Alfa Romeo 4C: Delivery Miles
What price one of the hottest tickets of 2014? You'll be paying a premium on the ultra-rare 4C for a while yet
Maybe the 4C is indeed the "most sought-after car of 2014" (as one advertiser describes it). Not only does it have that shiny-new-button halo, it's got a drool factor that's been sadly lacking in Alfas for a whole generation.
Most sought after car of 2014?
If you just can't wait for a 4C, though, the first nearly-new ones are already on the market - no fewer than 11 in the PistonHeads classifieds, in fact. That's a surprise given the extremely low number of cars present in the UK right now.
Launch out of control?
So what'll you pay? Top whack for a zero-mileage 4C is £60,950. Given the 4C's £45K entry price, that might seem like a stiff £16K mark-up but this Launch Edition (which most currently for sale are) cost its owner £52K, so actually the premium is a slightly less headline-hogging £9K. If you don't mind a few miles on your 4C, this 700-mile LaunchEdition comes in as the UK's cheapest 4C at £55,995.
Just 60 Launch Edition cars were delivered to UK customers, so it's always going to be a rarity. Is the LE really so desirable, though? I'm not so sure. Most of its special tweaks are available on regular 4Cs, like carbon fibre trim, bi-LED headlights, racing exhaust and uprated suspension.
Nice clear pic to adverise your £60K car...
To race or not to race?
The 4C coupe's base price may be £45K, but Alfa GB says owners are in fact typically spending £55K after options. So what are the best goodies to have? The most obvious tick-box for PHers is the Racing Pack. For £3,000 you get uprated suspension with a rear anti-roll bar and uprated front ARB, twin-pipe exhaust, 18-/19-inch five-hole alloys with 205/40 ZR18 and 235/35 ZR19 'racing' tyres and a sports leather steering wheel.
A word of warning though: the Racing Pack can make the 4C feel pretty extreme on UK roads. The exhaust is very loud (although interchangeable with the standard set-up) and the larger wheels and hard suspension don't like bumps very much.
Rosso Comp should be a great colour for £2K
And this 64-plate standard 4C with delivery miles is up for £57,500. I've specced up its extras: leather (£1,200), five-hole alloys (£1,200), bi-LED lights with carbon surrounds (£1,750), red calipers (£360), spoiler (£700), Racing exhaust (£450), carbon instrument panel (£300), cruise (£260), parking sensors (£420), cup holders (£25) and floor mats (£90). That makes it a £51,755 car new, so the mark-up is £6K. With probably fewer than 100 cars on UK soil at present, I reckon that's going to be the premium on a 4C for quite some time yet.
Think it's a good looking special car, but they need to sort those lights out.
Also seem to not be able to find any Alfa dealerships near me to have a gander round one, and I'm willing to bet there aren't any demonstrators out there...
As much as I'd absolutely love one, at the price they're fetching, why wouldn't you get a V6 Exige instead? Or an Evora if you want a bit more comfort?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l... - I'll have that instead if I was in the position.
In the metal surely? (Or in this case in the carbon/aluminium).
As a 'brand identifier' I quite like it.
As a 'brand identifier' I quite like it.
If I had to buy a new car and despite the flappy paddles it would be the 4C as it is closest car to my X1/9 on the market. Lotus's are nice but why spend new money on old rope?
At least with the Alfa you're not driving a fifteen year old car that's had a facelift or two.
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