Alfa 4C alternatives?

[C70R]

I'm absolutely smitten with the 4C. I don't even like Alfas. Never owned one. Never wanted to own one.

But I've never wanted a car more than the 4C.

However, I'm currently setting up a business and trying to buy another house.

So I'm effectively financially incompatible with the 4C right now. £40k is just too much.

Can I replicate the experience for £15-20k? I want the car to be:
- Small-ish, light-ish, quick-ish, RWD, ideally mid-engined
- Automatic, ideally some sort of double-clutch/paddle arrangement (non-negotiable while we still have a house in London)
- Enough mod-cons to make long-distances tolerable

I basically need the car to be able to schlep all the way to the North of Scotland or the Ring, then be excellent fun to hammer around it while I'm there. Then I need it to be able to crawl in London traffic for the last hour of the drive home.

I actually don't think it's doable. Everything I have found seems to be too compromised.

Either the cars are too heavy/refined (Z4 35i) , or too slow (MX5 RF auto), or too slushboxy (987 Cayman).

Should I just give up?

Edited by C70R on Friday 13th March 13:55

[TheAlastair34]

Have you forgot about the Lotus Elise?

Ahh auto maybe not then haha

i mean you will struggle, id just have the Lotus and drive a manual if you can which is far more fun

[p4cks]

TheAlastair34 said:

Have you forgot about the Lotus Elise?

C70R said:

- Automatic, ideally some sort of double-clutch/paddle arrangement (non-negotiable while we still have a house in London)

???

[SiT]

I have a friend with a 4C and he came from an Evora which wasn’t great, tried a Boxster which ran the 4C close but just wasn’t individual enough. Standing still the 4C looks incredible and wherever he goes it attracts attention and positive comments.

He was discussing moving into something else but even at 4C money was struggling to identify a successor so for now its staying.

At £15-20k you have a few options but is it not feasible to hold out, sort the business then take the plunge?



If not then a £15-£20k Boxster S or Cayman should tide you over.

Si

[C70R]

SiT said:

I have a friend with a 4C and he came from an Evora which wasn’t great, tried a Boxster which ran the 4C close but just wasn’t individual enough. Standing still the 4C looks incredible and wherever he goes it attracts attention and positive comments.

He was discussing moving into something else but even at 4C money was struggling to identify a successor so for now its staying.

At £15-20k you have a few options but is it not feasible to hold out, sort the business then take the plunge?



If not then a £15-£20k Boxster S or Cayman should tide you over.

Si

It's just perfect. I even love all the stty bits too.

I think it's the first time I've ever been in love with a car that was so affordable.

Edited by C70R on Friday 13th March 14:59

[cerb4.5lee]

The 4C does look gorgeous and it looks even better when you are stood next to it. A lovely shape for sure.

A Lotus Elise was also the only thing I could come up with as well...but no auto which is your priority.

[C70R]

I've actually just realised that the PDK box in the 987.2 Cayman/Box isn't a slushbox, but is actually double-clutch.

I'd actually passengered in one and not realised. Seeing the horrid 'button' setup on the steering wheel made me assume it was the same situation as the 986 auto (old-school slush).

This is VERY interesting news.

It's even more interesting to note that you can fit the wheel and paddles from the 981, albeit at a cost of £1k.

I'm now going to head into a black hole of researching the 987.

[Pistonheader101]

370z maybe

[The_Nugget]

£40k is too much, but is £31,950 too much...

I’m sure you can Man maths your way into this.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[Don Roque]

C70R said:

I've actually just realised that the PDK box in the 987.2 Cayman/Box isn't a slushbox, but is actually double-clutch.

Incredible fail

[Drl22]

If you’re ruling out a Cayman a TT RS might be an option.

[Shifter1]

Very difficult to find.

Because the 4C itself already is an alternative to a Ferrari. So it is very difficult to match. Because of it being Italian, having the flair and the gorgeous design you basically find nowhere else. This all makes it just more special than anything else priced or configured similarly.

I guarantee that in 20-30 years time the 4C will cost more than pretty much all its competitors like the Elise, Exige and even A110. It's an Alfa and a baby Ferrari. You will not find that in anything French, German, English or Japanese. Not the whole package anyways.

[C70R]

Don Roque said:

C70R said:

I've actually just realised that the PDK box in the 987.2 Cayman/Box isn't a slushbox, but is actually double-clutch.

Incredible fail

So weird that the 987.1 would be a slushbox, but the 987.2 would be double-clutch.

[C70R]

Drl22 said:

If you’re ruling out a Cayman a TT RS might be an option.

For some reason, the modern Audis I've driven (albeit none of the mega-sporty variants) have really left me cold. The controls are so numb to my hand.

[Shifter1]

C70R said:

For some reason, the modern Audis I've driven (albeit none of the mega-sporty variants) have really left me cold. The controls are so numb to my hand.

Yep. They are really all like that.

All the VAG cars actually, including Porsches in my opinion. When you contrast them to other non German competitors, which seems to all have more character.

[C70R]

Shifter1 said:

C70R said:

For some reason, the modern Audis I've driven (albeit none of the mega-sporty variants) have really left me cold. The controls are so numb to my hand.

Yep. They are really all like that.

All the VAG cars actually, including Porsches in my opinion. When you contrast them to other non German competitors, which seems to all have more character.

Have you driven many modern Porsches?

Chris Harris (among others) described the 987 Cayman as one of the best cars ever made.

[coldel]

I live in London, manual gearbox is just fine, been driving manuals in London for 20 years - to overlook a brilliant driving machine like an Elise because you cannot be bothered to hit a third peddle seems like such a waste of an opportunity.

[C70R]

coldel said:

I live in London, manual gearbox is just fine, been driving manuals in London for 20 years - to overlook a brilliant driving machine like an Elise because you cannot be bothered to hit a third peddle seems like such a waste of an opportunity.

I already have a manual (my Mini), and it's a pain in the hoop in traffic.

Sorry if that seems lazy to you.

[coldel]

C70R said:

I already have a manual (my Mini), and it's a pain in the hoop in traffic.

Sorry if that seems lazy to you.

Not lazy, but I don't think its really an issue in the grand scheme of things considering what a brilliant car an Elise is and for the sake of a pedal sacrificing it for something else which wont come close in terms of two seater sporting car fun.

[anonymous-user]

Life is too short, get a 4C.

It is going to be my next car.