The Alfa Romeo 4C
For Alfa Romeo, the 4C is more than just a car. It’s a statement of intent and a show of strength to the rest of the world from this once proud company.
Using cutting edge carbon fibre technology taken from F1 the 4-seat 4C certainly shows what Alfa Romeo is capable of but most importantly it shows that the company has really rediscovered its mojo. Nowhere is that return to the fore more obvious than in the way the car looks. Lord knows “stunning” is a hopelessly overused word when it comes to car design. However, we think that we’re on safe ground when we apply it to the 4C. Conceived in Alfa’s own design centre this low and wide mini supercar is a wonderful combination of tort lines and voluptuous curves that echo classic Alfas of the past but still look totally modern at the same time.
The front end is dominated by the famous Alfa Romeo badge with ridges running up from either side up and over the bonnet which forms an unmistakeable V. At the same time corresponding curves run along the door and up to the air intakes towards its muscular rear end. Its design is entirely deliberate and nothing shows this more than the fact that you can see the entire engine through the rear window. Just as importantly this isn’t design for design sake, its shape is as aerodynamic as it is beautiful which helps to improve the car’s overall performance.
Unfortunately, you do suffer for Alfa’s art thanks to the 4C’s small doors and its high and wide sills. No matter your size you’ll find that you’ll have to clamber over in a somewhat inelegant fashion. Once you’re behind the wheel though it’s surprisingly comfortable. Even if you’re in the region of six foot tall you’ll find that there’s plenty of head and leg room because you sit nice and low down - as you should in a proper sports car. There is also reach and rake adjustment in the steering wheel so it’s easy to find a good driving position.
The interior design leaves you in no doubt that the 4C is an out and out driver’s car. What few controls there are are angled towards the driver in the central console. There’s also no conventional speedometer dials. Instead there’s just a beautiful TFT screen behind the steering wheel with its display responding to the driving mode you’re in. As for creature comforts there simply aren’t any, in fact the cabin makes a virtue under its sheer minimalism. Alfa has deliberately left carbon fibre on view and with the exposed paintwork, metalwork and even exposed screen heads all adds to its distinctive charm. Mind you, in some places Alfa has gone a little bit too far where some of the switch-gear would even seem cheap and tacky in a £5k supermini let alone a £45k supercar!
If you think the design of the 4C is uncompromising then the way is drives is even more so. We won’t be the first to admit that there are people for whom this car is just too noisy, too uncomfortable and in some ways too freighting. However, for a red-blooded petrol head this car is simply heaven. The 4C is a really light car so even with a 4-cylinder engine and only 240bhp it’s seriously quick and gathers speed really easily. When you get to a corner you’ll find that it handles beautifully as well mainly due to the balanced mid-engined chassis and rear wheel drive. The steering has a wonderful weight to it and any slight turn to the wheel is enough to get that gorgeous nose straight into an apex. The real beauty of the 4C is that it just gets better the faster you go. Where it’s all gripes and grumbles at low speed once you up the pace the whole things just comes alive.
The 4C feels incredibly agile when the suspension hits its sweet spot and you can genuinely feel the road through the steering wheel. It’s also the more exciting to drive this car because you can hear the engine bellowing over your shoulder while the exhaust crackles and spits at the back of the car. On the same token this is a very demanding car to drive and you won’t have a moment’s rest as the car has a potentially alarming tendency to follow any slight camber change in the road. Even so this is a through and through driver’s car and any true driver will love driving it. It’s fantastically rewarding.
The Alfa Romeo 4C certainly isn’t a car for everyday or everyone and some people will find it just too raw and too extreme. However, it’s that very uncompromising nature that makes it such a great car. But for a small group of officianardos this stunning creation could just be up there as one of the best cars in the world.
