dhirm5

no manual, no bueno

detansinn

You want to keep that turbocharged 1.7l in the boost. The dry clutch DCT is perfect for this application and makes for a very quick little car.

Noah Fect

Doesn't matter. The 4C needs a manual. And I say that as a staunch PDK 'loyalist.'

It doesn't matter what kind of transmission the 4C has, it's still going to lose a lot of races to a lot of other cars. To be a 4C owner, you need to be the type of person who is OK with that, and who appreciates the car for other reasons. Forcing those potential owners to accept an automatic was a mistake, as witnessed by the terrible sales figures.

detansinn

It was a limited production handbuilt car and they sold every single one of them. They also lost money on each one that they made. This was all by design.

For those of us who bought them, they were a bangin deal. Mine is now worth more than I paid for it new. To be clear, I am “OK with that”.

I don’t know about “races”, but on a twisty mountain or rural road, it leaves bigger heavier, more powerful, cars in the dust. It’s a quick little car.

Noah Fect

Eh, if it sold that well, they'd still be making them.

CarAholic

Agreed owned a 4C for a couple years. That motor would of been horrible with a manual.

detansinn

They don’t meet the new safety regulations and again, they lost money on every one of them. It was always intended to be a handbuilt limited production car.

ipse dixit

Hard pass on the 4C, especially if the other choice is a Miata.

Besides the blown engine and old school slush box, you can get a Miata for half the price and it’ll be as reliable as ****.

Plus the cabin of the Alfa makes you want to trade places with those sardines in tin cans.

Noah Fect

Didn't the 4C have a DCT? Seems like a torque converter would just add injury to insult.

My hope when the 4C was announced was that it would be the spiritual heir to the Dino 246GT. Small, light, and manual. I guess the Elise would have been a better fit for that description, but... nevertheless, we got an automatic coupled to an engine that (apparently) would have been terrible with a manual. Neither fish nor fowl.

Cross-shopping the 4C with the Miata calls to mind the other thread where people are debating arguing violently about whether M3s are, or should be, cross-shopped with 992s. Regardless of who's right about the "should be" part, I don't see it happening in real life. The price difference is just too steep.

.2PDK

Have you tried Noom?

ipse dixit

I broke Noom.

ipse dixit

You’re right. My bad. DCT it is.

The problem with the 4C is that it’s nice in theory (mid engine, carbon tub) but where it falls apart is in execution.

detansinn

I have put 16k miles on my fully optioned 4C Spider since I purchased it new. I am happy to answer any questions on ownership and driving experience.

Highs
-True lightweight
-Exotic materials and handbuilt construction
-Manual steering rack puts hydraulic and EPAS systems to shame
-In manual mode, DCT is very fast, quicker than PDK for some gears
-No sound insulation. No muffler. “I can’t believe US DOT and CARB approved this thing” level of experience
-No active anything — simple systems. No infotainment nonsense.
-Surprisingly brisk. People don’t expect it to be so fast.
-Inexpensive running costs for something as unusual, rare, and exotic.
-Hop in and turn the key reliable.
-Italian looks and design. Most people don’t know what it is, but it looks special, because it is special.

Lows
-Open diff. I view the DCT of the car as an asset, but the e-diff is a weak point here when you push it at the limits.
-Engine has an impressive amount of grunt down low as a function of the turbo, but never rises to crescendo up on the range. Typical turbocharged engine.
-Maintenance costs may catch folks by surprise who were seduced by the low entry price. Look up bolt tightening service and the belt service. It’s not uncommon for the major services to cost thousands of dollars, $3-4k depending upon market. Most indies don’t have the special tools required.
-These are handbuilt cars and some are put together better than others.
-OEM wheel sizes limit tire choices.
-Coupes can be a little droney. Spiders don’t trap the meh noises in the cabin.

As for cross-shopping…
Mine stickered at $82k. The choice was between the 4C and a Boxster S. The Miata is a great car, but it’s not anywhere close to the speed and experience of the 4C. They’re not the same category of car. The Miata is a roadster that you can drive everyday as your only car. The Alfa is the perfect 4th or 5th car — it’s a toy, a go kart for the street.

Skullbussa

Former Alfa QV owner here, also owner of 991,2 GTS and just got back from Porsche Track experience where I got substantial time behind wheel of 992 C2S and as well as limited time in Taycan and Panamera.

first off, the Alfa is the best sports sedan money can buy if we are speaking strictly about driving dynamics. The Panemera and even Taycan can’t touch it and as someone who is also a former M3 owner, the BMW is a turd in comparison. I sold mine because I no longer needed 4 doors.

If I were in the market to buy today I’d get the 992 C2S, it’s an incredibly capable car. Is it noticeably superior to my GTS? No, the cars feel remarkably similar, steering feel is almost exactly the same. But I will have to disagree that 991,1 Turbo feels better, I’ve also driven that car and while it would blow my car into the dirt,I just prefer the driving engagement of my jalopy GTS.

Porsche Wanderer

Crossing the line from Alfa to Porsche. A bittersweet moment.