Leawood911:

If the Turbo four has more power and better mileage why would anyone want SLOWER? 

Ignoring the jibe for a moment, a recent Pistonheads review comparing the Alfa 4C and Lotus Exige Mk2 answers this perfectly:

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=29651

The relevant extract:

"The Alfa’s other significant problem is with the power delivery of its turbocharged engine. Everything in the Lotus is linear and predictable; talk to Lotus handling guys like MattBecker and you'll hear them talk about balancing steering angle and roll rate to inspire confidence and on-limit transparency. The Toyota engine really has to be screaming to make any reasonable progress but that’s OK because if you’ve committed to that you’ll be primed and ready with the necessary inputs.

But as you battle the Alfa's writhing steering wheel, information about the road surface drowned out by white noise, you also have the issue of power delivery that overwhelms any sense of balance. In the Exige lock comes off as power goes in, every action having a harmoniously equal and opposite reaction. Power just builds, builds, builds all the way to an intense 8,000rpm crescendo but does so progressively. In the Alfa you try to carefully ease the throttle and it suddenly all arrives in one violently boosted dollop, which either pushes the nose wide or, in the wet, can snap the rear axle violently sideways. And at the point where the Alfa’s engine is all done the Exige is just about coming good."

Until the advent of the EPAS I would rate Porsche and Lotus as equally good at this balancing of inputs but now I think Porsche have lost an edge.  But a turbo 4 will be another step in the wrong direction.  Plus the fact, the flat 6 just sounds glorious.


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Gen II Cayman S