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Photography by Serge Albarian
In what is arguably the greatest performance of his career, Tom Hanks played Walter Fielding Jr. in The Money Pit (1986). The film opens with Walter and his his wife, Anna (Shelley Long), purchasing a mansion in upstate New York for a price that is too good to be true. As they hire numerous contractors to renovate the decrepit mansion, the running gag line that develops is “two weeks”–the response to the question “when will it be done?”. Anyone who has ever hired a contractor to do even the simplest job will get this joke.
For the last fifteen years, I have found myself empathizing with Walter and Anna, not because I am trying to salvage a tumbledown estate, but because I’m an Alfista. You see, since about 2000, Fiat has been promising that Alfa Romeo would soon be back in the United States. When? Two years.
Alfa Romeo finally came back in 2008–sort of–with the very sexy, yet very limited, 8C Competizione but failed to follow it up with a more affordable model to be built in large quantities. That is, until now. But was the wait worth it?
One could answer that question by evaluating the new Alfa Romeo 4C’s merits and price-performance as a sports car. But that would be useless to an Alfista like me. I simply want to know one thing: does it feel like an Alfa Romeo?
To understand what this question even means, let’s back up for a second. During Alfa Romeo’s storied 105-year history, the company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy on multiple occasions and consequently changed ownership several times. The last time it changed hands was in 1986 when Fiat, using a heap of Italian taxpayers’ money, purchased Alfa Romeo. For many of us Alfisti, this was the beginning of the end. A badge-engineering mentality quickly started to direct the development of new Alfa Romeo models; designs started to become compromised and watered down; the cheaper front-wheel-drive configuration replaced rear-wheel-drive; and soon the sporty, magical, and even sensual Alfa Romeo essence was gone. Sure, they continued to have a few design hits such as the Brera or the gorgeous 159, but underneath the beautiful skin there was little to differentiate the modern Alfas from other front-wheel-drive boxes with wheels. Gone was the magic of the Alfas from the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s that rewarded your senses, connected you with the road, and simply made you feel alive. With apologies to my European Alfisti friends, then, we really didn’t miss much here in the US when Fiat pulled Alfa Romeo out of our market in 1995.
Now, back to the 4C.
Lucky for me, my good friend Brandon recently took delivery of his 4C Launch Edition and agreed to let me drive it so that I could judge first-hand its Alfa Romeo-ness. This test drive, however, did not come without a price: in exchange, Brandon demanded that he be allowed to drive my 8C. And so it was that we found ourselves swapping keys in Malibu one recent Sunday morning.
When first approaching the 4C, there are two things that should command the respect of any sports car aficionado. The first is its design: let’s just say that I needed some time to get used to it, but having spent some time with it I can now unequivocally say that I do love its looks. Whether you find it beautiful or not, however, you have to agree that Alfa Romeo did a great job of breaking the mold and not creating another generic lozenge. The body is provocative: when you see it, you cannot look away. A glance at it might make you excited, or anxious, or aroused. One thing is for sure, though, you will feel something, and that is a rare accomplishment for a modern car under $250,000.
By today’s standards, the 4c is extraordinarily lightweight, owing to Alfa Romeo’s extensive use of carbon fiber and composites. The entire central tub of the chassis is made of carbon fiber–thereby not only reducing weight but also improving chassis rigidity–and all body panels are sheet molded compound. To find such extensive use of carbon anywhere else, you would have to move into supercar territory, though the mass-produced BMW i3 does come close. For this, Alfa Romeo deserves a lot of respect: the courage required to invest in so much carbon for a car that costs a mere $70,000 should not be taken for granted. It is this commitment to the driver that is so sorely lacking from other modern sports car manufacturers.
Jumping out of the 8C and into the 4C, I was surprised at how incredibly low the 4C is. You’ll need strong core muscles to get in and out. It’s also rather small on the inside. The black leather bucket seats with beautiful red stitching were a bit too narrow for even my average-sized body, and I felt like I was sitting on top of the side bolsters. Turning on the car is not as eventful as turning on the 8C, but it does have a satisfying, anxious-sounding exhaust note. As I started to drive out of the parking lot, the lightness of the car becomes immediately apparent. Even without power steering and at low speeds navigating the parking lot was effortless.
We headed up Malibu Canyon Road with Brandon following me in my 8C. Our plan was to take this road to Mulholland and then to Stunt Road as the ultimate proving ground. Stunt Road is a freshly paved canyon road heading uphill from Mulholland with a plethora of twisties, one after the other. The nice mix of hairpin turns and sweepers would make for the perfect proving ground, testing the 4C on its own intended purposes. Alas, once we arrived on Stunt Road, we encountered thick fog and were forced to slow down to what felt like a crawl. The fog continued to the peak of the hill and, disappointed, we made our way down the back side of the mountain. Back on the Pacific Coast Highway, the fog had disappeared and we headed back to Sunset Boulevard in hopes of getting some good driving done there on our way back into the city.
Sure enough, with almost no traffic this early, Brandon and I started to have a bit of fun on Sunset. Driving at, shall we say, a very spirited clip on this twisty street, the 4C feels planted and sure-footed, with excellent turn-in and steering that communicates the road very well. The stiff chassis only became an issue when I encountered potholes and other street blemishes that make Los Angeles feel like a third-world city. But overall, the 4C is composed and controllable even on these surfaces.
As much as I would prefer a manual transmission in this Alfa, I have to admit that the dual-clutch semi-automatic is very smooth and precise both at low speeds as well as when pushing it hard. Oddly, you cannot put the car in neutral by pulling on both paddles simultaneously which is the standard protocol on most other semi-automatic transmissions. The two small plastic paddle shifters themselves feel cheap, and there’s no comfortable way to grip the steering wheel without having your fingers on the paddles at all times, which isn’t a bad thing during aggressive driving, but it can become tiresome when cruising.
We were halfway back towards Beverly Hills and still enjoying the curves of Sunset when we came upon a new Porsche 991 Carrera S. I became envious of the Porsche driver for one reason only: I wish I had been in his seat so that I could have witnessed the glorious sight of the 4C and 8C quickly appearing in the rearview mirror. The Porsche driver clearly woke up and decided to have a some fun with us, and as there was pretty much no one else on the road we decided the same. After a few turns of menacing the 991, I think he decided that we were a little crazier than he was and he disengaged. Either that or the sounds of the 4C and 8C exhausts intermingling was threatening enough.
The exhaust note of the turbo-charged 4C sounds refreshingly honest. It doesn’t sound fake as a result of over-tuning in an effort to create an artificially mean note, as is the case with Infiniti G-series cars or the Fiat Abarth. The 4C sounds just mean enough, and you’ll be motivated to push the car just to hear the exhaust. The 1750cc turbo engine revs very freely and I hit the rev-limiter on a couple of occasions, surprised by how fast it got up there (sorry, Brandon!).
Most importantly though, is the amount of power that is squeezed out of this small engine. Combined with the light weight, the 240 horses make this a very fast car. The power, sadly, does come at a price: excessive turbo lag. Having driven a MINI Cooper John Cooper Works for three years, I was no stranger to a tiny turbocharged engine putting out lots of power. Whereas the MINI did have noticeable turbo lag, it was minimal and did not detract much from the driving experience. In the 4C, on the other hand, depending on when you open up the throttle, the lag can be annoying at best and, at worst can catch you off-guard and unprepared. If the 4C disappointed me in any area, this was it.
The Verdict
So does the 4C live up to the Alfa Romeo name? You can’t use science to describe a feeling or an experience, let me take am moment here to identify the constituent elements of the Alfa Romeo essence:
Beauty: It must be gorgeous. Period.
Engine: The glorious twin-cams of the 1950s through 1980s say it all, combining power from a modest mill and an unmistakably mean sound.
Designed for the Driver: More than anything, an Alfa is designed to be driven, rewarding the driver with a zen-like experience.
Usable: Though BMW eventually perfected it, Alfa Romeo invented the sport sedan. A good Alfa should be sporty and usable as a daily driver or grand tourer.
Distinctly Italian: An Alfa made in Poland, Detroit, or Mexico is just not an Alfa. Thankfully, the 4C comes from Modena.
Attainable: Though priced at a slight premium, Alfas are within reach of many enthusiasts.
The 4C certainly has its flaws. Though the quality and fit-and-finish of the interior is mostly excellent, the climate control knobs and various other switches feel cheap. Instead of an elegant and classic, double-binnacle dash housing analog speedometer and tachometer, there is a PlayStation-like digital dash. There are only two pedals. The trunk, like the aforementioned seats, is tiny and prevents you from taking the 4C on any trip longer than two days. Oh, and did I mention the turbo lag?
But what true Alfa isn’t perfectly imperfect? Despite its flaws, driving the 4C is an exhilarating and rewarding experience, simply begging you to get it on the nearest track. The car is refreshingly different from the masses, including the luxury sports cars from Germany. The 4C checks off almost all of my super-scientific criteria of Alfa Romeo-ness, falling short only in the Engine and Usability categories.
It would have been easy for Marchionne to bring Alfa Romeo back to the US with the current Mito or Giulietta, but he clearly understands American Alfisti, and he wisely held back the return until the company built an Alfa Romeo from the ground up that would get us excited to have Alfa back. The 4C marks the true resurrection of the Alfa Romeo spirit, and if it’s an indication of things to come, then we should all be very excited indeed.
It might be a worthy Alfa, but I’m not an alfista so I’d rather judge the car apart from the badge. So for half the price I’d go for very similarily weighed, less powerful but naturaly aspirated and still very much fun to drive Miata ND.
If I wanted to blow bigger bucks on a lightweight sporty car, I’d go to the source and buy myself a nice Lotus.
Hi Afshin –
Reading your story about the 4C and 8C cruising through Malibu Canyon and good old Sunset Blvd. makes me envious for the days that I grew up, cruising your turf (aka California Nurburgring: Laurel Canyon>Mulholland>Sunset>PCH>Malibu Canyon = 1 lap). After all of these years, I still own my original ’69 Alfa 1750 GTV and use to cruise every weekend through the PCH/West LA territory, taking on early 70’s 911’s and BMW 2002Tii’s. Even came across Steve McQueen a few times cruising in his Mini and Jag on Sunset. I look forward to moving back in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood with my Alfa and doing the same as I always have for 47 years now, in my pristine Alfa. Thanks for sharing your journey in the 4C and 8C (deep pockets) on what I call the California Nurburgring circuit. Best to you and your driving buddy. Michel
Also…since you have many Alfas, can you tell me where you get your cars serviced? I presently (unfortunately) live in OC, where Alfa mechanics are not present. When I lived in the Palisades, in the early days, I took my Alfa to Otto Zipper’s Alfa dealership in Beverly Hills on Wilshire Blvd., then at Otto Zipper’s converted airplane hanger, on Lincoln Blvd. in Santa Monica (which was also the location that Phil Hill used while working on his cars). This was followed by 30+ years in Glendale at Alfa Only. So, I would greatly appreciate it if you could “steer me” in the right direction regarding a great Alfa mechanic, you could recommend, preferably the mechanic you use. I’d greatly appreciate it. Merci Beaucoup, Michel
The 8C is a rebadged Maserati, the 159 and Brera are GM cars. You didn’t mention the real Alfa’s made in the past years; like the gorgeous 156, the GT and 155. No FIAT or GM parts will be found in these classic Alfa’s. You sure have missed some glorious Alfa’s in the States the last decades!
Afshin, you mentioned the “turbo lag” while driving the 4C but didn’t really explain what the driving circumstances or mode you were driving in. Having owned the 4C since December 2015 and having driven the car for about 2700 miles, I would say that yes can drive this car in a manner that gives it a very sloppy feel by driving in the Natural mode. I drive in the Dynamic mode which places the car and engine in a heightened, ready to respond mode. If I switch to Dynamic mode from Natural mode while driving, there is a noticeable increased thrust (without any gear changes) and improved response. I do not really use the Natural mode as a result. Similarly, if you are in stop and go traffic or just are busy with your foot movements, the transmission may not be in the correct gear when you finally accelerate. This car keeps me aware of what it is doing at all times whether suspension movements, braking and actually letting me hear the transmission shifting the controls at low speeds. I find the acceleration linear and not peaky as with non turbo engines as torque is fully on at 1800 rpms. I did not want to be isolated from hearing what the engine is doing and accept engine sounds and exhaust rasp as part of the show. The twin clutch transmission is not a slush box and the electronics and controls anticipate what I am about to do and does it so much faster; I really can concentrate on driving. As far as doubts as to the 4C really being an Alfa, there is no such question when drivers and non-drivers look at it. As to whether it really is worth it, doubter’s will just have to wait till they drive one.
I find it incredible how after some decades of pumping out fwd cars that went further and further away from the core of Alfa’s being, they now in one stroke made a true Alfa out of thin air – and carbon.
Therefore I find it even more incredible people find reasons to b#tch about it.
It is only flawed if you do not grasp what an Alfa is.
As a fellow Alfista, I want to answer with a question: is there an Alfa which should not be worthy of the badge?
Anything that rolled it`s way from Alfa Romeo`s factories(metaphorically) is worthy of it`s badge, no matter if it`s a rare TZ2 or the dreadfull Arna. I fully agree that there are succesfull models and less succesful( you can read terrible) ones. They all have a certain appeal, even reading/listening to an owner`s tales regarding his Alfa Romeo is different when compared to other brands.
Maybe the OP`s question is wrongly put, instead of “is it worthy to wear the badge”, to how much you`re willing to own one despite the car`s flaws regarding it`s competition.
People seem to forget and limit Alfa Romeo just to sports cars and racing, when in fact there is more than that(airplane engines, public transportation, trucks, etc)
Everyone is entitled to an oppinion, but at the end of the day, the company decides what car will be worthy or not, if it will make profit or not – cause it`s afterall a business.
You’re correct Razvan.
People seem to get too hung up on calling Fiat names, Fiat itself is a great car manufacturer with a great history. There is also the fact that if Fiat didn’t buy Alfa, Alfa would more than likely be a name in the motoring history books, rather than a company that is still in business and is making cars like the 4C
Sam
Well, but what is the price? When will Sergio stop? He destroyed Lancia, a brand with a glorious past…
What is the future for Ferrari under his command ? He is not Luca, he just wants money… Did you see the press with Sergio and Luca?
The future Alfa’s sedan is a Ghibli witch is a Chrysler 200…
I love the Alfa Romeo 4c but, Sergio Marchione is not the man for the job
just my opinion
we can compare the two period, and for Maserati, Marchione is not responsible of anything. the erbirth of Maserati has began withe the help of Ferrari and Luca di montezemolo. sure, marchione has made the 4C a real dream for all of us, but, it’s a small production. we all wait for the future of Alfa, with sedan Rwd, like the new Ghibli. After seeing this new car, i will be the first to say that Marchione is a good successor to Valleta. for the moment, i still wait.
See the link.
[url=”http://www.csmonitor.com/1986/0926/falfa-f.html”]Ford Bid for Alfa.[/url]
In 1986, Ford had made a strong bid to buy Alfa Romeo. Fiat pulled their connections with the Italian government to swing the bid their way and keep Ford out of Italy. If Fiat had not purchased Alfa, Ford would have, and Alfa would probably be better off.
I totally agree with Razvan. Me and my dad are 100\% alfisti, and it all started with a humble 145 1.8 Twin Spark back in ’98, although he loved Alfa he just couldn’t afford before. After that we had: [b]146 1.8 Twin Spark (MY2000)[/b], [b]156 V6 24v KitSport[/b], [b]156 Giugiaro 2.0 JTS[/b], [b]GTV 916 3.0 24v[/b], [b]GTV 116 (1979) 2000cc SPICA[/b]… and currently a [b]146ti (2.0 TwinSpark)[/b] in immaculate condition, [b]Giulietta 1.4 Multiair[/b] and a [b]Spider 916 3.0 12v[/b]. And I can assure you ll of them worthy of the Alfa Romeo badge. It’s funny how now days it’s easy to charge on the “Alfiats” (as people call the alfas made under the Fiat umbrella), without remembering that Alfa on it’s own gave birth to the Alfasud, the first FWD Alfa, extremely cheap, made to battle the Fiat 128. And that a few years ago that little car was almost a bad word in the alfisti world, responsible for the beginning of the end of the Alfa reputation, because of the FWD, the lack of sportiness and the rust… don’t blame the cars, blame the people.
nice to read something about Alfa Romeo. does the 4C is a true Alfa? absolutely YES…even if it built in Modena at the Maserati factory. if we try to forget the era of bad fwd, and start with the last 75 the history, it’s a real alfa.
a lightweigt sportcar in the 21th century must look like that. carbon fiber, small engine with turbochrge (and turbolag also!), dual clutch (with cheap pedal!), sport seat (for fit people!), the 4c got them all.
thi is the first successfull car that Marchionne made. i hope it would not be the last.
i am waiting to see the spider in europe with this much more beautifull frontlight than the one we have in our market.
nice car, nice article, nice Petrolicious and maybe….nice video
Overnight I’ve been thinking a lot about this question . And first off let me please thank the author for expanding the scope of what Petrolicious covers back to the original format when I came to the site a couple of years ago
But as to the Alfa Romeo question . And by that I mean any Alfa Romeo question .. not just this one
The sad fact for all of us Alfasti … young and old .. is . Alfa Romeo … beyond a badge and some clever marketing is dead and gone and in fact has been since the slippery slope known as the 156 came into being . Once that travesty of a SAAB/Lancia/FIAT/ OPEL had been foisted upon the buying public the tipping point for Alfa Romeo as we all knew and loved it was well and truly dead . Alfa’s having ever since morphed into badge engineered this that or the other thing and no longer having a bespoke platform of their own . Not to mention losing all and everything that ever defined Alfa Romeo’s as Alfa Romeos
So yes … though I do advocate on occasion for the newer car such as 911’s [ the best 911 you can buy is the newest one you can afford ] .. sometimes as with Alfa Romeo …. older is better . Or more to the point . Older is authentic . Whereas new Alfa Romeo’s post 156 have in fact been nothing more than cynical marketing exercises
Lecture over . Donuts and coffee in the break room . . Test next Wednesday … 😉
You may have a point to some extent, but if we agree 100\% with you… Maserati Ghibli is a Chrysler rubbish??
Is a Bentley an Audi? Because if we look to the bits and bobs, all the electronics comes straight from an A7/ A6
Is a Rolls-Royce a BMW? The one that lost all the magic?
Even Morgan uses parts from MINI and engines from BMW…
Are you totally correct or the globalization are taking the companys in this direction??
The new Alfa Romeo 4C ‘Competizione’ is as close to a modern day 60’s GTA (Gran Turismo Alleggerita) as Alfa Romeo will ever reproduce. Modern Carbon Fiber vs. Aluminum of the 1960’s.
Autodelta, SpA (Alfa Romeo’s in house race division was also experimenting with hand laid fiberglass as early as 1967. Ing. Carlo Chiti who headed Autodelta was way ahead of his time. You may remember that Mr. Chiti was the lead engineer for Ferrari and Phil Hill’s Sharknose F1 car responsible for the 1961 World Championship).
The new 4C is exhilarating on the racetrack. It’s lightness reminds me of a Autodelta GTA but it’s acceleration in the torque band of (1200-4100) is sheer super car like. 0-60 in 4.1 seconds, 0-100 in 10.8 seconds, what else can you ask for from a 239 HP motor? The car is happy doing controlled 1g drifts through corners and amazingly stable and predictable at speed. I encourage everyone to try and drive a 4C, it is truly more fun than any Ferrari and just as if not more beautiful. If this car was truly developed for the track it would be a force to reckon with.
Alfa Romeo is back, leading again with technological innovations and invigorating styling that moves the soul.
To me no modern car is as beautiful. The car reminds me of La Perla or Cossa Bella lingerie. I do not expect
Alfa Romeo to make this car after 2015, get them while they last!
Congratulazioni Alfa Romeo! Here’s to La Dolce Vita with a 4C ‘Competizione’!
Sadly signor Chiti … methinks you know not of what you speak when it comes to Alfa Romeo . Your history is revisionist at best … your opinions all but word for word FIAT propaganda … your statements on styling showing a distinct lack of discernment … your comments on the engineering verging on laughable .
Suffice it to say …. Carlo Chiti …. you aint … in any way shape or form . And shame on you for using the moniker in this GearHeads opinion … in vain
He’s probably what we call a ‘political comissary’ over here. Someone who works fot the company or was brainwashed by the company.
Once a friend of mine drove a BMW X6 (!?!) over a wet track on your side of the Atlantic, in a press trip organized by BMW, and after that he said the car was a superb SUV… with magnificent traction and off-road capabilities…
I saw a 4C once in Long Beach and an 8C couple of years ago in Italy. While the 4C zipped by and was gone in a few secs, the 8C was on display on a pedestal. I like both cars a lot. While reading the article I was thinking about a video clip featuring these 2 cars on the canyon roads around LA. Just a thought……….
As someone who has owned eight Alfas over the years, the 4C most certainly worthy of the badge. The only changes I would make would be to have a stick instead of automated manual, a Busso V-6, and some color choices other than the limited palate they currently offer. Dutch Blue would be very complimentary.
Is the 4C worthy of the Alfa Romeo moniker ?
Gee … lets have a look !
Its a rebadged KTM X-Bow / Dallara albeit with a FIAT motor its ___ instead of the Audi I4 KTM has … which by the way has been an abject failure both in sales and on the track
It’ll cost more than a C7 .. with about half the performance capabilities [ full discloser I despise the C7 ]
It has all the day to day usability and practicality of the X-Bow its based on … which is to say … none
Its pretentious looking in a vain attempt to appear as if its a bargain basement Ferrari
It isn’t as light as either the press or Mr Olsen thinks it is [ look it up ]
So the answer is a definitive
NO !
so when it comes to the 4C … do the right thing …. and just Say No ! If mid engine performance at a more reasonable price is the goal …chose wisely … and buy a Lotus Evora/Elise /Exige
You’ll be glad you did !
In light of the KTM’s deplorable track manners … I’d say definitely NOT !
What it is is the Alfa Romeo for posers who know nothing about Alfa Romeo … as well as not knowing …
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A RACE CAR FOR THE STREET !
Which … if you’d ever driven a race car … or at least knew the preparations needed to create a race car … you’d know
You’re so pompous. There is no such this as a race car you can drive on the street because it is illegal (For the most part) But there are race cars that have been adapted to be used on the street (Alfa Romeo Stradale Tipo 33 for one). Im sick of you designating cars as “Poser” cars and crap. You are one of the most judgmental car people I will have the pleasure to never meet. Your destructive attitude is why many young people in my generation don’t bring their cars to shows.
Nice piece Afshin. I do think you’re being a little harsh on Alfa’s output over recent decades though.
While they might not excite a dyed-in-the-wool Alfisti such as yourself on the bare numbers, many of them still have their high points and indeed a unique character. A 156 – certainly one of the best Alfas of the last few decades – feels quite unlike any of its contemporaries to drive. Perhaps not as competent as something like a 3-series outright, but more tuneful (even with the smallest, least powerful engines), sharper to respond and considerably more beautiful.
The 145 Cloverleaf was an impressive car too – highly-rated in the press at the time, and one of few beacons of light in the hot hatchback class during the mid-90s, when hot hatches as a whole had lost their way a little. And the 147 that replaced it looked great and again, radiated character in an otherwise bland class of vehicles. The GTV too was excellent.
And above all, they were actually built pretty well, for the first time since the 1960s. Alfas no longer rust (not something that can be said of Fords, or Mazdas, or even BMWs), they generally feel fairly solid, and while unexpected catastrophic failures haven’t been eliminated entirely (my brother’s 156 ended its life by punching a hole in the block), if looked after they can happily attain high mileages like any other car. And hell, Alfa can even make diesel vaguely interesting to drive – my mother’s old 147 JTD was great fun.
I’ve been lucky enough to drive an Alfa from the firm’s ‘golden era’ (a 1971, 1750 GTV) and I’ve driven several modern Alfas too. Of course, they can’t quite match the magic of the early days, but what modern car can when compared to its historical predecessors? A Ford Focus will never be a Mk1 Escort, a BMW 3-series will never be a 2002. But in relation to many other marques, Alfa’s 90s output were still demonstrably proper Alfas.
I always loved Alfas, there’s something about Alfas that you just can’t resist. My head would warn me, “at your own peril!” and I’d still grab a key to an Alfa over anything, pretty much. And I still don’t know what Alfa-ness really is, but Spider had it, GTV had it, Sud had it, 75 had it, 164 had it, 155 had it, 159 had it 166 had it, too. I’ve never driven MiTo, and it looks rather odd, it would still be tempting…so, 4C, yes please!!
But…
I just cannot refer 4C as an affordable car. It’s pretty up there pricy. Though this has nothing to do with Alfa-ness of the car, lack of 3- pedal option is madness to me. And when I finally drove one, I found the car to be a bit too wide for what I expected it to be (I expected 4C to be an Italian answer to Lotus Elise, but that’s my mistake).
Eh, Alfa Romeo…
First, I’d like to say that I’m happy that Petrolicious is branching into the modern car scene. Modern classics should be featured on the website more frequently, but shouldn’t take over from the classics on here IMO.
The 4C is a car that I was very happy to see, although I can’t afford one unfortunately. Ut brings back the sportiness of the brand and makes no compromises about being an affordable performance car.
I imagine you can’t wait for 24th June to come along, that’s when Alfa are revealing their latest car, a sports saloon.
Also OP – Have you ever driven an Alfa V6? I think this is the first time I have ever read an article about Alfa’s past without mentioning their V6, followed by words such as ‘Glorious’ and ‘melodic’.
Sam