XCar Review - Alfa 4C

[Classico]

Quite like XCar's Films.

Alex Goy gets Italian cars and he certainly loves the Maser GT.

Not so the 4C it seems.

Interesting he said the handling was one of the areas it fell down.

Bit of a surprise.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrNBCUSqqsE

 

[Andyk]

Good review...

'The magic is there but not seen properly yet'

Sounds like a great car trying to get out....Sort of sounds like the history of Alfa.

 

[conaero]

Quite like the way that guy reviews cars.

As I suspected, Alfa will need another go at it to get it right, I see the same with Maserati also. Ferrari seem better at getting I right first time.

 

[Maser Sod]

I like it more or less as it is.

I can't see Alfa changing much without going back to the drawing board. The weight of the car will remain at the rear, and the steering will remain unassisted, and the car will stay under 1000 kilos - and the rest is physics.

The car does tramline a bit (I think that is what the reviewer is trying to say in a roundabout way) but then so do most sports cars with large wheels. It's just that the 4C is about half the weight of most of them: and so it reacts more to aspects of the road. In a way I like that, as it tells you what is really going on, but others may prefer all the bumps and contours in a road sanitised away. Fair enough.

Oddly, I think the failings of the car are more around the lower gearing and the ECU turbo mappings, but that isn't mentioned.

This review is far from complimentary about the 4C, but is much more on the money:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEIVv2biGn4

Maybe people want the perfect car, but I like a car with character ahead of perfection. That's why I loved my 3200GT more than my GranSport(s).

I don't think much can be changed with the 4C as there is so little that can be tweaked beyond the ECU. It's a car you learn to drive through racking up the miles, and after a while you (the driver) tune yourself into what makes the car tick.

I think the car is stellar and huge fun on country roads, it's just a bit of a PITA around town and on roundabouts. But then you don't buy a 4C for town and roundabouts.

 

[Maser Sod]

I see the same with Maserati also. Ferrari seem better at getting I right first time.

FIAT group pump the $$$ into Ferrari R&D, but don't allow that to trickle down to 'lesser' brands such as the Maserati. Viz. E-diff, dual clutch, etc.

I think it is bordering on the criminal.

 

[conaero]

Agreed Pat, its a lovely car, you like it, it won't devalue, you probably won't see another, end of as far as your concerned.

If you take our beloved blood line, Alfa 916 GTV Phase 1/2/3 and the Maserati Coupe 3200/4200/GS they got better and better as they went on (ok, we dont need another debate on the Maserati 3200 vs 4200 vs GS).

Same with the 156 and others, its just the way they do it, suppose it could be classed as progression???

 

[GTMalc]

FIAT group pump the $$$ into Ferrari R&D, but don't allow that to trickle down to 'lesser' brands such as the Maserati. Viz. E-diff, dual clutch, etc.

I think it is bordering on the criminal.

That may well change since Ferrari is being sold off.
Criminal though I don't totally agree with. Fiat would want Ferrari to be above the rest in that respect. It makes good business sense for sure.

 

[Maser Sod]

Criminal though I don't totally agree with. Fiat would want Ferrari to be above the rest in that respect. It makes good business sense for sure.

What winds me up is that, back in the day, many of us lucky fools on the forum could afford a decent warrantied, low-mileage, second-hand Maserati coupe. The 4200 was 57K before options, IIRC. Then - suddenly - there was a price hike for the GranTurismo. And yet it was built on the QP platform and used more or less the same 4.2 technology as found elsewhere.

in 2006, you could but the fastest Maserati with options for 70K. Compare that to the MC Stradale now. It's not appreciably faster, it's not a technical step change ahead, and yet I'm seeing dealers selling them for 130K+. That's steep, even allowing for inflation.

I've wanted a Stradale for some time but feel alienated. If I want the new R&D I can get a new Ghibli for 48K. But if I want the old blood-line I have to pay 80K more? That's the bit I don't get.

 

[Andyk]

Never liked this chap when I first watched his reviews but he is very good...

 

[Classico]

in 2006, you could but the fastest Maserati with options for 70K. Compare that to the MC Stradale now. It's not appreciably faster, it's not a technical step change ahead, and yet I'm seeing dealers selling them for 130K+.
I've wanted a Stradale for some time but feel alienated. If I want the new R&D I can get a new Ghibli for 48K. But if I want the old blood-line I have to pay 80K more? That's the bit I don't get.

130k pounds is a great deal IMO for what is an epic, naturally aspirated, Ferrari sourced V8.

Not to mention the badge and exclusivity which makes it a true Italian exotic. The Ghibli is no comparison for mine.

IMO, the GT styling is on a completely different level to the model it replaced.

Pretty fortunate really not having to pay US$375,000 for the privilege.