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

Let's be honest, these days 2500lbs still qualifies it as a featherweight. What is there the Elise and the Smart 4/2 that are lighter?
The current Miata weighs in at ~2550lbs (with a steel frame BTW).

IF the 4C were 2500lbs, closer in comfort and day to day usability to a Boxster (3000lbs+, remember) than an Elise, and gave a driving experience in between the two, it's be a Winner.

I've never seen in real life let alone driven one but just looking at the Evo video can tell that my arms would be cramped like I'm trying to eat a meal in coach class when the guy in front has his seat reclined.
The 4C should be ~5 inches longer, a bit taller, have a gem of an engine, good feedback/balance and those looks and then it'd be a classic. Instead it's like Alfa compiled a bunch of disjointed goals (highly stylized body, length of an Elise, width of a Boxster, >300hp but no space or money for anything but a highly boosted economy car 4-cylinder motor, lots of leather, cheap i.e. parts bin suspension, huge rims and show car tires, stupid steering wheel, and oh year a carbon tub!) without an idea of how it would all work together.
Sometimes with this approach you get lucky and hit upon something that works well enough, sometimes not...

 

Typical Alfa. So flawed it hurts.
I have seen a few while in france. They look great but sound bad and the interior is terrible quality wise. Haven't driven one but it seems it's not the great handling machine we expect.

I think other than the looks this car doesn't have much going for it.

 

They FINALLY announced dealers yesterday...mostly fiat dealers (at least one maser dealer - walnut creek, ca). This WAS a date I had been waiting for...now...meh. I ain't buying one sight unseen...gotta test drive it and sit in in (worried that I won't fit or be comfortable).

Still, I strongly suspect they will sell out quickly from the current waiting lists...I'm equally sure some folks will pass that are on the list after what has been written by the journalists. Maybe in year two or three I will get a chance to check one out...

 

Many really jumped the gun on what we thought this car would be. I think many just want something different, nothing wrong with that. But is it worth it, when you get an inferior performing and sounding car, compared to great cars like the cayman?

 

Another source on pricing and weight--- Alfa Romeo 4C priced at $53,900* in US, gains 342 pounds vs Euro version - Autoblog

 

Only if $60k is pocket change. Id buy one just because i love Alfa and it looks amazing if $60k was fun money to me. But it's not, so i would either buy a Cayman or an Exige or a used 360/997 GT3 for a little more. This Alfa has way too many flaws to be taken seriously.

 

Oh Lard lardy lardy.
I seem to remember getting pilloried here for crticising this car.
In short, the CF tub is the good part here, attached to which is a strut suspension, so how exactly is that supposed to work. I guess it worked on the stratos?
This car needs wioshbone suspension and at 2495lbs a mtoor to make it go and an inspirational motor, maybe that masser TTV6. Then we migth have somnething.

Sadly the Euro manufacturers are so caught up in euroweeinie socialist claptrap they are loosing the plot. Ugly front ends to meet euro pedestrain saftey standards( have you seen a nice BMW oir Merc front end lately.) Sopr start which no one like and why is it ona 100K sl. Then we have Alfa Fiat who are still stuck in the build it crappy decade.

Here is a hint, if you make a great looking CF tub car, put suspension and motors in that live up to the looks and tub. If it then costs 10 or 20K more that will be fine and justifies by the end product.

 

I'm one who doesn't find the complaints about weight to carry any, err...weight...it's lighter by 20%+ over its principle competition - the cayman. 2495 wet! In this day and age...that is an accomplishment...show me the MY2015 cars that weigh less with anywhere near this level ofperformance?

 

Oh. And in the $60,000's for a carbon tubbed mid engine Italian sports car? Sheesh...the typical equipped cayman S is well above that..since when was the Italian supposed to be cheaper than the Porsche?

No...I don't agree with any complaints about 4C on weight or price...or looks for that matter or rarity/exclusiveness.

Driving dynamics? Now that is a question and potential issue...

 

Yes but weight was one of the beginning advantages touted. One of the competitors of course is the Exige which weighs far less than the Alfa.
The "add lightness" philosophy accounts for the stellar handling dynamics of the Lotus. If Alfa isn't "lightweight," it needs a better motor to compete, as well as suspension.


Sent from my 16M

 

A lot of "bench racing" in this thread... Obviously, it isn't for everyone - thankfully. I am still excited to see them on the road and hopefully get a chance to drive one, at some point. Then I will decide if it is for me or not.

 

Road & Track's comparison test of the 4C was done based on a Euro-spec car up against a Cayman S and an Elise. The major complaint was that the 4C's suspension and tire package contributed to a dangerously unstable car at high speeds on poor road surfaces. Per the article, the American 4C will have a different suspension setup. Who knows, maybe the additional 342 pounds the US-spec car will carry will help improve the handling. (Always looking for a silver lining). I remain a potential buyer at this time.

 

When the elise and cayman came out, there was neary a chirp about their dynamics or the way they drove. An elsise may be criticised for being crude in its build and a cayman too refined, but both were and are praised for their dynamics.. The crticism of the 4C goes to the very dynamics of the machine.

What we have in the 4c is a car that weighs 2500lbs compared to say an evora or Cayman which is 400lbs more. So that is the CF savings..

I have yet to read an article that has anything but praise for the way an evora drives and its dynamics. The same can be said of an elise(but its crude) and of a cayman(great to drive a little too anisthetic).

Point is all these natural competitors have great dynamics, so its inexcusable that a 4c with its CF tub has big questionmarks on this in pretty much every review, and this is a car thta is supposed t0obe alla bout dynamics. The question then is, does the 4c suspension have built in dynamic flaws due to its design/concept(struts), or could someone like lotus make its handling sublime? In whach case there is hope.

As to the motor, if the rest of the dynamics were superlative we could overlook this easily and the aftermarket will in any event come up with exhausts and more boost.

Something like a 4c is unlikely to be daily, at elast in USA, its going to be a back road carever and a DE track toy. As a backroad carver the handling is from what we read suspect, and certainly not as rewarding a drive as others. As a DE track car it has neither the handling or/nor the power to be compelling. Like the new viper its a compelling concept just not quite there compared to its competition. Or we might say great concept not fully baked, which seems to be somethign of an Italian auto trait. (ferrari excepted)

Yet with a CF tub it should be above the competition dynamicaly, and ultimatly that is the fault. You can only rely on looks and body for so long.

If I were fiat the 4c would be sent to dance school at lotus, and like toyota does at TRD I would offer out the box all types of motor upgrades from the dealer catalog. Think of a 350 hp 4c that can be a great dance partner, that is the promise so far its a fail.

 

Alabama
FIAT of Huntsville, dba Alfa Romeo of Huntsville, Huntsville, Ala.

Arkansas
Landers FIAT, dba Landers Alfa Romeo, Benton, Ark.
FIAT of Fayetteville, dba Alfa Romeo of Fayetteville, Fayetteville, Ark.

Arizona
Larry H. Miller FIAT Tucson, dba Larry H. Miller Alfa Romeo Tucson, Tucson, Ariz.
FIAT of Scottsdale, dba Alfa Romeo of Scottsdale, Scottsdale, Ariz.

California
FIAT of Burlingame, dba Alfa Romeo of Burlingame, Burlingame, Calif.
FIAT of Bakersfield, dba Alfa Romeo of Bakersfield, Bakersfield, Calif.
McKevitt FIAT, dba McKevitt Alfa Romeo, Berkeley, Calif.
Premier FIAT of Fremont, dba Premier Alfa Romeo of Fremont, Newark, Calif.
Orange Coast FIAT, dba Orange Coast Alfa Romeo, Costa Mesa, Calif.
Santa Monica FIAT, dba Santa Monica Alfa Romeo, Santa Monica, Calif.
FIAT of Los Angeles, dba Alfa Romeo of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Calif.
Kearny Mesa FIAT, dba Kearny Mesa Alfa Romeo, San Diego, Calif.
Walter’s FIAT, dba Walter’s Alfa Romeo, Riverside, Calif.
Mossy FIAT, dba Mossy Alfa Romeo, National City, Calif.
FIAT of San Francisco (San Francisco Motors), dba Alfa Romeo of San Francisco, San Francisco, Calif.
Maserati of Walnut Creek, dba Alfa Romeo of Walnut Creek, Walnut Creek, Calif.

Colorado
AutoNation FIAT North Denver, dba AutoNation Alfa Romeo North Denver, Northglenn, Colo.

Connecticut
FIAT of Fairfield County, dba Alfa Romeo of Fairfield County, Stamford, Conn.

Florida
Rick Case FIAT, dba Rick Case Alfa Romeo, Davie, Fla.
FIAT of North Miami, dba Alfa Romeo of North Miami, North Miami, Fla.
FIAT of Melbourne, dba Alfa Romeo of Melbourne, Melbourne, Fla.
FIAT of Pensacola, dba Alfa Romeo of Pensacola, Pensacola, Fla.
Sunset FIAT of Sarasota, dba Sunset Alfa Romeo of Sarasota, Sarasota, Fla.
FIAT of Winter Haven, dba Alfa Romeo of Winter Haven, Winter Haven, Fla.
FIAT of Orange Park, dba Alfa Romeo of Orange Park, Jacksonville, Fla.
Greenway FIAT of East Orlando, dba Greenway Alfa Romeo of East Orlando, East Orlando, Fla.
Fields FIAT, dba Fields Alfa Romeo, Orlando, Fla.

Georgia
FIAT of Savannah, dba Alfa Romeo of Savannah, Savannah, Ga.

Iowa
D&D FIAT, dba D&D Alfa Romeo, Davenport, Iowa
Billion FIAT, dba Billion Alfa Romeo, Clive, Iowa

Illinois
FIAT of Chicago, dba Alfa Romeo of Chicago, Chicago, Ill.
Bettenhausen FIAT of Tinley Park, dba Bettenhausen Alfa Romeo of Tinley Park, Tinley Park, Ill.
FIAT of Metro East, dba Alfa Romeo of Metro East, Fairview Heights, Ill.

Indiana
FIAT of Glenbrook, dba Alfa Romeo of Glenbrook, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Expressway FIAT of Evansville, dba Expressway Alfa Romeo of Evansville, Evansville, Ind.

Kentucky
Jake Sweeney FIAT, dba Jake Sweeney Alfa Romeo, Florence, Ky.

Louisiana
Landers FIAT, dba Landers Alfa Romeo, Shreveport, La.

Maryland
Heritage FIAT, dba Heritage Alfa Romeo, Owings Mills, Md.
Criswell Maserati, dba Criswell Alfa Romeo, Germantown, Md.

Michigan
Suburban FIAT, dba Suburban Alfa Romeo, Ann Arbor, Mich.
Fox FIAT, dba Fox Alfa Romeo, Traverse City, Mich.
Golling FIAT, dba Golling Alfa Romeo, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
FIAT of Lakeside, dba Alfa Romeo of Lakeside, Macomb, Mich.
Zeigler FIAT of Grandville, dba Zeigler Alfa Romeo of Grandville, Grandville, Mich.

Minnesota
FIAT of Bloomington, dba Alfa Romeo of Bloomington, Bloomington, Minn.

Missouri
Northtowne FIAT of Kansas City, dba Northtowne Alfa Romeo of Kansas City, Kansas City, Mo.

North Carolina
Hendrick FIAT of Cary, dba Hendrick Alfa Romeo of Cary, Cary, N.C.

Nebraska
FIAT of Omaha, dba Alfa Romeo of Omaha, Omaha, Neb.

New Jersey
FIAT of Maple Shade, dba Alfa Romeo of Maple Shade, Maple Shade, N.J.
Fullerton FIAT, dba Fullerton Alfa Romeo, Somerville, N.J.

Nevada
FIAT of Las Vegas, dba Alfa Romeo of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nev.
Findlay FIAT, dba Findlay Alfa Romeo, Henderson, Nev.

New York
FIAT of Larchmont, dba Alfa Romeo of Larchmont, Larchmont, N.Y.

Ohio
Bob & Chuck Eddy FIAT, dba Bob & Chuck Eddy Alfa Romeo, Youngstown, Ohio
Yark FIAT, dba Yark Alfa Romeo, Toledo, Ohio
Bob-Boyd FIAT, dba Bob-Boyd Alfa Romeo, Columbus, Ohio
Bob Ross FIAT, dba Bob Ross Alfa Romeo, Centerville, Ohio

Oklahoma
FIAT of Edmond, dba Alfa Romeo of Edmond, Edmond, Okla.

Pennsylvania
Baierl FIAT, dba Baierl Alfa Romeo, Wexford, Pa.

South Carolina
Benson FIAT, dba Benson Alfa Romeo, Greer, S.C.

Tennessee
Harper FIAT, dba Harper Alfa Romeo, Knoxville, Tenn.

Texas
FIAT of Austin, dba Alfa Romeo of Austin, Austin, Texas
Holt FIAT of Fort Worth, dba Holt Alfa Romeo of Fort Worth, Fort Worth, Texas
Northside FIAT, dba Northside Alfa Romeo, Spring, Texas
Randall Noe FIAT, dba Randall Noe Alfa Romeo, Tyler, Texas
Allen Samuels FIAT, dba Allen Samuels Alfa Romeo, Waco, Texas
FIAT of Corpus Christi, dba Alfa Romeo of Corpus Christi, Corpus Christi, Texas
Helfman FIAT, dba Helfman Alfa Romeo, Houston, Texas
Brown FIAT, dba Brown Alfa Romeo, Laredo, Texas
FIAT of McKinney, dba Alfa Romeo of McKinney, McKinney, Texas
Cavender FIAT, dba Cavender Alfa Romeo, Selma, Texas

Virginia
Safford FIAT of Tysons Corner, dba Safford Alfa Romeo of Tysons Corner, Vienna, Va.
Safford FIAT of Fredericksburg, dba Safford Alfa Romeo of Fredericksburg, Fredericksburg, Va.
FIAT of Alexandria, dba Alfa Romeo of Alexandria, Alexandria, Va.
Pomoco FIAT of Newport News, dba Pomoco Alfa Romeo of Newport News, Newport News, Va.

Vermont
Berlin City FIAT, dba Berlin City Alfa Romeo, Williston, Vt.

Washington
FIAT of Tacoma, dba Alfa Romeo of Tacoma, Tacoma, Wash.
Barton FIAT, dba Barton Alfa Romeo, Spokane, Wash.

Wisconsin
Bergstrom Maserati, dba Bergstrom Alfa Romeo, Appleton, Wis.

West Virginia
Urse FIAT of Morgantown, dba Urse Alfa Romeo of Morgantown, Morgantown, W. Va.
Moses FIAT of St. Albans, dba Moses Alfa Romeo of St. Albans, St. Albans, W. Va.

Canada
FIAT of Vancouver, dba Alfa Romeo of Vancouver, Vancouver, B.C.
Maranello FIAT, dba Maranello Alfa Romeo, Vaughan, Ont.
LaSalle FIAT, dba LaSalle Alfa Romeo, LaSalle, Quebec
JD FIAT, dba JD Alfa Romeo, Boischatel, Quebec

 

cant imagine having to service this thing in larchmont if live in long island. keeps getting worse and worse. and agree with boxerman 100% too. dispite all of that, i would still consider it if had a good test drive.

 

I just don't get why Ferrari does not have any input in the development of Alfa's limited edition cars. 4C sounds like the 8C story all over again. Amazingly beautiful but lacking when it comes to power, handling and transmission.
Somone in the Fiat mangement needs to be fired.

 

My impression was that the 8c was a maserati, therfore developed by ferrari, perhaps the alfa parts needed finishing school. In the old days Alfas were good handlers with well judged suspension, I guess those engineers are long gone. Even the Fiat abarth compared to say a mini is a poor handler getting its spec from stiff suspension and tires

A lot of this is pure company arrogance and perhaps lack of experience after decades of buildign sub par crapbox(by comparisoon) cars. But then we see porche who should know better building the boulavadier 991 with near inert eps steering.

Somehow there is an arrogance that the customer is stupid, that snazzy design and cf with some paper spec is all it takes. This attitude emanating from europe is reminicent of that in detroit int he 70's and 80's(when sales were good) and wrough results in the 90's and 2k which were bad.

Its just not rocket science to maker acar which handles and rides well, although it probably is if you dont have the experience, driving sense or engineers who know what it is.
The 4c was and is a whizbang car. It looks great, the concept potential great. That somethign like it got built is amazing, but somehow the plot got lost.

Now the question is can it be made to dance. One mag i read surmised that the stiff tub and grippy tires meant that the struts had too much play and movement, if that is true, it can be improved but wont be agreat, and one wonders why no wishbones.

In any event big wheels and tires have been made to work elsewhere,yes you can end up with a stiff ride but it doesent have to be skittish and can still have compliance. Anyone can make a car sort of handle on paper with big tires and limited suspension movement, honda did this with the last euro civic and it was a bomb, seems like what we have in the 4c too.

What is really needed is grip, feeddack compliance and predictability. Either alfa figures it will sell on looks, which so far is correct and/or they have lost the talent. Either way why not do it right. Ask yourself, if the car went to lotus could they make it really work well, or is the suspension design too compromised. I know the tub is great, can its potential be unleashed

 

I thought the road and track review was quite positive.

Alfa s were never about market segment performance leadership....but rather the driver excitement was top notch.

I think the 4c would benefit from 300 hp at 55 grand but that's not that big a deal....

ZEro to sixty in 4.2 is impressive for this little 1750.....a two liter turbo 300 hp motor should hopefully slot right in in a couple of years.

 

An Alfa 4C showed up at Cars and Coffee in Irvine CA over the weekend, here is someone's short video posted on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10203018355291665&set=o.153592904679646&type=2&theater

 

Spoke with a someone at Fiat Santa Monica today and the launch edition 4c is due to arrive in August and they will be marked up over the MSRP not sure how much of a mark up.

 

About bench racing..the new Renault Megane 275 Trophy is 10s faster than an 4c around the ring and it's a fricking FWD car..It's also 25k euro cheaper..

 

Typical Alfa (or FIAT). They have so much potential but always fall short. The 8C as you said is another flawed execution (very desirable car to just drive around but not amazing to drive).
I love how the 4C looks but cant get over how poorly executed it is.

 

Some of you guys have been smokin' the red mist too long.



What you should be asking is why Ferrari CAN'T build anything like this -- because they used to. But, that was a long time ago.

This is the car Ferrari should build, but won't. Why? Because...

well, now what's more important is getting 99% of the owners to pay $1800 for two sets of shields that cost them ten bucks. Or $3500 for a rear view camera that cost them eleven bucks. Or $1000 for an Ipod cable that costed them seven bucks.

That is Ferrari's priority today. Alfa has a different idea...

R&T "it's a Ferrari in disguise"

2014 Alfa Romeo 4C - First Drive Review - Road & Track

Autoblog "On public backroads, the Alfa is nothing short of a scalpel."

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C [w/video] First Drive - Autoblog

Motor Authority "It’s a dazzling reincarnation of a heady past, and a future classic in its own right."

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C First Drive Video

Motor Trend: "Bringing Sexy Back: Alfa Romeo’s Return to the U.S. is Simply Stunning"

2014 Alfa Romeo 4C First Drive - Motor Trend

Automobile: "This almost indescribably lovely sports car combines old-school personality with new-school technology."

2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Review

Track review

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HcJpszl66k]2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Race Track Review - YouTube[/ame]

 

I beg to differ.

The 4c is the car Ferrari won't build because it's forgotten how to. It's more interested in getting 99% of their new car buyers to pay for $1800 of shields that cost them 10 bucks to buy, a back up camera for $3500 that costed them 11 bucks, and an Ipod cable for $900 that costed them 5 bucks.

This is Ferrari's goal. Make sexy, cushy, expensive GT's because people say they want a sports car but they really don't. They want a symbol.

You want to see what people said about the 4c in the past?

Turn the clock back to 1969 and hear what Ferrari owners said about that little underpowered, Fiat built, cheaply made car called "Dino". You'll hear some echos of the above statements -- all of which proved wrong over time.

The 4c is fresh air in a world so stale so long it can't remember what fresh air used to smell like.

The US press agrees:

"The Alfa Romeo 4C loses nothing in the transition to US trim"

"It remains one of the most enjoyable experiences you can have behind the wheel of a modern car."

"At the limit, the Cayman is a vastly superior vehicle. At anything less, the Cayman is like driving a video game simulation of what the world’s perfect sports car might be. Meanwhile, the 4C is an absolute screaming, laugh-out-loud riot."

First Drive: The US-spec Alfa Romeo 4C - Road & Track

 

So today I had my test drive, finally, in a 4C.

The run towards the test drive was not too good. In 2013 I had driven some Alfa customers around the race track during 'Italia a Zandvoort'. After that they promised me a test drive. Well forget it .... after a long period of asking and sending emails, etc. etc. I was finally allowed to ride with an INSTRUCTOR in the 4C. A year later! At Ferrari I get a half a million $ F12 for a test drive without any problems with the words 'enjoy Robin'. At Alfa I was only allowed a test drive, after a long time complaining, with an instructor. Not a good start. But ok, ultimately, it is the drive that counts, and the instructor was actually very nice, especially after he saw me arriving in my F360. He also asked several times to compare the two, since the average 4C test driver is more used to a Giulietta ....

I got a nice red one. Not that ugly burgundy red but just bright red with carbon headlights and it suits him well. Even the lights did not look wrong. Inside it's a bit less good. All very small, no space behind the seats. The steering wheel is very flat at the bottom. I have the same in the 360 (challenge steering wheel), but to a lesser extent, and during sharp turns it feels weird. Dashboard looks like plastic. Radio looks awful. Paddles are attached to the steering wheel and feel very clinical. I don't know an other word to describe it. Apparently I like the Ferrari ones attached to the steering column more.

A car magazine once made a comparison between a 360 and a 4C, and since for me the 4C would serve as a replacement for the 360​​, I did the comparison automatically (and especially since the instructor kept asking for it). In terms of interior, it is clear 1-0 for the 360​​. Everything more spacious, you can at least put your jacket behind your seat and those paddles on the steering column feel better. Visibility is also better in the 360.

When you start driving, things get better. Acceleration is a delight. It accelerates much better than the 360, more fluent​​. Faster also because of the double clutch. And not just until 100 km/h (60 mph); it continues to accelerate fast easily up to 180 km/h (>110 mph) which you easily reach very quickly. Very nice and very smooth.

Braking disappointed me. It was not bad. But it slows down almost the same as the 360, which is 400 kg heavier. That's weird and gives a very strange feeling that the car is heavy. This is emphasized by the fact that there is no power steering. I do not mind that there is no power steering .... but it's just a bit strange that such a light car feels heavy.

Handling is very good. It's super direct and you feel every stone you drive over. Very good feedback. Magazines that talk about nervous behavior and hard suspension etc. I think they are talking nonsense. This is a sports car and you just want a lot of feedback. And that really is good with the 4C. I would say that the handling is maybe 'too good' sometimes. It really sticks to the road no matter what you do. Some understeer (although I did not notice it in the streets) and the instructor said that it really is not easy to get it into a drift. In contrast, it looks to me that this 4C is very fast on the track.

Sound .... uh .... very strange. It changes constantly! One moment you hear the exhaust, then a rattling engine, then a hissing turbo, downshifting sounds different every time, very bizarre. With the window open it sounds best, as you'll hear more exhaust. Inside you'll hear more of a resonance that actually, if you are doing 100 km/h / 60mph on the motorway, is a bit irritating. My 360 with Larini exhaust sounds more quiet at 100 km/h, and if you accelerate it sounds louder, the way it should be.

The dual clutch is good. It missed a downshift one time, but it didn't irritate me. Downshifting in the 360 ​​is accompanied by brute force; revs shoot up with a great blast from the exhaust, and a karate chop to your neck. With such a dual clutch it's much smoother, but less exciting. Fortunately the exhaust does have a nice sound when downshifting in 4C.

The carbon is of course very cool, especially because you see it when you sit inside. But it's not like you think "gee, I'm inside a very stiff car ...". I don't think you will really notice much difference from a Vauxhal Speedster and Lotus Elise. However it's likely that in the convertible version you'll experience more benefit.

After an hour, I suddenly realized that this 4C should not be compared to a 360 at all. And also not a Cayman, like those nerds at Evo Magazine continuously do (as with any car they test). The 4C really made ​​me think of the Porsche Boxster Spyder. Also fairly lightweight, almost same power / mass ratio (250 bhp / ton instead of 260 bhp / ton), simple interior, dual clutch and you do not often see them. I was always very interested to buy it despite my dislike for the brand. But it's a nice car. More expensive (though not now since they are only available 2nd hand) but with all due respect .... the Porsche really drove better. With such a car you end up going to work drifting. With the 4C clearly you don't. And with the sports exhaust the Boxster Spyder also sounded much better. In design terms, it couldn't possibly compare to the 4C ....

I think Alpha did manage to make a car with a very high fun / price ratio. The fact that you can buy a new car like that for something like 68keuro (in my country) is just magnificent. The exhaust sound is not perfect, but there will be solutions by many tuners. There have also been ECUs for sale that bring the power up to 300 hp / ton, equivalent to my 360. But even in the normal setup it really is already bloody quick. And you get a lot of attention .... There was even someone at a traffic light who stepped out for a walk around the car and to congratulate us. That it's a rare and special car is clear ... And the suspension is very good. No wonder that it did the Nürburgring in 8:07.

But I had hoped that it would be a light 'toss-it-around' car. Like the Smart Roadster of my wife that you can throw around the bend hard, drift a bit, and move on. The same is true for the Porsche Boxster Spyder; a car with a lot of oversteer and where you can just have a lot of laughs with, even if it's a German car. And what I find in the 4C is a car that appears to feel heavier than a 360. It is true that the 360 ​​has a higher Bhp / kg ratio, but the braking, the steering, everything is much lighter in the 360 ​​and it seems therefore a lighter car. On top of that the Ferrari just means more violence; you get a kick every time you shift, and you're instantly deaf ..

So .. weirdly enough, I get a kind of Top Gear experience. A Porsche Boxster Spyder is simply a better car and I would recommend it to friends, but I would probably buy the 4C myself simply because it's beautiful and Italian .....
But I like a violent car. And a 1.5-year waiting period when you order the 4C is too long. So for me I still stick to the 360. Exchanging my 360 for a 4C seems not worth it for me. For the future 4C spyder ... maybe. Financially probably a smarter thing to do than keeping a Ferrari ... but I think I would miss driving a violent F....