The Italians know how to make one-of-a-kind exotic vehicles. But this feat isn’t exclusive to Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. There’s no need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars to stand out in a crowd of supercars. The stunning Alfa Romeo 4C is the budget-conscious buyer’s alternative to a Ferrari 458, with the average sale price sitting at about $61,000 according to Classic.com.
On top of being one of the best value-for-money exotics on the market, the Alfa Romeo 4C is bound to become a future classic one day.
What’s Lurking Under That Gorgeous Exterior?
The 4C is much more than just a pretty face, too. It has a mid-mounted, turbocharged 1.75-liter four-cylinder engine that expels 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. While that might not sound like exotic car power levels, the 4C is heavily carbon fiber-infused, resulting in this baby supercar weighing less than 2,500 lbs.
In traditional supercar fashion, the 4C abandons every sense of practicality with its 3.7 cubic feet of trunk space, space for two adults that barely meet the requirement to go on a rollercoaster, no center infotainment screen, and not even power steering.
Let’s not beat around the bush: The 4C is not built for straight-line acceleration. Pedal to the metal, the exotic Alfa achieves performance figures close to the black sheep of supercars – the BMW i8 – with a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 160 mph.
Rather, the 4C emphasizes handling and its awe-factor, like an exotic is supposed to. With a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, double-wishbone front suspension, and MacPherson strut rear suspension, the Alfa Romeo 4C sticks to the road like a gecko on glass.
Alfa also released a roofless version of the 4C, dubbed the Spider, which handles nearly identically to the hardtop thanks to its removable roof panel. The main difference is that the Spider makes the 4C much more of a theatrical experience.
Every Gearhead Should Own An Alfa Romeo!
There’s a reason why Alfa Romeo is praised among auto enthusiasts, including the biggest gearhead of them all, Jeremy Clarkson. Alfa never makes perfect cars. Some way, somehow, they always let little flaws slip into their otherwise flawless creations. But that’s what makes them special.
Since the brand’s inception in 1910, the Italian carmaker has yet to make a car that’s unappealing to the eye. And they’re no stranger to making exclusive cars either, like the 4C’s spiritual predecessor, the 8C Competizione, built in a very limited run (with roughly 500 coupes and 500 Spiders originally planned).
Unfortunately, precise production numbers of the 4C are difficult to determine, but most estimates suggest total production was under 10,000 worldwide.
Usually, it’s easy to identify a car’s rivals. But the Alfa Romeo 4C is a unique case. On paper, it should butt heads with the likes of the Lotus Exige and Porsche Cayman 718. While the Exige should be more precise than the 4C, and the Cayman more luxurious, the 4C remains our pick between the three.
It punches above its weight class and is right on the heels of slightly matured supercars, such as the Ferrari F430 and McLaren MP4-12C, in terms of looks, performance, and exclusivity. On top of that, the Alfa has surprisingly low maintenance costs in comparison to other exotics, and along with its bargain price tag, it is a better value proposition.
How Much Does It Cost?
The average Alfa Romeo 4C sells for around the same price as a Toyota GR Supra, with high-mileage examples selling for less than $50,000. When new, a 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C had a starting MSRP of $53,900, meaning it has lost little to no value over a decade. If the 4C follows the same path as its spiritual predecessor — which seems likely — it will skyrocket in value over the next few years, regardless of whether you drive yours or keep it as a garage queen.
In conclusion, the Alfa Romeo 4C is probably one of the most Italian cars ever made. It ditches every ounce of sensibility and practicality in favor of style, a one-of-a-kind driving experience, and pizzazz. For around $60,000, it’s tough to beat what the Alfa Romeo 4C brings to the table.
It has the road presence of a Ferrari but doesn’t cost an arm and a leg to maintain, the driving characteristics of a mid-engined sports car, without being a run-of-the-mill Porsche, and the noise of a symphonic Italian supercar, but has an engine smaller than a Golf GTI. The best time to buy an Alfa Romeo 4C was yesterday; the next best time is now!