Author Topic: Alfa Romeo 4C Pricing Announced, Starts At $61,995 (Read 8447 times)

Autos_Editor · « **on:** June 17, 2014, 03:09:18 pm »

But, if you want the Launch Edition, prepare to shell out an extra 14 grand

Read More...

Noto · « **Reply #1 on:** June 17, 2014, 03:17:12 pm »

Boys and their toys...

jamesautos · « **Reply #2 on:** June 17, 2014, 03:37:18 pm »

mean while

the base porsche cayman starts at 59,900, boxster at 58,600

tooscoops · « **Reply #3 on:** June 17, 2014, 03:54:46 pm »

yeah, but everyone at the club bought their 16 year old son a porsche... none of them have an alfa.

johngenx · « **Reply #4 on:** June 17, 2014, 04:15:57 pm »

As much as I love the looks of the Alfa, and the raw character of the car is very appealing, I'd go Cayman, unless a test drive convinced me otherwise. From what I've read/watched, the Alfa suffers horribly on anything other than billiard-table smooth surfaces. Also, I know that the two pedal flappy paddle transmissions can be awesome, but I'm on old curmudgeon that would want a DIY shifter, which thankfully, Porsche still offers.

The lack of dealer support and infrastructure for the Alfa is also concerning, and given how temperamental cars in this class can be (Germans and Italians?) that might end up being a very big deal. Not only is there a lot of Porsche dealers, there are many excellent indie shops out there.

WWM · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2014, 04:25:33 pm »

Quote from: jamesautos on June 17, 2014, 03:37:18 pm

mean while

the base porsche cayman starts at 59,900, boxster at 58,600

Or base M235i for $45,000. Base CLA45 for $49,800. And we're not exactly talking about Chevrolet's or Ford's here.

tooscoops · « **Reply #6 on:** June 17, 2014, 04:46:41 pm »

agree there... this will be cross-shopped with a very particular type of car. most of which in the same price range or higher.

the dealer support and mechanic work is a very minor problem to look at for most of these buyers... most will be very low km/yr and those types of things (no infrastructure) are expected with niche cars... don't see many people dropping the price for a ferrari because their aren't many local dealers.

johngenx · « **Reply #7 on:** June 17, 2014, 04:52:45 pm »

The CLA45 AMG is a beast that can hunt down some pretty serious cars, but it's not really a swoopy "LOOK at ME" kinda machine in the same way the Alfa, Porsche, Vette and cars of their ilk are. My list in the $60-70K sports machine (new) would be:

1. Corvette
2. Cayman or Boxster

And it would be tough deciding between those two. The Corvette is SO MUCH car, but the Porsche is sublime and wonderful. Bench racing, its a tie. The test drive would have to be the deciding factor.

wing · « **Reply #8 on:** June 17, 2014, 05:29:10 pm »

Tooscoops I know that Alfa wants to make this a limited run car but at $60-$70k I suspect it won't be purchased by garage queen types, is not much money in the grand scheme of things automotive so those that want it as a daily will snap them up.

johngenx · « **Reply #9 on:** June 17, 2014, 05:36:48 pm »

Oh, yeah, those cars will be on the road. The limited run numbers are way too high for someone to put it under glass, and it's too cheap and "ordinary" anyway.

rrocket · « **Reply #10 on:** June 17, 2014, 05:36:58 pm »

Quote from: wing on June 17, 2014, 05:29:10 pm

Tooscoops I know that Alfa wants to make this a limited run car but at $60-$70k I suspect it won't be purchased by garage queen types, is not much money in the grand scheme of things automotive so those that want it as a daily will snap them up.

Man...the review I read of this (vs a Cayman and Lotus) said you'd never want it for a daily. Ride quality was brutal, steering was darty (they actually said the steering was "messed up", etc. Sounded like it needed another year in development. Plus the NA version gain a few hundred pounds.

johngenx · « **Reply #11 on:** June 17, 2014, 05:55:04 pm »

Chris Chase LOVED the Alfa on the track and on smooth roads, got some seat time in the UK, and hated it. He drove it back to back with the Cayman and in no uncertain terms said that the Cayman was superior in every way once you weren't on a race track.

rrocket · « **Reply #12 on:** June 17, 2014, 06:04:48 pm »

Quote from: johngenx on June 17, 2014, 05:55:04 pm

Chris Chase LOVED the Alfa on the track and on smooth roads, got some seat time in the UK, and hated it. He drove it back to back with the Cayman and in no uncertain terms said that the Cayman was superior in every way once you weren't on a race track.

Yep...they picked the Cayman as the easy winner. Maybe it will be better with the US spec suspension settings and the extra weight??

"On anything less than marble-smooth flooring, the steering is so messed up, it feels like you're walking a pack of dogs through a butcher shop. Bumps upset it, ruts in the road are like magnets, and you start backing off the power when other cars approach on twisty back roads, because you don't feel confident that you're not about to leap across the center line and punt them into the scenery. Even simply changing lanes on a rough stretch of freeway sends the front wheels into a frenzy. Road Test Editor Robin Warner actually checked for broken bushings on the track control arms."

tooscoops · « **Reply #13 on:** June 17, 2014, 06:42:40 pm »

just because a performance vehicle is much less expensive than an exotic doesn't mean everyone will snatch em up... or else we'd all be riding crotch rockets as toys... practicality still matters. and this car is not meant as a daily driver, except for those willing to suffer the punishment (said by a guy driving a wrangler). at that price point, sure it's cheaper than many garage queen type cars, but it comes down to practical use in my mind.

it's a more expensive and exclusive brz/frs... that's how i see it. a no compromise sports car oozing sex appeal.

johngenx · « **Reply #14 on:** June 17, 2014, 06:45:18 pm »

Except pretty much all reviews of the BRZ/FRS/GT86 are raves.

tooscoops · « **Reply #15 on:** June 17, 2014, 06:51:14 pm »

thought they were quite punishing and jumpy? that's what i had been reading.

if they offered the 4c for the same money i'm sure every buyer would take it instead. so to me, it's decided that the 4c is better, it's just a question of how much more it's worth!

of course just my opinions... and also, i think the car is very pretty... but from the start, i've never been a real supporter of the 4c... not sure why i'm suddenly in it's corner!

rrocket · « **Reply #16 on:** June 17, 2014, 06:53:18 pm »

Quote from: tooscoops on June 17, 2014, 06:51:14 pm

thought they were quite punishing and jumpy? that's what i had been reading.

I didn't think so.

tooscoops · « **Reply #17 on:** June 17, 2014, 07:06:49 pm »

yeah... looks like most called it "compliant". not sure what made me think otherwise... ah well. apologies.

rrocket · « **Reply #18 on:** June 17, 2014, 07:21:52 pm »

Quote from: tooscoops on June 17, 2014, 07:06:49 pm

yeah... looks like most called it "compliant". not sure what made me think otherwise... ah well. apologies.

Small, sporty car on a short(ish) wheelbase likely. That's usually a recipe for stiff ride.

johngenx · « **Reply #19 on:** June 17, 2014, 07:49:04 pm »

I think the Alfa is DED SEXY. And it's nice to see more sporting machines in the segment. But the reality is that it's a road car, not a track car, and needs to be (barely) civilized enough to be driven on real roads. She sure is a looker.