On paper, the Alfa Romeo 4C and 4C Spider should be a hit: A mid-engined, two-seater sports car that weighs less than 2500 pounds and good for 237 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque from a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. Sure, there wasn’t a manual option, though the 4C was outfitted with a six-speed dual-clutch unit.
So why didn’t we see that …
I've driven both a 4C and owned an ND1 Miata. They're only comparable if you also cross shop Lotus Elises and NC Miatas 
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I think there's only even been a very limited market for cars like the Elise or the 4C in the US, especially as they are mostly considered toys over here - in the UK, one tended to see a lot of Elises in daily use, even as commuters.
I still hope to get my mitts on a 4C at some point. They have some known issues, but companies - mostly in the UK - have developed fixes that seem to get those cars pretty close to what you'd expect them to be.
They make the most ridiculous raspberry noise with the bypass valve. It's gotta be intentional.
I think the 4C wants to be an Elise, but it misses out by being remarkably heavy - heavier than an steel tub ND Miata with a power hard top, explain that - and not being as pure as the Lotus. Instead, it's trying to be sexy but doesn't quite have the proportions.
I'm sure they'll be worth more than the Miata in the future, but I'll pocket the extra $50k now.
Today I learned that Italian for "adieu" is adioo.
Putting those 2 cars side by side in the first picture really does not do the new car any favors. As for not seeing them here, price and size. You can buy a bigger (read: better), full-sized (read: seats a full-sized american) muscle car (read: ecoboost mustang) for a fair bit less while not feeling like your neighbor is gonna back over your "toy car" with his lifted 250. It's a snarky answer but the market for a $60k+ 2-seater is pretty limited in the US and when you take the relative low availiability of Alfa's in the US into account it's not going to lead to success.
As to the final question, I would take the Alfa over a pair o' miatas even if they wussed out on the V8 part of the tribute.
They didn't even make enough change to the out going "special version"? Good riddance.
they could've at least TRIED to make it more special!
I mean, we're not doing them right now, but $80k would get you a brand new ND Miata with an LS3 swap. About 100 lbs more than the Alfa but better noises, better serviceability and massively increased levels of power and torque.
What exactly does the Alfa bring to the table? "Heritage"? It could be argued that Mazda has a much better record of making 2-seat convertibles over the last three decades than Alfa does. Racing? Another point for the Mazda and strongly so. Sexy styling? That's a debatable thing against the ND, the Alfa is more of a caricature of the truly gorgous 8C. Exclusivity? Well, yes.
Error404 said:Putting those 2 cars side by side in the first picture really does not do the new car any favors. As for not seeing them here, price and size. You can buy a bigger (read: better), full-sized (read: seats a full-sized american) muscle car (read: ecoboost mustang) for a fair bit less while not feeling like your neighbor is gonna back over your "toy car" with his lifted 250. It's a snarky answer but the market for a $60k+ 2-seater is pretty limited in the US and when you take the relative low availiability of Alfa's in the US into account it's not going to lead to success.
As to the final question, I would take the Alfa over a pair o' miatas even if they wussed out on the V8 part of the tribute.
$60+k 2-seater gets you a midengined V8 Corvette
If people werent buying these then people are just dumb.
bobzilla said:Error404 said:Putting those 2 cars side by side in the first picture really does not do the new car any favors. As for not seeing them here, price and size. You can buy a bigger (read: better), full-sized (read: seats a full-sized american) muscle car (read: ecoboost mustang) for a fair bit less while not feeling like your neighbor is gonna back over your "toy car" with his lifted 250. It's a snarky answer but the market for a $60k+ 2-seater is pretty limited in the US and when you take the relative low availiability of Alfa's in the US into account it's not going to lead to success.
As to the final question, I would take the Alfa over a pair o' miatas even if they wussed out on the V8 part of the tribute.
$60+k 2-seater gets you a midengined V8 Corvette
I'd rather have the Alfa...
In reply to 93EXCivic :
Agreed. I am decidedly not enamored with the C8 so while I think the "tribute" is a little blasè, I would also take it over a C8 for the money
There's something about them I really like, but I haven't had the opportunity to drive one. I'd kind of hoped they'd have depreciated a lot more by now. 4-5 year old cars only seem to have depreciated 15-25%.
NDs seem to have strange depreciation too. I test drove a 2016 1.5 years ago and it's still at the lot, at the same price, about 20% off new.
I don't think they're going to invest a lot of money in a special edition. They couldn't cover the costs.
It's interesting to see a picture like that side by side. What I see is the 4C being stylistically far more busy. More creases, more prominent ducts, more stuff, whereas the 33 is much simpler, and purer in it's shape.
I've sene the 33 up close at the Museo (and pretended to get into one), and it's a really beautiful car. The 4C is nice, but too much stuff going on.
Keith's observation of the weight is interesting. I didn't actually know that, and reminds me that a certain British Car company I worked with made a aluminum/CF car based on the Elise concepts (it was contracted out to Lotus....) and it ended weighing more than a steel car that had the same powertarin in it. And it got a heavier front subframe than the base chassis developed to.
Goes to show you that materials does not equal light weight.
93EXCivic said:bobzilla said:Error404 said:Putting those 2 cars side by side in the first picture really does not do the new car any favors. As for not seeing them here, price and size. You can buy a bigger (read: better), full-sized (read: seats a full-sized american) muscle car (read: ecoboost mustang) for a fair bit less while not feeling like your neighbor is gonna back over your "toy car" with his lifted 250. It's a snarky answer but the market for a $60k+ 2-seater is pretty limited in the US and when you take the relative low availiability of Alfa's in the US into account it's not going to lead to success.
As to the final question, I would take the Alfa over a pair o' miatas even if they wussed out on the V8 part of the tribute.
$60+k 2-seater gets you a midengined V8 Corvette
I'd rather have the Alfa...
Have you driven one. The transmission alone kills it for me. Not bnecause its a Dual Clutch. I love duel clutches see my car history but it is the most improperly tuned thing I have ever driven
I stil want a pearly white one with red interior on a coupe though.
I think this is the real reason they failed in the US..
https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/718/718-cayman-models/718-cayman-s/
For ~80K you can even get one that makes proper noise..
https://www.porsche.com/usa/models/718/718-gts-4-0-models/
OK yeah it's nearly $87K but if you have $80K to spend on a toy car you probably can make $87K work also..
To normal people the Porsche has just as much "Street Cred" as a Alfa-Romeo. Is a better CAR overall (Not a better object of desire), and to an enthusiast is available with more performance (for an Auto the PDK is way better, and you can get a Manual).
Also The Head2Head where they drag raced one against a Telsa Model X pulling one on a trailer probably didn't help either.
The correct answer is ND2 global cup car at $68k
Error404 said:It's a snarky answer but the market for a $60k+ 2-seater is pretty limited in the US and when you take the relative low availiability of Alfa's in the US into account it's not going to lead to success.
Porsche would probably disagree with you about the size of the market. Prospective buyers of a 4C are much more likely to be cross-shopping Boxsters than Miatas, IMHO.
For me, the biggest problem with the 4C will always be the engine. An iron block, small displacement turbo motor with a low redline does not make a good engine for a sports car. If they came with some sort of exciting Italian feeling engine that was half of a 458 Italia motor, it would be much more enticing. I'm taking a C8 or a Boxster/Cayman over this every time. Though, these do look special when you see them on the street.
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