RE: AlfaWorks GT4C: Driven
Discussion
The main issue sorted is replacing Alfa's original front wishbone spacers with ones altering the castor. Thus altered, for around £400 including labour, it's preferrable over our worn out roads. Job done. The rest, like carbon fibre panels, Remap etc is not essential at all.
Alfa aren't the only ones offering cars which could do with a tweak, for example, the porsche 993 usually came with rubbish Monroe dampers which were worth replacing when new.
Alfa aren't the only ones offering cars which could do with a tweak, for example, the porsche 993 usually came with rubbish Monroe dampers which were worth replacing when new.
Autorosso said:
I wish people would stop saying it needs a manual gear box and v6 they just don't get it, if they spent some time in one they would chance there minds, I would like to drive the Alfa works demo that must be the perfect car.
Italians make the best sports cars with soul and looks to die for, yes they have issues but that's part of it all cars do, the values of these will start to increase in the next few years it's a hand built car a bargin really Alfa must lose money making them.
It wouldn't even get my list of 'would think about buying' due to the 4 pot turbo and auto box.Italians make the best sports cars with soul and looks to die for, yes they have issues but that's part of it all cars do, the values of these will start to increase in the next few years it's a hand built car a bargin really Alfa must lose money making them.
It would have to be manual at the very least and maybe I could live with the engine, but a lovely V6 would be better.
The steering wheel is pretty horrible (in my opinion also).
With manual, V6, sorted chassis settings it would be a great Italian sports car. Very desirable.
So the Steering only comes into its own after putting it on bubble gum thin tires, bigger wheels and in Race mode? Just have a look at an old Boxster with small wheels and no special suspension or carbon, at know it steers and handles great. These modifications and this review do not ad up.
We readers need better informed and trained Auto journalists.
I do like the 4c but 80k is a big ask, it should really have left the factory in a state of tune more similar to this. i must admit given the choice I'd prefer a 6 or more cylinder unit but it's not essential in a light weight car like this, having said that I think Alfa should have used a supercharger instead of a turbo on the engine and they certainly should have had a manual as an option
Alfa products and especially Alfa special products like the Montreal were always 'a bit pricy', and look at today... That said you can pick up a Q4 for way less than Delta Integrale money and almost have as much fun. And also add a 70s Spider and 105 Bertone with it for the same money.
It's 2015 and cars and the car market are so different compared to 15 years ago.
It's 2015 and cars and the car market are so different compared to 15 years ago.
It's strange that the 4C reviews of the British media are by far the most negative of them all. The 4C seems completely ignored even, a couple of "first drive" reviews but no 4C comparison with an Elise and/or Exige in EVO for instance, nothing....
No, likeable cars and the Elise/Exige may have a nice chassis/steering setup, the rest is just a patchy, mixed bag helped by low weight and no real contenders.
But in Britain the home product is of course the holy grale, you see similar traits in the German car media, which hardly feature "import" products(as they call it nowadays).
Mr_Sukebe said:
Hethel must be rubbing their hands in glee. Again, the overpriced contender is still playing catchup.
Reality is with my 6'2 I can barely fit in an Elise/Exige (both height and width), and 2 of me means shoulder hugging guaranteed, opposed to the 4C. The overall build quality is less(many owners speak of rattles and squeaks), alu chassis instead of carbon, old tech Toyota engines, lesser brakes, an old tech slow flappy paddle gearbox in the Exige 350. Plus the Exige 350 may have a V6 but it's more than 200kg's heavier......No, likeable cars and the Elise/Exige may have a nice chassis/steering setup, the rest is just a patchy, mixed bag helped by low weight and no real contenders.
But in Britain the home product is of course the holy grale, you see similar traits in the German car media, which hardly feature "import" products(as they call it nowadays).
Edited by DeltonaS on Tuesday 5th July 12:12
DS240 said:
It wouldn't even get my list of 'would think about buying' due to the 4 pot turbo and auto box.
It would have to be manual at the very least and maybe I could live with the engine, but a lovely V6 would be better.
The steering wheel is pretty horrible (in my opinion also).
With manual, V6, sorted chassis settings it would be a great Italian sports car. Very desirable.
Could all be, but I guess the choices Alfa made are understandable;It would have to be manual at the very least and maybe I could live with the engine, but a lovely V6 would be better.
The steering wheel is pretty horrible (in my opinion also).
With manual, V6, sorted chassis settings it would be a great Italian sports car. Very desirable.
- Ferrari doesn't sell manuals anymore, hardly even wenn they still offered them.
- Porsche chose a pdk for the GT3 RS, because it's faster and more efficient
- A V6 is nice, but heavy, see Exige 350, which weighs at least 200kg's more.
- A lighter turbocharged 4cyl. delivers enough power while keeping it within weight limits.
DeltonaS said:
Reality is with my 6'2 I can barely fit in an Elise/Exige, and 2 of me means shoulder hugging guaranteed, opposed to the 4C. The overall build quality is less(many owners speak of rattles and squeaks), alu chassis instead of carbon, old tech Toyota engines, lesser brakes, an old tech slow flappy paddle gearbox in the Exige 350. Plus the Exige 350 may have a V6 but it's more than 200kg's heavier......
Had a nosey round a 4C a couple times and parking my S1 Elise next to one the fit of the bodywork was better on the Elise! The front bumper alignment was comically bad even from 5m away and the owner said after multiple visits to the dealership they'd declared it was the best they could do and washed their hands of it.Not a fan of the massive low-end hit of torque and s
tty throttle response in small turbo engines (granted not tried the 4C tune, but everything else in this vein I've driven has been similar) so I'd take the supercharged Toyota any day, plus a proper manual.See that in reality 4C's have been weighed in at over 1000kg when road tested.
Thorburn said:
Had a nosey round a 4C a couple times and parking my S1 Elise next to one the fit of the bodywork was better on the Elise! The front bumper alignment was comically bad even from 5m away and the owner said after multiple visits to the dealership they'd declared it was the best they could do and washed their hands of it.
Never compared the two side by side, so can't comment. Can't say I really noticed though the couple of times I've walked around (and sat) in a 4C.Thorburn said:
Not a fan of the massive low-end hit of torque and stty throttle response in small turbo engines (granted not tried the 4C tune, but everything else in this vein I've driven has been similar) so I'd take the supercharged Toyota any day, plus a proper manual.
Turbo charged means mostly mid-range...tty throttle response in small turbo engines (granted not tried the 4C tune, but everything else in this vein I've driven has been similar) so I'd take the supercharged Toyota any day, plus a proper manual.I was impressed with the 170hp 1.4 Multi-air, far from a laggy turbo charged engine of old. Never driven the new alu, direct injected 1750 tbi though.
Thorburn said:
See that in reality 4C's have been weighed in at over 1000kg when road tested.
1015kg's even, fully optioned with fluids....Reality ?, the quoted Alfa weights were always dry weights, without the no-cost options like aircon/radio/speakers.
But then again so does Lotus on their website, add aircon, electric windows/mirrors, the TCT gearbox (+20kg's), parking sensors and you'll see that a 935kg's weighing Lotus Elise 220 cup is not far off.
But is quit a bit smaller, has less interior, brakes/wheels, etc.
dinkel said:
OK, what's the compact mid-engined market look like then?
Exige, Elise, 4C... ?
Noble and Boxter maybe. Ultima seems a bit to radical for most who are into a 4C-like vehicle.
The days of 914, 308GT4, Dino 246, R5 Turbo, Clio V6, MR2 and Lotus Europa are over. Which is sad.
To be fair, those 'days' cover 4 decades.Exige, Elise, 4C... ?
Noble and Boxter maybe. Ultima seems a bit to radical for most who are into a 4C-like vehicle.
The days of 914, 308GT4, Dino 246, R5 Turbo, Clio V6, MR2 and Lotus Europa are over. Which is sad.
If you consider the 308GT4 compact (4.3m) then you probably should the Boxster/Cayman as well, as there is only 79mm between them in terms of length (4.379m), and then you can add the Evora 400 in as well which is only 5cm longer than the 308GT4 (4350mm).
DeltonaS said:
Thorburn said:
Not a fan of the massive low-end hit of torque and stty throttle response in small turbo engines (granted not tried the 4C tune, but everything else in this vein I've driven has been similar) so I'd take the supercharged Toyota any day, plus a proper manual.
Turbo charged means mostly mid-range...tty throttle response in small turbo engines (granted not tried the 4C tune, but everything else in this vein I've driven has been similar) so I'd take the supercharged Toyota any day, plus a proper manual.I was impressed with the 170hp 1.4 Multi-air, far from a laggy turbo charged engine of old. Never driven the new alu, direct injected 1750 tbi though.
t instead.The GT4C sounds like a really great upgrade, but that is some price increase. It is really in Ferrari territory, and as much as I love the 4C it is not in Ferrari performance territory.
Alfa has been spotted testing a "bigger" 4C a about half a year ago, but no new shots of it have surfaced and announcements have been made either.
For those waning a 6 cylinder 4C.. It wont happen as there is not enough space in the back for a V6...
Alfa has been spotted testing a "bigger" 4C a about half a year ago, but no new shots of it have surfaced and announcements have been made either.
For those waning a 6 cylinder 4C.. It wont happen as there is not enough space in the back for a V6...
The problem is to many people take notice of what the press say rather than just go out drive something you like and buy it. No matter what car are you buy it will always have a negative side to it, even something costing £1M. I've never had a double clutch gearbox in a car until the 4c and I have to say I'm really impressed with them. Plus if I want to blast a manual around I can nick the wife's mini jcw. The 4c is not the best car it's probably not the car Alfa thought it would be, and at 50k it's in a difficult market going up against Porsche, Audi etc I bought it to be different and lucky enough to have 50k to throw at a weekend toy.
Edited by Mawsleycarvalet on Tuesday 5th July 22:19
Mawsleycarvalet said:
The problem is to many people take notice of what the press say rather than just go out drive something you like and buy it. No matter what car are you buy it will always have a negative side to it, even something costing £1M. I've never had a double clutch gearbox in a car until the 4c and I have to say I'm really impressed with them. Plus if I want to blast a manual around I can nick the wife's mini jcw. The 4c is not the best car it's probably not the car Alfa thought it would be, and at 50k it's in a difficult market going up against Porsche, Audi etc I bought it to be different and lucky enough to have 50k to throw at a weekend toy.
Good for you the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing, would you consider the Suspension upgrade?Mine booked in for it's steering geometry mods tomorrow so hoping that it does calm this aspect of it's driving dynamics down. I do understand the cries for "it needs a V6" but with emission laws on a car manufacturer's entire range of cars being what they are, this just isn't a realistic, forward thinking option hence why Porsche and others are having to pursue smaller turbo charged engines which will ultimately turn into hybrids probably. A manual gearbox against paddle shift/semi auto will always divide opinion but I would never totally discount a vehicle because of it.......that would rule out a lot of cars that I would like to own plus another that I already do!
The quality of fit and finish on my car is very good so not sure about the complaint about panel gaps etc. It is certainly better than both Elises that I have owned in the past. Mine is an every day driver doing approx 900 miles per month and so far (8 months) so good with regards to reliability/durability. Plus the decent fuel consumption as a result of being light and with a 4 cylinder turbo is welcome especially as it has (needs - in terms of overall design packaging!) quite a small fuel tank and therefore means I'm not in the petrol station every other day!
|http://thumbsnap.com/MYtqWKKh[/url]
Finally......to whoever said it doesn't have a boot (!?)........try opening up the rear engine cover and having a look! Really no different to an Elise in that respect although I concede a Cayman might have the edge on practicality if that's a concern.
The quality of fit and finish on my car is very good so not sure about the complaint about panel gaps etc. It is certainly better than both Elises that I have owned in the past. Mine is an every day driver doing approx 900 miles per month and so far (8 months) so good with regards to reliability/durability. Plus the decent fuel consumption as a result of being light and with a 4 cylinder turbo is welcome especially as it has (needs - in terms of overall design packaging!) quite a small fuel tank and therefore means I'm not in the petrol station every other day!
|http://thumbsnap.com/MYtqWKKh[/url]Finally......to whoever said it doesn't have a boot (!?)........try opening up the rear engine cover and having a look! Really no different to an Elise in that respect although I concede a Cayman might have the edge on practicality if that's a concern.
[quote=ZX10R NIN]
Good for you the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing, would you consider the Suspension upgrade?
[/quote
Hi thanks. Yes I'd like to drive one with it done just to see the difference. It's great on smooth roads but on bumpy or odd cambers it's a bit of a challenge.
Good for you the world would be a boring place if we all liked the same thing, would you consider the Suspension upgrade?
[/quote
Hi thanks. Yes I'd like to drive one with it done just to see the difference. It's great on smooth roads but on bumpy or odd cambers it's a bit of a challenge.
Had the steering geometry mod done this morning and the initial impression from driving it back from Alfa Workshop to Sussex is that it's made a vast improvement to the way in which the car tracks and steers. Can't recommend the guys at Alfa Workshop highly enough and, although early days, the results of their work are only begging the question; Why aren't Alfa Romeo setting the car up like this in the first place.............the car is transformed!?!?
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