Alfa Romeo 4C | Spotted
Time will surely be kind to the 4C - might now be the moment to get one?
Even with all the optimism in the world, it’s impossible to be as excited about the new £45k Alfa Romeo in 2023 - the Tonale Plug-In - as it was the new £45k Alfa Romeo in 2013 - the 4C. This isn’t an SUV-bashing thread, but seldom does a decade ago seem like such ancient history (or the current new car market look so expensive) as when recalling Alfa's little sports car. What buys a Civic Type R now bought a carbon tubbed, dual-clutch sports car then - incredible.
It's easy to remember the buzz around the 4C like it was a much more recent event, too. Mostly because it was such a huge deal, the style and technology promising so much to long-suffering enthusiasts. It's hard to imagine the enthusiasm being replicated (for the moment, anyway) by the ‘zero to zero’ product pledge that will see an entirely electrified Alfa range by 2027. The 4C was precisely the car everyone thought Alfa Romeo ought to be building at that time, and probably should have been for a while: light, beautiful, innovative and fast.
Of course, despite the feverish anticipation and favourable launch reviews, the standard Alfa Romeo 4C didn’t deliver as a driver’s car. But if ever a few flaws could be overlooked, it’s in the current climate, with the two-door sports car basically extinct. Or now extremely limited and expensive to make them viable. The 4C was wayward as standard, but there are a host of well-known aftermarket specialists that have sorted the Alfa’s less favourable tendencies out. It’ll almost certainly never quite be delightful to drive as an Elise or the A110 that has replaced it in our affections, but the 4C can quite simply be made quite a bit better.
What a car you’d be left with after that, too, an Alfa still capable of drawing a crowd in any situation and with 160mph potential. Everything was there for the 4C’s success, from the badge to the price and the construction to the performance; looking back now it seems even more frustrating that Alfa didn’t quite hit the bullseye, because there’s never, ever going to be another car even remotely like it made in the future.
Ten years on, a 4C Coupe or Spider remains an intriguing alternative to the obvious lightweight sports cars. It’ll never howl like a Porsche or drive as delicately as a Lotus, but if you’ve ticked those boxes then there’s plenty in the Alfa’s favour. Rarity means it looks a safe place to put money, for starters. Even allowing for a lot of cars being specced beyond £50k, you’ll do well to find one below £40,000 now, even examples from 2014. This Coupe is a late car, first registered in 2017 and showing off the 4C’s design drama perfectly in Giallo Prototipo. With the carbon headlights and factory sports exhaust as well, it’s for sale at £47,999 with 26,000 miles.
Which is Alpine A110 money, of course. But thanks to its look and badge, the 4C seems exotic even in that company - which was always its calling card and it's almost certain to keep relative desirability high for many more years to come. If a future two-seat Alfa EV can at least retain those traits, perhaps there’ll be something to cheer for in a zero-to-zero future after all.
SPECIFICATION | ALFA ROMEO 4C
Engine: 1,742cc 4-cyl turbo
Transmission: 6-speed dual-clutch auto (Alfa TCT), rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 240@6,000rpm
Torque (lb ft): 258@2,200rpm
0-62mph: 4.5 sec
Top speed: 161mph
MPG: 41.5mpg (NEDC combined)
CO2: 157g/km
Year registered: 2017
Recorded mileage: 26,000
Price new: £45,000 (2015, before options)
Yours for: £47,999
I’m sure they’ve gone up by at least £10k since covid descended on us.
Having said that, for me it’s a lovely thing but I’d rather put my money into a Coxster or an Elise
My only issues are, could I really drive to my (imaginary at present) place in Spain with luggage for two (ok, the Elise might struggle too) and would I be able to become a piece of human origami to fold myself into it? Being just 60, my poor old body doesn’t contort as well as it used to (my wife will attest to that, but that’s another story….)
so a little biased but my take...Prices are all over the place. There's only ever a few on the market at any given time but I'm not sure whether they're reaching the £40k+ asking prices. Values did dip and probably bottomed out a couple of years ago when there was a glut of ex-lease examples came on the market. Then they stopped production and they started creeping back up. They really didn't make many, I think there's less than 500 in the UK.
They're certainly an event to drive, can be a handful but proper geo and decent tyres help the front end twitchiness. People rave about the Alfaworks blocks but I haven't bothered.
Yes they are competely impractical, cabin is slightly more generous than an Elise but the boot less so, it's miniscule. But just look at it
It's not like the engine is nice or sounds musical. It's also a bit laggy and there's no joy to be had from pushing a button to get a gear change. So, I would think the conclusion will be, wouldn't this be so much better with an electric powertrain.
There will be a niche for old ICE cars, but I think they'll need to have nice powertrains to have lasting appeal, which this sadly lacks. The things that this car does well, a future EV sports car will do better, eventually.
so a little biased but my take...Prices are all over the place. There's only ever a few on the market at any given time but I'm not sure whether they're reaching the £40k+ asking prices. Values did dip and probably bottomed out a couple of years ago when there was a glut of ex-lease examples came on the market. Then they stopped production and they started creeping back up. They really didn't make many, I think there's less than 500 in the UK.
They're certainly an event to drive, can be a handful but proper geo and decent tyres help the front end twitchiness. People rave about the Alfaworks blocks but I haven't bothered.
Yes they are competely impractical, cabin is slightly more generous than an Elise but the boot less so, it's miniscule. But just look at it
Absolutely loved mine - not quite as good as the Exiges that went before it but certainly more comfortable to live with.
Loads more room in the cabin than the Exige too.
There’s some very well specced cars out there somewhere- mine had the leather dash, carbon lights, mirrors, gearbox air intake and even the carbon interior vents - stunning car.
Only downside for me was the farty up shifts, although these could be negated if you get the timing right with the paddles.
I had the Alfa works blocks and it really was a different car on the s
tty B roads around me.Recently went to look at a LE to buy, but decided I just wouldn’t use it enough now.
On looks I'm slightly torn, the Alfa has it but to my eye it went "too far Exige" and ended up looking overly haunchy, like a supercar that was left in a hot wash cycle, as opposed to a delicate sport car.
It's also interesting that the 4c (unlike the A110) is a completely uncontroversial thing in PH world; it's as if we're completely happy with (predictably?) romantic failure but a bit unsettled by upstart excellence...
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