2014 Alfa Romeo 4C drive review

What is it?

First shown in concept form at the 2011 Geneva motor show, the 2014 Alfa Romeo 4C heralds the company's return -- hyper-rare 8C notwithstanding -- to the American market. And what a return: Sleek, sexy as hell and unmistakably Italian, the 4C boasts technical specs that live up to the car's visual promises.

Lightness and affordability were the engineers' watchwords during 4C design, with the resulting road car built around a carbon-fiber central chassis tub that weighs just 143 pounds; in fact, the dry weight of the entire 4C is under 2,000 pounds. Final curb weight sans passengers is likely to come in under 2,500.

To move it along, Alfa added an all-aluminum 1.75-liter turbocharged I4 that makes 240 hp at 6,000 rpm; more importantly, 258 lb-ft of torque comes in at a reasonably low 2,200 rpm. The end result for those keeping score at home is a specific output of 137 hp per liter and 8.3 lbs/hp -- again, dry weight.

If, like us, you're thinking that sounds like good fun so far, it actually gets better. Alfa developed a double wishbone front suspension up front and a multilink strut rear, then added, drumroll please, unassisted steering. That's right, the road delivered directly to your hands on the wheel, unfiltered by electric motors or hydraulic pistons. Alfa claims 1.1 g of lateral acceleration is available, and after spending a day at the Balocco test track north of Turin, we have no reason to doubt them. We'll get to that in a moment.

Inside, the 4C is pure. By that, we mean there are no unnecessary adornments like glove boxes or carpet. Floor mats cover the carbon-fiber tub, which is also visible along the door sills and up the A-pillar -- in fact, there's not a chance you'll miss it as you climb across the wide sill and drop into the seat. Tap the dash and you'll be greeted with a hollow hard-plastic sound -- no matter: The flat-bottomed steering wheel is perfect, and you should be looking out the windshield, anyway. U.S.-spec cars will get additional equipment (and, unfortunately, weight) like an adjustable passenger seat (optional on global 4Cs), rear parking assist and a handful of other convenience touches, all for an estimated starting price around $54,000.

Aluminum pedals would be great for heel-and-toeing...if it was necessary.

What's it like to drive?

Once you've negotiated the wide sills and settled yourself into the cockpit, a twist of the key brings the little four to life with a bark; noise levels in the cabin are high but not objectionably so, and bystanders will get a massive earful from the car's …"unique" exhaust note. It's not unpleasant, but nor is it melodious; there's a lot of blatting and brapping involved in full-throttle runs, and the sound might wear some drivers thin after an hour or two.

The on-road performance, however, does not. Engage Dynamic mode and click into first gear via the steering-wheel paddles, squeeze on the throttle and the 4C gets moving with a delicious violence. Even better is the push once the engine is in the meat of its torque curve; despite its diminutive displacement, the 4C's engine output is brilliantly matched to its chassis and capabilities, with whooshes and pops from the turbo system adding music to the fun. As engineers on-hand explained, more engine would require a heavier transmission, which would have required more brakes to slow the mass and so on; they settled on a power-to-weight delta that's near ideal for the 4C's cost and mission in life.

While we've had mixed opinions about Fiat group dual-dry-clutch 6-speed manumatics in the past, Alfa Romeo did its homework. Left in automatic mode, the transmission finds the ideal gear for conditions about 90 percent of the time (a good result in our experience). In manual mode, a tap of the paddles results in a very quick 130 millisecondshift times at full throttle.

Finding the paddles when you need them is easy, too, thanks to the superb manual steering. Effort is acceptable at parking lot speeds thanks to 205/45 17-inch tires up front (the rears jump to 235/40-18), and Alfa engineers still managed to keep the ratio very quick (16.2:1); even on Italian mountain roads we rarely had to take our hands off the wheel to complete a turn -- thus the paddles are always there for an instant gearchange when needed.

The downside to the quick steering is that it doesn't self-center particularly well. Combined with the extraordinary sensitivity of the system, the car telegraphs every bit of the road surface directly to the driver's hands, and wants to follow those surfaces. Once you're accustomed to the feel, it allows very precise driving, but it does require the driver to be fully engaged in steering at all times. A miscalculation or moment of distraction that involves steering input could put you and your 4C in the weeds in a hurry.

On the track and on mountain roads, it's difficult to find fault with the 4C's suspension. It's an extraordinary tuning job on the part of Alfa engineers: Without using magnetic dampers or other high-tech tricks, the 4C manages to be a reasonably comfortable tourer that avoids abusing its occupants, yet also a fantastically fun track toy. Dynamic and Race settings on the “DNA” control switch respectively reduce and eliminate the electronic nannies, letting capable drivers hang the tail out, drift and engage in other hoonage to their heart's content, while the brakes (capable of 62-0 in 118 feet) are there to reel you in when trouble looms.

Spider-eyes have replaced the elegant show-car headlight assembly. Carbon fiber surround is optional.

Do I want one?

Do you want a mini Ferrari 458 for under $60K? Of course you do.

Make no mistake: The Alfa 4C is not a luxury performance car. This is a loud, raucous pure sports two-seater. While a first glance may indicate the Porsche Cayman is a logical competitor, the reality is the Alfa is in a class by itself. It's more livable than a Lotus, but lacking the luxury feel that a Porsche buyer is accustomed to. More likely the 4C is going to appeal to a unique buyer, a track-day or autocross enthusiast getting a second or third car to supplement a more accommodating daily driver.

Does that sound like you? If so, get in touch with Alfa in a hurry: Only 1,200 units a year are slated for North America, and are expected to be sold through Maserati dealerships. Due to the car's unique carbon-fiber construction, ramping up production to satisfy greater demand isn't an easy task.

We predict Alfa will sell every 4C they can build and have a waiting list after that. Now can we get a modern Berlina and perhaps a GTV successor to go with it?

On Sale: Spring 2014

Base Price: $54,000

Drivetrain: 1.75-liter, 240-hp, 258-lb-ft turbocharged I-4; RWD; 6-speed dual dry clutch automatic

Curb Weight: 2,500 lbs (est)

0-62 mph: 4.5 sec (mfr est)

Fuel Economy (E.U. cycle City/Hwy/Combined): 24/47/34.6

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