[Gabriel211]

Do you also Alfa Romeo 4C is misunderstood by many? For me, this model is the best modern Alfa.

Do you agree with this author's opinion?

Alfa Romeo 4C: a tiny supercar no one felt for | Drivertical

Alfa Romeo 4C is one of the best modern motoring examples. It really is a shame that nobody didn't seem to understand it.

drivertical.com

 

[PSk]

Extremely small market

Pete

 

[Alfafannj]

I went to test drive the 4C and the Fiat 124 with every intention on buying either one. But I just couldn't get past a few things.
1. Getting in and out of both cars was awful
2. No manual gearbox (a sports car should have manual in my opinion).
3. Uncomfortable seating (I like a seat that can recline back a bit more)
4. Not enough storage
5. No spare tire

So, I bought a 1975 Spider because it solved all of my problems and I saved a bunch of money too. Go figure.

 

[AlfaTasteless]

I concur with the standard trans, but it's because A. Nobody knows how to drive them anymore unless their parents and/or grandparents teach them, and B. People nowadays are too weak to handle a real clutch pedal. Not sure if anybody here has driven any new(er) manual cars, but the clutch pedal at full pressure feels like it's not even there compared to an old clutch, even a hydraulic one.

 

[RoryJ]

I daily drove a new 4C when they first came out for about three months. In my opinion, it's a great looking car and I was hoping it would drive like a small Ferrari 458. In reality, the car is closer to a Lotus Elise/Exige with a fairly unforgiving suspension, not much interior padding leading to lots of noise ricocheting around the cabin, difficult ingress/egress, etc. The engine wasn't particularly pleasurable to listen to and I too, wished for a manual gearbox to give a little more involvement. The non-power assist steering is fine at speed, but a pain to park with.

I had the opportunity to do some lapping at Willow Springs (Big Willow). There, the car seemed underpowered and somewhat benign to drive. Very much a baby supercar, as opposed to an actual supercar.

If I had to buy a 4C, I'd probably pick a Spider because the open roof lets more irritating cabin noise escape. But I'd rather have a Giulia Quadrifoglio.

 

[Peter A]

An awesome, focused car. Some flaws. I am DD mine for now.

 

[VabeneGTV]

I have one, love it. I view it as a no frills, old school car based on the rawness, no power steering, an Aftermarket ECU turns it into more of a beast. They look great, you don’t see them everyday, no power steering, kind of like a motorcycle with four wheels. I suspect in time they will command more respect.

 

[alfaloco]

Well, anyone with just a smattering of car sense can look at a 4C, and understand it's not a multi-purpose vehicle. It was targeted to a certain market, it fulfills its promise very well, and is a blast to drive. If you want more space to lounge around in, then yes-- get a Giulia or Stelvio. Alfa never made any pretense about the 4C being anything other than a well outfitted 21st century track/road car. Daily driver? Depends on your age, relative flexibility, and the traffic conditions you have to cope with every day. Maybe not...
The first 4C I drove, I understood right away what its capabilities and practical limitations were. And I couldn't get rid of the grin.

 

[AlfaTasteless]

I have one, love it. I view it as a no frills, old school car based on the rawness, no power steering, an Aftermarket ECU turns it into more of a beast. They look great, you don’t see them everyday, no power steering, kind of like a motorcycle with four wheels. I suspect in time they will command more respect.

Oh yeah, I forgot they don't have power steering! How's the feel? Is it anything like driving an older Alfetta or GTV6?

 

[Aggie57]

Not sure if anybody here has driven any new(er) manual cars, but the clutch pedal at full pressure feels like it's not even there compared to an old clutch, even a hydraulic one.

I have a 2020 manual 911, the clutch pedal is beautifully weighted with lots of feel.

 

[Peter A]

@AlfaTasteless Yes, amazingly it reminds me of a gtv6. Especially one I sold last year that had 28mm torsion bars and a 3.0. Of course much more power and lighter with no back seat and trunk to store things. The manual steering for sure, the unique engine sounds, the short gears and torque biased motor. No v6 sound that would be awesome. 4C more tricky to drive fast, but with both cars to go fast you need to drive to their unique strengths and flaws. Events happen very fast in a 4C until you get used to it. Parking effort is a breeze compared to a grv6. Both have unique technologies and deadly looks. 🍀🍀

 

[conedriver]

Agree. I would have one in a heartbeat if my retirement budget would allow it.

Do you also Alfa Romeo 4C is misunderstood by many? For me, this model is the best modern Alfa.

Do you agree with this author's opinion?

Alfa Romeo 4C: a tiny supercar no one felt for | Drivertical

Alfa Romeo 4C is one of the best modern motoring examples. It really is a shame that nobody didn't seem to understand it.

drivertical.com

 

[alfaloco]

Looking at the recent selling prices, for even low miles 4C's, it seems to be a purely economics result of supply vs. demand. For a low-numbers niche car, Alfa sold a good number of 4C's in this country from the beginning. Lots of publicity, rave reviews, Alfisti and even non-Alfisti bought them up at first. Now, some years afterward, there's a considerable supply of them out there. And because they are what they are, with not much luggage space and a focus on track capabilities, few of them were primary vehicles ("fourth cars", somebody said). Thus the low miles on many of them.

The bottom line? I think the 4C is appreciated as much as ever, they're just in a buyer's market right now. Sort of the opposite of what we see with Duettos, 1750 Spiders, and pristine S2 Spiders with their prices increasing.

Like Conedriver, I'd also love to have a 4C Spider, but it's just as well since I'd probably wind up in jail, with no license.

 

[AlfaTasteless]

@AlfaTasteless Yes, amazingly it reminds me of a gtv6. Especially one I sold last year that had 28mm torsion bars and a 3.0. Of course much more power and lighter with no back seat and trunk to store things. The manual steering for sure, the unique engine sounds, the short gears and torque biased motor. No v6 sound that would be awesome. 4C more tricky to drive fast, but with both cars to go fast you need to drive to their unique strengths and flaws. Events happen very fast in a 4C until you get used to it. Parking effort is a breeze compared to a grv6. Both have unique technologies and deadly looks. 🍀🍀

Stop that, now I want one 😂. It's nice to hear that Fiat hasn't quite ruined the whole point of driving an Alfa [yet]. I get why the price tag is so high, with all their fancy technology and materials, but I wish they would've kept it a little lower budget. I mean, my '76 Alfetta with its A/C and optional alloys in 1975 (~$7,500 USD) cost just as much as a base model 2021 Toyota Sienna.

 

[RoryJ]

The biggest thing keeping 4C values down, in my opinion, is that you can buy an early Lotus Evora for around the same price with a better sounding six-cylinder engine, more interior room and three pedals. That would be my pick as a more engaging and usable car.

The 4C is gorgeous, but beyond the exotic looks, it just doesn't grab me and there are other cars I'd buy for $50k. To each, his own.

 

[Peter A]

Evora more usable, yes. More engaging? Not for me. It’s more like a GT car or a 911, or a corvette. The 4C closer to an exige or esprit. Also 4C have turned out very reliable and low cost to operate, not sure about the Evora. As an Alfa guy I’d probably go to a Guilia Quad instead of an Evora but that’s not a great comp either I guess.

 

[John74Berlina]

I drive a modified 82 GTV-6 which is very fast, it is my 6th Alfa Romeo. When the 4C came out in 2014 I went to the auto show to see it, that's when I knew I would have one, went to the dealer a bit later in my GTV 2000 DD, and due to the fact I drove up in my 74 and let them take photos for their FB page they let me sit in the 4C in the showroom, All I could say was wow, ok it's a little work to get in and out , but no more than my 72 DeTomaso Pantera. I left that dealer knowing that I would buy a 4C. Fast forward to September 2020 with Covid I had been looking hard for I 4C after I had been offered a 2018 Rosso Competione Coupe with 2000 miles with full PPF for $50,000, I turned it down because I wanted a black coupe, well Rosso coupe ended up selling on BAT for $67,500. That was when I started seriously looking for a 4C, found my 2018 Black/Red, 1500 mi, with Acrapovic exhaust minutes after it was posted, flew to the dealer put down a non-refundable deposit, had a PPI done the next day, everything was good sent down payment overnight mail and had it shipped to me. I never even drove the car before buying , I've had seven Alfas, still have 4, never had a car with power steering, GTV-6 steering is much harder than the 4C, never had a car with padels rather than a manual, all my prior cars have been manuals, never owned an automatic. The 4C and the GTV-6 are a very viseral driving experience, you need to pay attention, you are driving never cruising, the Pantera is like a street version of a Can-Am car, all my cars can wear you out a bit, but they really leave a smile on my face. I plan on selling none of them. Ok maybe a bit too long of a post, oh I don't care about a trunk, it's a seller's market now for the 4C, if you want one get it soon they are going up.

 

[Schuey]

Yup, definitely a sellers market! Only about 14k 4Cs were made. Maybe 3k or so in North America. If you find one you want, don’t hesitate, pull the trigger. I bought one in March without ever driving one. Couldn’t be more happy.

 

[alfaloco]

Yup, definitely a sellers market! Only about 14k 4Cs were made. Maybe 3k or so in North America. If you find one you want, don’t hesitate, pull the trigger. I bought one in March without ever driving one. Couldn’t be more happy.

I've driven a 4C a couple of times, allegro molto vivace....
I swear, if you've never driven one, and you're not grinning when you do drive one, then I'm sorry... you got to be clinically dead. A 4C is the most fun you can have with your clothes on!

 

[Peter A]

Like John74berlina I had been eyeing a 4C for a long time. Pulled the trigger this year. And the first drive felt like...an Alfa. To go fast in this car you have to really drive it. It’s a throwback car with a bit of modern tech, meaning things that make a car go fast and safely, not auto climate control and a video system. The DCT is the exception, but in this car, with turbo and gearing for the real world it just works.