Alfa Romeo has never had a problem building
cars that are stunning to look at, but you have to go back a long way to find
one of its models that was genuinely exciting to drive. Well, the new 4C could
be about to change that. It’s Alfa’s first mid-engined sports car for decades,
and its high-tech construction and relatively small engine give it a huge
weight advantage over most of its rivals.
In fact, the 4C weighs 350kg less than a
Porsche Cayman S – a car that we’ve previously described as ‘the best pound-for
pound sports car in the world’. So do the Alfa’s on-paper credentials make it
great on the road?
The
Alfa Romeo 4C responds more eagerly to steering inputs, but needs more
front-end grip
What are they like to drive?
The Alfa might have a big weight advantage
over its German rival, but it also has a lot less power. The different
approaches result in equally eye-widening straight-line pace, with both cars
accelerating from 30-70mph in just under four seconds.
However, while the Cayman pulls hard the
instant you push the throttle, the 4C relies on a turbocharger, so there’s
often a delay in power delivery. What’s more, the Alfa’s engine runs out of
puff above 6,000rpm, whereas the Cayman keeps accelerating hard until almost
8,000rpm.
The
Porsche Cayman S has loads more grip and stays better balanced through corners
The Porsche sounds better, too, producing a
bassy growl at low revs and howling loudly as you accelerate hard. The Alfa is
seriously noisy – especially with the optional sports exhaust ($748) – but the
sound it makes isn’t particularly tuneful. Both cars have twin-clutch automatic
gearboxes, which also allow you to change gear manually using paddles behind
the steering wheel. Both ’boxes respond quickly to commands when you’re driving
hard, but the Cayman’s is much smoother around town.
Come to a corner and you immediately get a
sense of just how light the 4C is. It reacts instantly to steering inputs and
there’s barely any body roll. Unfortunately, the front end of the car starts to
run wide earlier than you might expect. The Porsche, meanwhile, stays perfectly
balanced through corners, and also has more grip, so you can ultimately carry a
lot more speed through bends.
The
Alfa’s driving position is very low, giving a proper sports car feel
Unlike most modern cars, the 4C doesn’t
have power steering, so you get a real sense of connection with the front
wheels. Unfortunately, there’s lots of kickback through the Alfa’s steering
over bumps, and the whole car lurches over quick camber changes.
The Porsche, on the other hand, remains
surefooted no matter how bad the road surface. True, its steering doesn’t
provide as much natural feedback as the Alfa’s, but it’s super-accurate,
allowing you to place the car precisely in corners.
Both cars ride pretty well by sports car
standards. The Porsche’s more relaxed gait makes it the more comfortable car at
higher speeds, but the Alfa glides over sharp-edged bumps and potholes with
more forgiveness around town – even with the optional sports suspension
($1,662).
What are they like inside?
Getting into the 4C requires a fair amount
of flexibility because you have to clamber over a chunky sill and lower
yourself practically onto the floor. The driver’s seat adjusts only for length
(not height), although the figure-hugging seats and well-positioned pedals mean
getting comfortable shouldn’t be a problem.
There’s a lot more adjustment in the
Cayman’s driving position, so it’s even easier to get the perfect set-up. You
sit higher than in the Alfa, but still feel like you’re in a proper sports car,
thanks to the wraparound dashboard and big, bold instrument dials.
The
Cayman’s interior puts those in many executive saloons to shame
What’s more, the Cayman’s cabin is classy
enough to put many executive saloons’ to shame. The dashboard is made of dense,
soft-touch plastics, and nearly all of the controls are thoughtfully laid out
and easy to use. The one exception is the seven-inch touch-screen infotainment
system which has a slightly confusing menu layout.
Things aren’t anywhere near as smart in the
Alfa, because any soft plastics and have been shunned in the name of saving
weight. However, most of the controls are simple to operate and the digital
display tells you all you need to know. It’s just a shame the stereo is so
underwhelming; even the $499 optional system sounds poor.
The Alfa’s boot is tiny – capable of
swallowing couple of small overnight bags but that’s about it. There’s no
hydraulic strut to keep the boot lid open, either, so you have to prop it open.
The
Alfa’s boot is small, and you have to prop open the lid
The Porsche, meanwhile, has two boots – a
small one under the bonnet and a bigger one at the rear of the car – so there’s
ultimately a lot more space.
What will they cost you?
You won’t get any dealer discount on either
car, so the Alfa undercuts the Porsche by nearly $9,973. The 4C is also
predicted to depreciate a lot more slowly, and will cost you less to service,
tax and fuel. In fact, take into account all the costs you’ll face during the
first three years of ownership, and the Alfa works out more than $14,960
cheaper.
The
Cayman S has two boots, which easily beat the space offered by the 4C
Neither manufacturer has exactly been
generous with standard equipment. You get air-con, electric front windows and a
stereo with both cars, but have to pay extra for rear parking sensors (which
you’ll definitely want), a USB socket and cruise control. The 4C does at least
come with Bluetooth (a $740 option on the Cayman), but gets only cloth seats,
whereas the Porsche has part-leather.
Neither car has been crash-tested by Euro
NCAP, but the Porsche has the higher airbag count (four vs two).
