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    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    Well, just saw the video and it is exactly the impressions I had yesterday, it's a drivers car, YOU have to drive it!!!!

    I really don't get why many reviews describes it as a bad car??, maybe they was not ok with the set up?? The one I drove was just super, fun and really nice balanced, you can also drive it with the brakes and accelerator in order to play with the weight transfer. Ok you need to be a good driver to enjoy it 100% but this is just what I would like to do when I'm driving. With todays supercars this happens with so high speeds that it is  to dangerous if you do an error!!!

    Well done alfa .... I love it


    --

    993 c2


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I drove a 4C Spider for about 35 miles today (it had 20 miles on the clock!), with roof on and off.

    Turns out that the 4C Coupe I drove 2 weeks ago has the racing pack with the stiffer suspension.

    Spider has standard suspension. I was again very impressed (more so this time) by the damping and the suspension compliance over rough roads. Superb, firm but hardly ever crashy. The benefits of a stiff chassis no doubt.

    Spider steering was a revelation too. It still tugs and seeks out cambers and dips, but it's a lot more 'manageable' and less 'violent'. It's less frisky, less frantic and much better resolved for UK roads .. no doubt much of the difference is due to the standard suspension. I came away thinking that the steering was perfect for the car .. chatty, alert and with decent feedback. The trick is to relax and grip the steering just enough so that you can control it when it does 'unexpected' things, and not so tight as to make it seem like you are fighting it, or it is fighting you. Flow with it while retaining connection and control, and it's great. Try to make it flow with you, and you end up having an unsatisfactory experience. With more seat time, I think I could grow to love it.

    The other revelation is that the Spider's cloth roof means that it's much less boomy and noisy at motorway speeds than the Coupe -- the noise and echo effect simply seeps out through the roof. For me, the Coupe was borderline unacceptably loud and boomy, to the extent I found it annoying and uncomfortable. The Spider is just fine; still very raw and loud, but nothing annoying or uncomfortable, and in keeping with its character. 

    As it stands, my 2 main concerns are dealt with, and comprehensively.

    Roof down, the wind noise is not too intrusive until you exceed 85mph, at which point it gets a lot wilder. But even then, for me, it's OK. Was a very windy day with lots of cross winds, so there was wind swirling all over the place. I imagine on calmer days, roof down will be a lot of fun without too much assault on your senses.

    One thing I noticed roof down (but not up) is how close I am to the header rail .. around 6 inches. Which felt much too close initially, until I got used to it. Pushing the sunvisor towards the windscreen helped to reduce the slight feeling of claustrophobia. If I bought a Spider, I might want to remove the sunvisor altogether.

    Strangely today, I noticed the pedals being more offset to the left than what I remember from the Coupe. It felt a bit awkward at first, but by the end of the drive, I no longer noticed it, and it didn't bother me.

    The seat recline adjustment is limited. For me, it has to be on maximum recline. For some strange reason, the top of the instrument panel was slightly obscured today (not in the Coupe), but that is no doubt to do with driving position settings.

    The dealer is finding out when the Akaprovic exhaust option becomes available.

    I am that much closer to ordering a 4C Spider .. it's almost scary.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    You are spot on about how to hold the steering wheel. Hold it lightly and rest your thumbs on the 9 and 3 position so that you can feel the road surface without gripping the wheel tightly. Once you have confidence in what info the car is feeding back to you it becomes very natural.

    The boominess in the coupe is most likely due to the car you test drove having the race exhaust fitted which does drone at certain speeds. Get the car above 90 mph and it goes away so the trick is to just drive faster smiley The alternative is not to spec the race exhaust. The Akrapovic exhaust will be silly money in relation to the overall cost of the car so unless you really want it badly I'd think long and hard about optioning it. There are some videos on YouTube of a car with it fitted and I wasn't that impressed compared to the factory race exhaust.

    The wayward steering in my car has been transformed by the new front shocks which are the same as those fitted to the spider and latest coupe I believe. As you say it will still find more pronounced cambers on an uneven surface but it is much easier to make swift progress in.

    The header rail issue sounds more like a case of getting used to it. Funnily enough when I take the roof off in my Dino GTS the header rail seems far closer than it does in the GT coupes but in reality it's exactly the same. It's just an illusory effect and will be the same in the 4C as the front screen is the same on both coupe and spider.

    I'm glad you enjoyed the test drive. These cars really get under your skin as they are so much fun and provide an experience quite unlike anything else in the same price bracket. I can't envisage selling mine and regard it as a future classic for sure.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    the Spider also has the racing exhaust .. the boominess is not caused by the exhaust as much as road noise or roar.

    No doubt you are right on the Akrappvic exhaust; the cost will be ridiculous. But interesting to see whether Alfa has learnt Porsche's tricks .. after all, Alfa already charges £500 for removing the standard rear silence when you spec race exhaust!

    I am really quite smitten ..

    here's how 'mine' would look


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    The carbon tub amplifies sound quite a lot - the Mclaren 12C drew criticism for the same issue and it has carpeting and more soundproofing than the 4C does. The radio is a waste of time in the coupe that's for sure and telephone calls via the bluetooth are also a bit of a waste of time indecision

    There are photo's of the tan interior on this car in the US http://www.alfaromeousaofgermantown.com/new/Alfa+Romeo/2016-Alfa+Romeo-4C-91e662bf0a0e0ae84305275cea82a2f6.htm

    If you look at that dealers inventory they also have a spider in Basalt grey with your chosen wheel option http://www.alfaromeousaofgermantown.com/new/Alfa+Romeo/2016-Alfa+Romeo-4C-91e662300a0e0ae84305275c78c8f7f5.htm

    This UK dealer also has a Basalt grey car but with the wheels in the dark grey finish which I think really compliments the body colour http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201512029165951?radius=1500&page=4&onesearchad=used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew&model=4c&postcode=ng138uj&quicksearch=true&sort=default&make=alfa_romeo&search-target=usedcars&logcode=p


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    thanks for the interior pics .. always been a fan of Alfa tan leather

    US cars have side air bags and additional leather and stitching on the doors, plus phone holders too .. they are so spoiled!

    I spotted that UK car .. still prefer silver wheels though.

    Am surprised that there are around 15 unsold Spiders on Autotrader 


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    sfo...buy it, it is a really cool and fun car.


    --

    993 c2


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    It would be easy enough to get the doors trimmed in leather with contrast stitching if you wanted it. I'm sure Alfa use Poltrona leather (both Ferrari and Maserati do) so if you wanted to match the leather you could email Poltrona and ask them for the cost of a hide to supply to a UK trimmer. Alternatively contact an outfit like B Trim in Enfield as they may be able to source the leather direct and match the stitching thread colour. I've used B Trim in the past and their work was excellent.

    https://www.pellefrau.it/leather.html?___store=it_en&___from_store=it_it

    http://www.b-trim.co.uk/


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    ISUK:

    It would be easy enough to get the doors trimmed in leather with contrast stitching if you wanted it. I'm sure Alfa use Poltrona leather (both Ferrari and Maserati do) so if you wanted to match the leather you could email Poltrona and ask them for the cost of a hide to supply to a UK trimmer. Alternatively contact an outfit like B Trim in Enfield as they may be able to source the leather direct and match the stitching thread colour. I've used B Trim in the past and their work was excellent.

    https://www.pellefrau.it/leather.html?___store=it_en&___from_store=it_it

    http://www.b-trim.co.uk/

    very valuable info .. and a great idea!

    the leather Alfa uses on the 4C feels and looks high quality


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    If you do order one just make sure you get the dealer to tick all the boxes for the no cost option items available on the car that you want as I read on another forum that some owners have failed to do that thinking the items would be fitted as standard but then been disappointed when their car arrived and found out they are not.
     

    If you were to go down the route of trimming the doors in leather you might want to do the centre tunnel as well which would look good on a spider if you put stitching lines running full length down either side of the top of it. The factory only offer the centre console in red leather for some strange reason.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    What an amazing looking car. Love it especially the spider.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    ISUK:

    If you do order one just make sure you get the dealer to tick all the boxes for the no cost option items available on the car that you want as I read on another forum that some owners have failed to do that thinking the items would be fitted as standard but then been disappointed when their car arrived and found out they are not.
     

    If you were to go down the route of trimming the doors in leather you might want to do the centre tunnel as well which would look good on a spider if you put stitching lines running full length down either side of the top of it. The factory only offer the centre console in red leather for some strange reason.

    yes, I would tick the free cruise control, the free rear parking sensors, and the free smoking kit

    I thought the red center console was in plastic .. center console in leather would look amazing.

     


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    red interior kit not available in the UK on the Spider, only on the Coupe


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    This seems to be such a fun car for the money, this will kill quite a few Boxsters sales especially once they raise the price...


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    SFO, I don't know if shipping would be cost prohibitive, but you could try http://www.sector111.com/parts/alfa-4c/4crpipe.cfm for an exhaust solution.  Sounds pretty good from what I've heard.  They are based in southern California, U.S.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    vantagesc:

    SFO, I don't know if shipping would be cost prohibitive, but you could try http://www.sector111.com/parts/alfa-4c/4crpipe.cfm for an exhaust solution.  Sounds pretty good from what I've heard.  They are based in southern California, U.S.

    Thanks!

    On top of shipping, there is also import tax and 20% VAT on the whole lot.

    Luckily, there is an Alfa specialist (well regarded by UK Alfa forums) around 30 miles from where I live who is offering something similar ..


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I was yesterday at my Jeep dealer which also sells Alfa. He had two new Spider available, one with the extended leather package, the other without (obviously the first one is the one to buy - so much better). I have to say - it somehow catched me. The car is awesome in the flesh. The look is fascinating. However, more than the look I'm stunned by the build. That full carbon Monocoque is amazing. The whole night I had that tiny car in my head.... damn, if I would have the garage space I would probably already be on the way to the dealer. Second down - another car which I probably wouldn't drive often. Again a some-sunny-sundays only car....yes

    Never thought that I could be crazy about this car, but it really looks like hell of fun and it is very unique. I think it is kind the sports car I looked for so long. Very modern build, very simple car, light, strong enough, fun to drive - a "less is more" car. So maybe I should jump over the fence smiley


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I find the build quality of the 4C to be very high, as good as Porsche and Mercedes.

    Lars997: drive a 4C spider please, would be very interested in your opinions. 

    I too can't get it out of my head, but luckily I haven't ordered one yet!


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I had the 4C on my mind as well but then I remembered the issues I had with my Italian (Lancia) cars and how incapable the dealer was at that time. Even later, when I became professionally involved with Lancia and even called the Lancia travel engineer by his first name, the service was not very satisfactory.

    Also, I registered as an interested buyer with Alfa Romeo and never heard back from them. 

    The 4C looks and feels like a small Ferrari to me and I think this is even the intention behind this car. Unfortunately, it seems that the hype never really picked up in Germany, I don't know why. Maybe because it is too expensive for such small car? Most people aren't really interested in the technology behind it, they see a small two-seater with 240 hp and a 60k EUR price tag and then it is over before it even started. I remember a friend who told me that he would never pay 60k for an Alfa, so go figure.

    If you really like the 4C, maybe you can have a test-drive. Do not buy it without driving it first.


    --

     

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Carrera 4 GTS Cabriolet, Porsche Macan Turbo, Ford Mustang GT500 Shelby SVT (2014), Mini JCW (2015), Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT (2014)

     


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    The 4C is a fantastic little car IMHO. I cannot see me ever selling mine. A new owner in the US posted this review of the car which is a pretty fair summation of the driving experience. I don't agree with everything he says as the shifts are pretty seamless unless you are in Dynamic or Race Mode and are fairly brutal with the throttle during upshifts. I think he maybe isn't used to a TCT gearbox. I hate to think what he'd write about the shifts on an E Gear Gallardo or a 430 Scuderia if he didn't lift slightly during upshifts Smiley

    http://vvuzz.com/index.php/2016/01/06/rethink-the-alfa-romeo-4c/

    It's also worth noting that there have been no major faults or issues reported on the owners forum which indicates that the car is built to a good standard by Maserati and the drivetrain is reliable.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    ISUK:

    The 4C is a fantastic little car IMHO. I cannot see me ever selling mine. 

    that is a ringing endorsement Smiley


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    sfo:

    red interior kit not available in the UK on the Spider, only on the Coupe

    Meridien have a UK Spider with the red leather centre tunnel Smiley

    http://www.meridien.co.uk/alfa-romeo/used-cars/2238/alfa-romeo-4c/#

    Meridien red interior 3.JPG

    Meridien red interior 1.JPG

    Meridien red interior 2.JPG


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    ISUK:
    sfo:

    red interior kit not available in the UK on the Spider, only on the Coupe

    Meridien have a UK Spider with the red leather centre tunnel Smiley

    http://www.meridien.co.uk/alfa-romeo/used-cars/2238/alfa-romeo-4c/#

     

    Meridien red interior 2.JPG

    Lush! If only they didn't do the steering wheel as well

    still not showing as available on AR UK configurator for 4C Spider


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    There is a 50th Anniversary edition of the Spider coming this summer to celebrate the launch of the Duetto spider in 1966. Details on it are scant at present but it may be worth looking into if you are still considering buying one.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    Thank you guys for the opinion. Thank you for putting it even stronger into my head mail indecision

    Thanks ISUK - your owners experience counts a lot, especially the experience of such an car enthusiast kiss Also thank for that read out of the US forum.

    I will go tomorrow back to the dealer. Will take my wife with me and see how she likes it. Right now we got some snow, as soon this is gone, I agreed with the dealer to have a test ride. That 50th Anniversary Edition might be the right one to pick. Great tip!


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    yes, excellent tip on the 50th Anniversary edition .. what details are there on it at present?

    if it's coming summer, order books should open in a couple of months 


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    sorry SFO... I din't want to put this needle back into your head  smiley 


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    Lars997:

    sorry SFO... I din't want to put this needle back into your head  smiley 

    truth is, it's been in my head and I can't get it out!


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I don't think there are any details on the spec of the Anniversary edition. There was a teaser ad from Alfa on YouTube but the link no longer works.

    Lars I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the car. It will take a decent length of test drive for you to get any real insight into the car. If you can swing a loan of it for a day or more that would be better.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    ISUK:

    I don't think there are any details on the spec of the Anniversary edition. There was a teaser ad from Alfa on YouTube but the link no longer works.

    Lars I'll be interested to hear your thoughts on the car. It will take a decent length of test drive for you to get any real insight into the car. If you can swing a loan of it for a day or more that would be better.

    I guess he would give me the car for a weekend and 300km - that should do the trick for me. But I guess I will have to wait until end of Feb as winter just broke in and I will be travelling for business the next couple of weeks. But, decision can wait - enough cars available, so it shouldn't be to difficult. Maybe I will ask him to put my name on the list for a 50th Anniversary, in that way I still can opt out, but already would be sure to get one Smiley


     
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