Thoughts on the Alfa Romeo 4C?

[MrPT]

Some strong viewpoints on its steering when you haven’t driven it

They’re not strong viewpoints. I was pretty clear that I haven’t driven one and my view was just speculative.

I’d have one in an instant. The chassis is incredible and they look fantastic.

[-Tom-]

Some strong viewpoints on its steering when you haven’t driven it

They’re not strong viewpoints. I was pretty clear that I haven’t driven one and my view was just speculative.

I’d have one in an instant. The chassis is incredible and they look fantastic.

Yes and me! I’d like to hear one with the akrapovic exhaust though.

The boot as you say though is sooo small! And his has a pretty bad leak at present

[buzyg]

Some strong viewpoints on its steering when you haven’t driven it

It has no power steering, and as a result it of course feels heavy and rather odd at low speeds. However, once moving, it is the epitome of the over used phrase “it’s like a go kart”. In the dry and on a decent road, it’s so engaging and the steering is unbelievably direct. But at the same time, if you don’t concentrate and hit a rut, it will try and kill you

The engine note I will agree is a little odd, but it’s a clever unit. Whilst there are some odd noises at certain revs, at others it sounds great; couple that with intake nosies next to your ear, and waste gates making all sorts of noises. It makes me feel like I’m driving a baby F40.

Some of the build quality is basic, and you get little to no kit. It really is a toy, and the the daft thing I found was that journalists compared it to a cayman at launch. They’re totally different cars, and can’t be compared. A bit like the Z4M, the journalists who went to town criticising aspects at the launch, now have started talking about those very things as being a positive

The gear box , as far as they go is decent. I prefer a manual, but stuck this in manual mode and you can sit it on the Rev limiter all day if you wanted to; you’re the boss when you want to be. The gearbox and changes do add something to the punchyness of the car, especially when booting it ! Hit boost right, and as a passenger it’s a decent scare!

I’ve driven a lot of interesting, fast, old and new cars. This has been the most exciting for me out of the bunch.

Great little write up Tom.

If only it wasn't too wide for Cornish lanes and I could fit in one.

[Z4M-2006]

I have driven one for about 30 miles

It was an incredible car...the chassis, poise and balance was up there with the best..

The steering although odd at first felt great on the road.
The car just feels “ different” due to the over suppressed world in which we drive now, power this, control that, anti lock blah blah blah

4C or Cayman would be a hard one for me, both a world away from a Z4

[drummachine]

My viewpoint having owned one for a few months now...

They are loud! And i don't mean exhaust loud i mean interior loud. You hear every noise from the engine, turbo and gearbox and at 70mph it omits the same noise as a boiling kettle. It does have a sound system and a bluetooth but both are useless above 50mph. Mine does have a race exhaust as per the launch edition spec though which doesn't help but the noise from outside on full acceleration can be heard a mile away, its that loud!

I see people talking about the steering above. At low speeds its heavy and appears sluggish but once your driving its fine. You feel everything and if you venture over a cats eye its more like running over a physical cat! However, its great for it and has great feel when you push it hard. I am very tempted however to take it to Alfaworks and have the steering and geometry adjusted to stop it darting across the road at random intervals. Its not that bad and it is liveable, but if it makes as much difference as people suggest its certainly worth doing.

There is nothing i have driven (i've had VX220 turbo's before too) that feels as fun and as special as this. I have friends with R8's, Vanquishes etc and having a quick drive in this puts a huge smile on their faces and they remember it. Its a lot more comfortable and well put together than you think. Not a single rattle and from all the reach i have done it appears extremely reliable.

However, it is not a car i would want to drive to the south of France. There is little to no storage, nowhere to rest your arm while driving, its as wide as a Range Rover and i have lost count on how many speed bumps i have scraped so far.

Its also £185 road tax and 40mpg. Whats not to like?

In summary, its epic and I don't regret one bit buying it. I have never owned a car that draws so much attention and gets remember by people as much as this one. However, it has its limitations with noise, practicality and width/height and i'm glad i (currently) have a Z4M and Z3M that if i wanted to travel a little further with my other half in the passenger seat a little happier, i can do - Happy wife, happy life!

If i wanted to have a leisurely drive into the country for a few hours for lunch, i would take the Z4M. If i wanted a blast for a couple of hours I cant think of a car more entertaining for the money (I have also owned a 981 S)

Chris

[Darkangelv2]

Out of interest, how do these stack up with the Alpine A110?

They can be had for similar money and, in theory at least, perform the same job.

Always loved Alfas and especially loved the 4C because it was such a departure from what they'd been doing - but no surprise it didn't sell in droves.

[M1k3yC]

drummachine, thanks for the detailed response, much appreciated!

Z4M-2006, thanks for the input!

[M1k3yC]

Out of interest, how do these stack up with the Alpine A110?

They can be had for similar money and, in theory at least, perform the same job.

Interesting question, but (even with the italics ), similar money is a stretch. The cheapest 4C is over £10k less than the cheapest A110 on Auto Trader right now.

[Darkangelv2]

Yeah - I knew I was stretching a bit. £45K for a 2018 Alpine vs £35k for the 4C.

Just interested as they are essentially going for the same market - lightweight driver-focused cars. I wonder how much difference the money and (assumed) technical progress has added, if anything.

[Branjos]

If you are thinking of driving it as your daily ride, then forget about the 4C. There are many cars out there that will give you a better life in owning it. Ranging from real world practicality down to cabin storage space, 4C is one of the worst cars you will ever know. However if you are in for the spirit of driving, then owning a 4C will never fail to bring a smile to your face.

Everything about the 4C is designed for a reason. The lack of the power steering is to allow the driver to feel planted in high speed. The car is light and you will feel the car is pushing you forward with little steering feedback coming from the front. Imagine with power steering, that will not be ideal. Hence driving a 4C is all about the experience of being the driver. the car is so fun to drive as it demands full driver attention..

Drive it if you ever have the opportunity. For daily usability, I will prefer my E89 Zed... but for a blast around A roads on a sunny day, I will go for the 4C.

Finally, don’t drive the 4C if you know you are going to the supermarket, because you can’t get out of the car in a normal parking space. It requires a pretty wide area for you to open the door. But once you are out of the car, you will quickly forget about it having the beautiful lines of the car. It is a real beauty to watch.

[drummachine]

If you are thinking of driving it as your daily ride, then forget about the 4C. There are many cars out there that will give you a better life in owning it. Ranging from real world practicality down to cabin storage space, 4C is one of the worst cars you will ever know. However if you are in for the spirit of driving, then owning a 4C will never fail to bring a smile to your face.

Everything about the 4C is designed for a reason. The lack of the power steering is to allow the driver to feel planted in high speed. The car is light and you will feel the car is pushing you forward with little steering feedback coming from the front. Imagine with power steering, that will not be ideal. Hence driving a 4C is all about the experience of being the driver. the car is so fun to drive as it demands full driver attention..

Drive it if you ever have the opportunity. For daily usability, I will prefer my E89 Zed... but for a blast around A roads on a sunny day, I will go for the 4C.

Finally, don’t drive the 4C if you know you are going to the supermarket, because you can’t get out of the car in a normal parking space. It requires a pretty wide area for you to open the door. But once you are out of the car, you will quickly forget about it having the beautiful lines of the car. It is a real beauty to watch.

Bang on!

[-Tom-]

If you are thinking of driving it as your daily ride, then forget about the 4C. There are many cars out there that will give you a better life in owning it. Ranging from real world practicality down to cabin storage space, 4C is one of the worst cars you will ever know. However if you are in for the spirit of driving, then owning a 4C will never fail to bring a smile to your face.

Everything about the 4C is designed for a reason. The lack of the power steering is to allow the driver to feel planted in high speed. The car is light and you will feel the car is pushing you forward with little steering feedback coming from the front. Imagine with power steering, that will not be ideal. Hence driving a 4C is all about the experience of being the driver. the car is so fun to drive as it demands full driver attention..

Drive it if you ever have the opportunity. For daily usability, I will prefer my E89 Zed... but for a blast around A roads on a sunny day, I will go for the 4C.

Finally, don’t drive the 4C if you know you are going to the supermarket, because you can’t get out of the car in a normal parking space. It requires a pretty wide area for you to open the door. But once you are out of the car, you will quickly forget about it having the beautiful lines of the car. It is a real beauty to watch.

Bang on!

Absolutely. It seems we all echo the same! The extended storage makes me laugh ... the pouch that goes into the rear bulk head that comes with a huge old fashioned key

When you look into the man hours and material that goes into each build , it’s impressive for the price:


https://youtu.be/e0YUL60A32Q

https://youtu.be/faFo40izlhk

[Branjos]

Totally agreed Tom. The 4C is a master piece in itself. Love the internal carbon hub and importantly a car that holds its value since Alfa will not be making a replacement in the near future.

I love both my 4C and E89 Zed to bits.

[Mavster]

Beautiful car. Remember seeing this on topgear when the Hamster was racing JC on that quad jet ski thing....Any idea what driver height would be the max to fit in one of these. I'm 6'6" and contemplating this car is the only time I wished that I was shorter.

[Papa_Zee]

Beautiful car. Remember seeing this on topgear when the Hamster was racing JC on that quad jet ski thing....Any idea what driver height would be the max to fit in one of these. I'm 6'6" and contemplating this car is the only time I wished that I was shorter.

Yup, saw that too, even saved some screenshots.
Sadly, for me I think it will just be a dream at least for now. Will keep the MR and the 4C itch might go away.
It really is a thing of beauty though...