ir7DPLc]Alfa Romeo 4C vs Porsche Cayman on track - YouTube[/ame]

 

Say that is Sturgis

 

The common criticism I've seen is that even though the 4C's steering is unassisted, it's kind of vague around the center. Consequently, the driver has to hold his breath each time he enters a turn or tries any sort of maneuver, as it's impossible to know how much traction he has upfront.

The other handling criticism is that front traction isn't what it needs to be, that all the traction is out back which makes the car feel a bit detached. )

And as Meaden put it in evo#189, the car has a hatchback's engine. All the tuning can't make that engine into a sports car's power plant. The lag alone, noticeable and pronounced, doesn't make finesse driving easy.

I hope this helped.

I'd still want to own one for a while, especially if the factory addresses some of these issues down the line.

 

The more I see the 4c, the more I like it. The looks have grown on me during the past months, and I've come to appreciate the coarse rawness of the exhaust note.

Dynamically it seemed much less approachable than the Cayman in the video, but then the Cayman is the benchmark for this type of car and has been crafted and honed with that seemingly inimitable German attention to detail. The Alfa, like many Italian products, appeals to the senses with many subjective qualities; yes, it is flawed, but that only adds to its ineffable appeal.

I can't help but think they are cars for two completely different character types: The Porsche for one obsessed with perfection, the Alfa for one endeared with all the beauty and shortcomings of humanity. But besides that overly-romanticized view, I think that we're very lucky to have both types to choose from.

I have driven a Cayman S and loved every minute of it. It satisfied its intended purpose as I saw it. Obviously I haven't driven a 4C, so I can't compare them, but the Alfa is the only car I find myself being captivated by in this class for all the reasons stated above.

With regards to the video, I noticed the Alfa was lapping with a full tank of gas, whereas the Cayman's low-fuel warning light was on. I'm not crying foul on this point, I simply find it interesting that both cars wouldn't be fueled to the same level for a hot lap comparison. Maybe an oversight on the part of the tester?

 

I'd like to add that Meaden claimed that the 4C's DCT was slower and less responsive than the one in the GTI.

 

I too have read Meaden's review and found it balanced, objective, and honest. He's probably right about all of his criticisms, and hopefully Alfa does address them in the car's future development.

The rating is 4.5/5 stars, and I feel that his last comment is most telling: "As it stands, the 4C doesn’t deliver Alfa Romeo straight to the top of the class, but it’s a damned good start." Well said.

As it stands now, I find it a highly desirable machine and would personally choose it over an Elise or Cayman simply because of what it represents: Alfa's return to its sporting roots (it's "two parts 500 Abarth and one part Ferrari 458," as stated in the article), its style, and the fact that we finally have an Italian entry in small, mid-engined sports cars. A lot of subjective criteria there, yes, but that's what I find important in this style of vehicle.

 

I have always loved Alfa because they were different. They do things that others don't and have their own personality.

Anyone can buy a Cayman and feel like an F1 driver on the track and like they are driving a Camry on the streets.

Who wants another Cayman? We have one already.

To me, I'd rather be in something not quite as good at somethings and much better in others.

Call me shallow it's also what I find interesting in the women I like to be around: Personality and looks. I think the Alfa hit it just right.

This IS an Alfa, not a Porsche in an Italian suit.

Viva la difference'! I gotta get one...

 

Agree 100% with everything. In fact, that pretty much sums up my fascination with Italian cars in general.

 

Agreed it's different on so many different levels and it's Italian!

 

+1 Post of the thread! It's gone too far disconnecting driver from machine. I don't want perfection, I want an experience. If all are Cayman like what is the use! My GTV6 gave me that. I want it back

 

I certainly agree that a car that exemplifies certain attributes can be far more desirable and rewarding that one that's polished to the point that it's little more than a video game.

To me, the current 4C's attractive qualities are its lightness, direct steering and looks (I'm assuming the steering's vagueness will be addressed soon.) None of these, however, either on their own or as a group, can make up for an engine that doesn't thrill. It doesn't have to have insane power. It doesn't even have to be an NA unit. But it does have to be flexible, very responsive and capable of fine modulation when we're at 9/10s.

I can only hope to feel this way about the 4C at some point. If not, there's always the mid-engined Caterham that's coming ~2015 . . .

 

246 Dino GT: 185 hp

No thrills?

In the Evo video, it ran the exact same circuit at the exact same time as the Cayman with less HP.

nuf said.