Good write-up, and I understand your rationale. I have had my 4C for four years, and done 6,000 miles in it.
For me, it's like having a four wheeled motorbike. I don't just jump in it and pop to the shops, it's easier to take another car. I have to make a conscious decision to go out in it, although then it is an occasion and I love it.
I have modified it with a stage 1 ECU, added electric power assisted steering (game changer, it really improves it) and put some interior storage bins in, plus done the suspension mods which reduces the car following every little rut in the road.
I also switched the noisy race exhaust for a standard muffled one. Much better!
I have a 939 Spider too, and that is the fun car of choice if my wife is coming with me, as she finds the 4C uncomfortable. So the 4C is more of a third car, than a second car, that I tend to drive solo.
It is a bit excessive, having two Alfa Spiders plus my daily driver, but I would find it hard to part with the 4C as it is so characterful, and so different to other cars out there.
I switched from the 4C to the A110. They are completely different cars. The A110 is much more sophisticated and you can still get nearly the same level of everything that the 4C would give you, without much compromise.
But the 4C is one and only.
The bottom line is, the 4C is a collectible whereas the A110 is a consumable (just like the 911 is). A consumable lets you feel easy about using it everyday and wear it out but a collectible makes you obsessive about keeping the new car condition and ends up in the garage. That’s why I moved on and I’m very happy about the decision.
Something I always wondered is - Would the 4c have been more successful if they put in a better powertrain and upped the price?
​
In a way, the Alfa 4c is FCA's Fiero - a good looking, mid engine car with the powertrain of a FWD compact. The 1750 TBI comes straight out of a Giulietta, and the DCT is the same unit in the Dodge Dart.
​
Other than that, the interior is shit, the exterior looks like a proper exotic, and the chassis is brilliant.
​
I feel like with a cheap powertrain out of a compact, terrible reliability, shit interior, no luggage space, and high maintenance requirements, the car was commercially doomed.
​
But if they put in a high performance powertrain, say, the V6 out of the Giulia? Or even a Hemi. Alfa can sell it for a lot more as a true high performance exotic. At that point, all the criticism of no luggage room, high maintenance requirements, shit interior, etc, no longer apply.
As an Abarth owner, a car whose engine is the same as the 4C, *albeit the 4C is stroked out to 1.75L from my 1.4*, it's not an engine problem at all. Especially in Multiair form, that's a damn good engine with a lot of Italian passion. I cannot speak to the DDCT obviously.
It's the only car I've been in that non-"car people" enjoy the sound of, oddly enough... And my previous 3 cars of my own got plenty of compliments from car people.
Can't say I've heard of a lot of bolt on parts, but I have often heard of using the 1750 coil packs in Abarth Multiairs. There could be a few other parts, but I have no idea what else, I've only heard of the coilpacks.
It’s more than just that.
The 4C for me was on of the worst driving cars I’ve experienced. The powertrain with the small displacement turbo 4 cylinder engine had the worst power drop off I have ever experienced. After 4,500 RPM the turbo is just huffing and puffing to redline, you might as well manually upshift at 5,000 rpm. The DCT transmission was very sloppy and overall felt cheap as if it were a DCT from a fiesta or an early Hyundai veloster. The steering wrack while manual, felt broken or incorrect. Did not have a natural feel as all. It felt very forced and just unnatural. It also somehow had a contradictory ethos to the turbo + DCT combination. The interior quality in pictures is deceiving because in pictures it comes across as being much more upscale and quality than my Elise, but in person, the 4C had abysmal interior quality. With door handles falling apart, buttons which looked extremely janky, a center console that protrudes in a grotesque fashion, and the leather wrapped interior (if it’s leather) that was tearing apart. And overall, the driving experience was contradictory. The ride was ride very rough/choppy and non compliant, but the somehow chassis felt very numb, uncommunicative and wonky. Something with the center of gravity just felt off. The seating position for a sports car was also awkward, not low slung feeling, and had laughable lumbar support. TLDR: rough, sloppy, and non compliant. Very disappointing. Was a never meet your heroes moment for sure.
I really didnt mind the powertrain at all - that was actually the best part of the car (well, the transmission could have been a bit better).
The punishing ride, lack of power steering, and lack of a frunk I think is what killed it for most people.
> If the 4C was a little more 718 and a lot less Elise, I think it would have been a winner no matter the interior.
As a former 718 GTS owner and someone who test drove a 4C when it launched, I agree. I wish the 4C drove as beautifully as it looks.
> Would the 4c have been more successful if they put in a better powertrain and upped the price?
not really, no
engine and transmission were fine for the car. it sounded decent enough, went fast enough, had good economy and was small and compact and shared many parts with other relatively common Fiat engines.
it was an attainable/affordable car in the price bracket (or near enough) of entry level mid-engined Porsche's that didn't offer that level of luxury or close enough, and was nowhere even in the same realm of dailiability
as you say, the interior is shit. truly. it's worse than their cheapest fwd hatchbacks. and had nearly no storage space, trunk or in the cabin, and a very hard/harsh ride (meaning it was a very, very shit daily for most people)
So relatable!
I sold mine last year and switched to the A110 when I realized I was only enjoying the car itself and nothing else; I’d either go to the track or the mountain pass. That’s all. I never enjoyed traveling WITH the 4C or taking my wife to a nice restaurant WITH the 4C. The car became the objective and not the means to enjoy life.
The 4C for me was on of the worst driving cars I’ve experienced. The powertrain with the small displacement turbo 4 cylinder engine had the worst power drop off I have ever experienced. After 4,500 RPM the turbo is just huffing and puffing to redline, you might as well manually upshift at 5,000 rpm. The DCT transmission was very sloppy and overall felt cheap as if it were a DCT from a fiesta or an early Hyundai veloster. The steering wrack while manual, felt broken or incorrect. Did not have a natural feel as all. It felt very forced and just unnatural. It also somehow had a contradictory ethos to the turbo + DCT combination. The interior quality in pictures is deceiving because in pictures it comes across as being much more upscale and quality than my Elise, but in person, the 4C had abysmal interior quality. With door handles falling apart, buttons which looked extremely janky, a center console that protrudes in a grotesque fashion, and the leather wrapped interior (if it’s leather) that was tearing apart. And overall, the driving experience was contradictory. The ride was ride very rough/choppy and non compliant, but the somehow chassis felt very numb, uncommunicative and wonky. Something with the center of gravity just felt off. The seating position for a sports car was also awkward, not low slung feeling, and had laughable lumbar support. TLDR: rough, sloppy, and non compliant. Very disappointing. Was a never meet your heroes moment for sure.
Really great writeup!
I think your experience very closely resembles the experience I had with my Elise.
It was an amazing car for a Sunday morning canyon drive, but I found myself having a hard time taking it long distances due to how raw and uncomfortable it could be.
Likewise I found myself not wanting to drive it around town due to fear of something happening to a car where parts could take a long time to come by.
I'm super happy I owned the Elise and I'm also happy it pointed me in the direction for me to move on!
I moved into a C8 Z51 which I feel is about 10% less fun on the bleeding edge of things but about 300% more usable across the board.
For instance 1-2 hours in the Elise made me want to get out of the car. I could easily do 6 hour road-trips in the C8 without issue.
The way you wrote about your 4C, man, I feel sorry for you. For same reason, is why I am attached to my Suzuki Swift Sport ZC32S, because its just something else. Its different. And yes, comparing Italian prestige market and looks that not even a Playboy model could compare to (yes I am virgin), to a car that looks like another regular traffic and made by manufacturer that is more known in the world for their bikes, than for cars. But, it is last hot hatchback with naturally aspirated engine, and even perhaps last one to be ever made (these generations were produced till Sept. 2017.), and whenever I am in a bad mood, even in a traffic jam, I feel relaxed in it. While stareo plays Evenflow by Pearl Jam, and flooring it on highway is just something else. You can mock its low engine output (136 HP if someone is curious) and say that "Golf is better" or "You should've bought Peugout GTi" or something else. But here is the kicker: I do not give a flying hoot about horsepowers. Its better to use all 136 horses, than barely use 500 horses. Sure, sometimes my zoomer brain just screams "MOOORE" about horsepower, but when you think about it, its unecessary. In some situations at least. Anyway, I really hope your next car will be good, if not, better than 4C. Cheers!
The 4C is a perfect 5th or 6th car. There's a reason Porsche so often dominates the sports car side of a two car solution. They still offer an exciting driving experience but the parts are readily available, you can do road trips in relative comfort, and then you can beat the hell out of it without worrying much.
Sounds like the little 4C lived up to being both terrible and wonderful. No car is perfect for everyone, glad you had fun with it while it lasted. On to the next adventure!
Is that your "for sale" post I saw in the Texas Alfa Romeo Club on FB? 4C Ya?
If so, beautiful ride and sorry to hear you can't keep it, but things change and I hope the GR treats you well.
This is your sign to k24 swap the fit, put some sick coilovers, and track that instead /hj
I always loved the 4C on paper, but it just didn't have that fizz in practice. I was honestly fine with the transmission, and the US model is significantly heavier than the euro spec, and that might be part of it, but I don't know it just didn't have the connection I expected. I thought it was going to feel like a modern elise and it just didn't
definitely not like a modern elise - all sports cars are woodwinds - but the elise is a piccolo while the 4C is a clarinete.
I picked up a GR86 im going to beat the shit out of.
The entire time I was reading this I was thinking "The 86 is the answer to every issue you listed". Then I got to the end and I see you found the answer.
I don't think there is any other lightweight, 2 door, manual, RWD sports car that is so practical that it can be used as an only car. It fits so much stuff in the back, it's almost like a hatchback.
There are some other practical 2 door cars but they are all heavier and/or more expensive. And I don't think any others are designed specifically to fit four 18" track wheels with tires in the back.
The toytabaru is such a good loverletter to the classic cheap rwd sports car. Perfect for people in need for 1 car to do everything.
The Miat is a great sports car too but, there are a good amount of sacrificies and inconviniences I deal with to live with it as my only car. Not everyone is willing to put up with a roadster and thats okay.
Dry weight marketed in europe is 900kg/1975lbs, wet weight was rumored to be just north of \~2k. In the us, it weighs 2465lbs. Still relatively light, but a pretty significant gain.
The 4c is so extremely overpriced for the level of performance you get, that I have never seen one in any car group or in any car community. It's always retired looking guys driving them. Had they put a manual in it, it would've been an interesting option on the market.
more just about the general experience of driving it - the 4C provides a huge sense of occasion to drive, the looks certainly didnt hurt either. Purity of focus and construction.
4C is a terrific car for 8/10ths driving. I sold mine a few years ago and miss it every so often. The thing that made selling the car much easier was driving a 718 Cayman S. The Porsche absolutely shits on the 4C in every way, but styling and exclusivity.
Still, the 4C is a gem. People would come up in gas stations to ask about the car, which was good and bad. After adding camber to the front and getting rid of the crap P-Zero tires, the 4C became a pretty formidable handler. I just think that the car could’ve used more development and maybe baked in the oven a little longer.
With all that said, I still think it will be a future classic.
Theres someone in the SF Bay Area that went from a 4C to a gen V Viper. Goes to Laguna Seca to track the now. I bet hes probably 6-10 seconds quicker in the Viper.
Was fun reading your posts about the 4C, definitely a beautiful car that weirdly seems to not be as awesome as a 1000kg carbon shell two seater with unassisted steering should be.
Enjoy the GR86 !
That's a good way to put it. I had some 4C obsession for a bit but didn't end up buying one after renting one on Turo and taking it for a road trip through southern Utah, visiting national parks, etc. Such a beautiful car, so much fun when you've giving it the business .. but honestly, it sucks driving it on rough roads, dealing with noise on the highway, fitting even the barest essentials, etc.
In so many ways it's more exotic and more special than other sports cars in the general price range, but it's also more flawed. I don't blame anyone for buying one, but it also wasn't the overall package for me.
In my mind, I treat the 4C as an example of what happens when a car truly makes no compromises for what it’s primarily meant to do. It’s interesting to see how our moods fluctuate when we’re forced to make the compromises instead of the car
I get it. I seriously considered a 4C when I was looking to replace my FR-S; the only reason I removed it from contention is that I realized that yes, I was going to have to daily it.
It's such a wonderfully flawed car, though.
Isn’t there some saying about not being a true car enthusiast unless you’ve suffered through the love/hate relationship from owning an Alfa? I haven’t had mine yet.
Jeremy Clarkson said it! my dad had an Alfa Romeo 33 a lot of years ago, he said that the car broke down 4 different times in the middle of the highway
I felt so much of this. I miss mine dearly after 3 years of dailying it and 30k miles. But ultimately left the platform for many of the same reasons you have.
It’ll still always have a special place in my heart - I’ve still never driven anything quite like it since and don’t think another car will ever be made again.
I sold mine for similar reasons after 2 years. Had a few teething issues with it at first, but an otherwise fantastic. Sadly the roads by me really were not meant for the track suspension options I had on the car. Miss it dearly and not at all.
Yep, its like dating a *incredibly* beautiful girl with an incredibly short temper. You cant stop looking at it, and its amazing when its amazing, but you're also constantly doing the calculus of is it worth getting plates thrown at you at 2am.
Aw man. I’ve been interested in the Alfa 4c but yeah I keep hearing takes that it’s not great for daily life. Wife likely won’t like it either since she thinks the cars I have are already too stiff.
I remember your prior post about waiting for the windshield. Yeah it’s a beautiful little Italian sports car but man $4k for a windshield?
Sad to see it go but awesome that you had the opportunity to own and drive the only carbon fiber chassis car that’s available under the $200k mark.
Always cool to read about the 4C - it's definitely one of those cars that I think 'maybe someday' but what you outline here feels like it will always stop me. The livability just seems tough unless you have two sports cars and I'm probably never going to be able to do that.
Not to hijack your post btw, but how do you like the Honda Fit as a driver's car? It sounds like they're actually kind of fun and I've considered one as a 'practical' second car. Would be really curious to know how it feels to somebody who's owned something as fun as a 4C.
I think the 3rd gen is kinda meh, but I loved and tracked my 2nd gen pretty hard.
I think the 2nd gen is the perfect balance between modern NVH, weight, and dailyability.
Man, I loved the 4C when I got to drive it. It feels like a real race car, unforgiving and aggressive.
But I couldn't daily one. But every time I see one... I think, maybe.
Aw man. I’ve been interested in the Alfa 4c but yeah I keep hearing takes that it’s not great for daily life. Wife likely won’t like it either since she thinks the cars I have are already too stiff.
I remember your prior post about waiting for the windshield. Yeah it’s a beautiful little Italian sports car but man $4k for a windshield?
Sad to see it go but awesome that you had the opportunity to own and drive the only carbon fiber chassis car that’s available under the $200k mark.
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