Alfa Romeo 4C Vs. Porsche Cayman (Part 3)

On cold tires, tweaking the cornering balance with the right foot is dead easy. But start pushing, and the slim front footwear heats up quickly, increasing understeer. The DNA mode selector (dynamic, natural, all-weather) calls up different stability control and drivetrain attitudes, including a new race mode that cancels ESP assistance altogether. Even with all electronic aids deactivated, the 4C remains an interactive tool that never leaves you in any doubt about what is going to happen next. Having said that, the Alfa is not as intuitive and confidence-inspiring at the limit as the Porsche. Steering inputs tend to unsettle the front wheels to a greater extent than expected, both on uneven turf and at high speed. Tramlining is an issue on back roads and on the autostrada, where the Alfa’s occasionally snappy front end is best left alone so that it can sort itself out like a vintage Porsche 911. Even though more compliance would undoubtedly yield more control, the R&D team under CEO Harald Wester consciously went down the hard-core road for ultimate grip. On the track, the ride is flat and the composure is faultless, but in the land of deep potholes and yawning manhole covers, the 4C puts up more of a fight than the rock-solid yet nicely compliant Cayman.

The Cayman’s PDK automatic transmission is optional; a six-speed manual is standard

Both test cars were fitted with nonadjustable dampers, but the Porsche was shod with wider tires sized 235/35YR-20 in the front and 265/35YR-20 in the back. Despite the Cayman’s 38-hp advantage, the 4C was almost always the quicker car, and it was also more fun to drive, at least while the driver’s physical stamina lasted. Contrary to the fuss-free Cayman, the shirt-sleeved Alfa is always ready to put up a fight. Its angry, electronically controlled Q2 differential cuts sawteeth into any perfectly constant radius, its nineteen-inch rear tires tap dance to an ever so slightly different rhythm than the eighteen-inch front wheels, and its ventilated disc brakes take every opportunity to test your neck muscles. Accompanying this zero-compliance tour de force is a soundtrack so addicting that it might be subject to an entertainment tax. On top of all this there is the incidental music played by the soloists in the 4C orchestra: the rackety-clackety-wham of the busy dual-clutch automatic gearbox, the fine whine of the restless turbocharger, the high-pitched duet of direct injection and wastegate whoosh.

By late afternoon, the line for the keys to the 4C is down to the youngest member of our team. By now, the geriatrics need a break from the heat, the vibrations, and the excitement. Enter the Cayman. Its chairs are designed for human beings, not monkeys; its air-conditioning doesn’t freeze the face while frying the toes; and its supple suspension has not been signed off by a direct descendant of the Marquis de Sade.

The Cayman’s spoiler deploys at 75 mph

The base Cayman is not sufficiently special, its hereditary cocktail contains too many Volkswagen genes and not enough from the GT3. Its flat six makes all the right noises while lacking the thrust of its meaner siblings. The entry-level 2.7-liter coupe is too expensive for what it is, and it certainly is not worth the premium over the Boxster, which is two cars in one.

The 4C is so much more of a statement, so exhilarating to drive, so crude and pure and exotic. Only about 1,000 units a year will come to the United States, and the waiting list is said to be six months. To whet your appetite, there are six paint colors to choose from, four types of upholstery, the aforementioned racing package, and a tasteful luxury package.

The Alfa is a bit wider than the Porsche but much shorter

The Alfa can pull 1.1 g’s on the skidpad and 1.25 g’s under braking. That’s knocking on Ferrari territory, just like the gleaming, naked, carbon-fiber weave that shapes the tall sills and the tapered footwells. Conceptually, this is a street-legal racing car, sold at a discount price. Weight-saving technologies this sophisticated typically carry a much higher sticker than $54,000. The 4C may well emerge as one of a select few desirable and affordable new cars with a near-zero midterm depreciation forecast. Having said that, the Cayman is, of course, the more complete all-around car and the safer bet for those who travel long distances and many miles. But as soon as parking space and funds permit the purchase of a second car, an Alfa Romeo 4C should be on every gearhead’s want list. A mere four days after relinquishing the keys, I was already feeling strong withdrawal symptoms and longing for an encore.

Technical specs