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My wife has always wanted a 4C, ever since the first rumor of the car started years ago. She and I have been autocrossing my Cayman S for years, but she's always wanted her own "little racecar". Originally, she was very interested in the Lotus Exige, but when the 4C was announced, she fell head over heels for it! Naturally, we got onto the local waitlist as quick as we could.
Back in October, we were contacted by a local dealership and were told that they finally received two 4Cs that were not already accounted for, and that we should come by to check them out. We did, and they let us each test drive one of them. I was happy with the car, and my wife fell completely in love with her (even named her already - Clara - from Dr. Who since she's such a feisty car). It was a white one, and my wife really had her heart set on the Rosso Competizione color, so we decided to pass.
Unbeknownst to my wife, I started my search for the perfect car, until finally, a month later, I found her in a dealership in Illinois! I smuggled the necessary down payment out of our joint savings account (claiming I needed some extra cash that month, and then "apologizing" for my "mistake" as I accidentally added one too many zeroes in the transfer) and then waited a week for the delivery.
When she finally arrived, my wife was busy giving a presentation at her school (UC Berkeley), so I had plenty of time to get the car off the trailer without her knowing it. I waited out of sight for her to come home, with the car parked secretly around the block. After she got into the house, I placed a baby wicker basket with one of the keys swaddled up like a baby. Inside was a note that talked about how this "baby" was named Clara, born in Modena, Italy, and needed a home.
I rang the doorbell and ran like hell.
My wife answered the door and got very confused... That's when she heard the car start up a block away. Still confused, but clearly hoping something amazing was afoot, she wandered out to the front drive. About then, I rounded the corner, and we went off for our first drive. All she could say was "What?!?!" and "you bought me a car?!?!" over and over again for 15 minutes. I've never seen her so speechless.
Since then, we've taken Clara on numerous road trips (Hog Island, Skyline Drive, Seattle via 101, Point Reyes), and we can't wait for the autocross season to start in February so we can see how she does against her big sister Ally!
I'd say whereas the Cayman is very poised, balanced, and engineered, the Alfa is the antitheses of this (without being a muscle car). It's extremely sharp on the corners, but in a more CarefulOrI'llBiteYourAssOff kind of way. While the Cayman is definitely balanced to push (understeer) to an almost annoying level, the Alfa is balanced much more neutrally. Makes for a wild ride, for sure. Also, much more of a torque monster. I think that it would kill in an autocross, but the Cayman would win in a track battle.
If you've ever driven a Lotus Elise, it's a lot like that: raw and tons of driver feedback. But, I'd say it's even more fun to drive. Probably the funnest car I've ever driven (including McLarens/Ferraris/Lamborghinis). BUT it is not nearly as poised as a Porsche. Both cars are amazing in their own, unique ways. Bottom line, I'd only recommend this car to someone who is into performance driving - it'd be a nightmare to anyone who doesn't like to feel every single bump in the road and drive knowing that if they so much as sneeze, they'll end up off the edge of a cliff.
01-09-2016, 12:02 AM
Cayman gets a little sister
