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    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I'm wondering if the Alfa MX5 will turn out to be the better car. The current car is great - but has no presence or image. An Alfa badge might just give the car a cult desirability but with a more reasonable price point and hopefully enough reliability not to have to visit the awful dealerships. (In the UK)


    --

    991 (what a car!) XC90 - Black/Black 2 kids, 1 dog


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    IMO the Alfa brand is desirable among people over 50 years of age, those who remember the 60s and 70s.

    Younger ages remember the rusty and unreliable specimens of later years. Moreover, the older ones who might be nostalgic can afford higher cars than what Alfa generally offer.

    How the 4C will turn this around and generate sales among the rest of the models, I don't know  cheeky

    Does anyone think of the Nissan model range differently because of the GT-R?


    --

    "Form follows function"


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I think of the GT-R differently because of the rest of the models.    Hate that car....

    Car enthusiasts younger than 50 are pretty aware of what Alfa stood for in the 50's-60's & 70's. In fact... You're not a car enthusiast if you haven't owned an Alfa Romeo! LOL (just kidding) I think the 4C will attract just the right people. It's a car like all Alfa Romeo used to be. Simple, small, lightweight, sporty. 

     


    --

    I'm just another female petrolhead :)

     


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    SuzyF:

    I think of the GT-R differently because of the rest of the models.    Hate that car....

    Car enthusiasts younger than 50 are pretty aware of what Alfa stood for in the 50's-60's & 70's. In fact... You're not a car enthusiast if you haven't owned an Alfa Romeo! LOL (just kidding) I think the 4C will attract just the right people. It's a car like all Alfa Romeo used to be. Simple, small, lightweight, sporty. 

     

    My son knows many car brands, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, even Nissan (because of the GT-R) but when I told him about the 4C, he asked me "Alfa what?". He didn't have a clue, never heard of Alfa Romeo and they always talk in school about cars. Heck, he even knows what a Toyota Prius is and this car isn't as popular over here in Germany as it is in the US for example. Alfa Romeo kind of disappeared from the car world somehow and it will be very difficult to enter it again. They need a spectacular product (like the 4C) and they need to be reliable. I am curious about the future of Alfa Romeo but while I like the 4C, something is bothering me about this car and it may be the rear. Due to the smaller size of the car, the front looks sleek but from the middle on, kind of bloated. I have to see the car live (haven't yet) to make me an opinion.


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S (Oct. 5th 2013), Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2013)


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    I know Alfa Romeo very well. I was an Alfa driver during their rise and unfortunately their fall and I have fond memories of the Bertone GT/GTV and the 1750/2000 Berlinas but bad experiences with later cars.

    I have no doubt that the 4C is a special weekend car in the Lotus mould, if it is put together well. It will be interesting to see how  this euphoria will spill into the mainstream models and generate the required sales.


    --

    "Form follows function"


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    RC:
    SuzyF:

    I think of the GT-R differently because of the rest of the models.    Hate that car....

    Car enthusiasts younger than 50 are pretty aware of what Alfa stood for in the 50's-60's & 70's. In fact... You're not a car enthusiast if you haven't owned an Alfa Romeo! LOL (just kidding) I think the 4C will attract just the right people. It's a car like all Alfa Romeo used to be. Simple, small, lightweight, sporty. 

     

    My son knows many car brands, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini, even Nissan (because of the GT-R) but when I told him about the 4C, he asked me "Alfa what?". He didn't have a clue, never heard of Alfa Romeo and they always talk in school about cars. Heck, he even knows what a Toyota Prius is and this car isn't as popular over here in Germany as it is in the US for example. Alfa Romeo kind of disappeared from the car world somehow and it will be very difficult to enter it again. They need a spectacular product (like the 4C) and they need to be reliable. I am curious about the future of Alfa Romeo but while I like the 4C, something is bothering me about this car and it may be the rear. Due to the smaller size of the car, the front looks sleek but from the middle on, kind of bloated. I have to see the car live (haven't yet) to make me an opinion.

    There is a task for you to inform him about  the brand! Smiley And tell him to not take the word prius in his mouth again if he wants to be a car enthusiast! Bad boy! LOL  just kidding ;)

    i can understand that the kids from now don't have a clue about Alfa Romeo and Lancia.  From my own generation (I'm half the age of the 911), lots of my friends back in Holland actually drive an Alfa. Not the great cars of the early days of course. Mostly Spider, 147, 156, 159 or the newer MiTo and Giulietta. (No I didn't force them Smiley)

    The cars are pretty reliable. At least, not less reliable than a modern Golf for example. Actually, we owned a Golf VI and that has been more often to the garage in half a year and a quarter of km, than both my MiTo and Giulietta together in two years with lots of km.

    But then again... My mom is italian and always drove Alfa for her entire life, untill a couple of years ago, when Alfa stopped offering the bigger cars. Her brother owns a couple of Alfa/Lancia/Fiat dealerships... So yes...i'm very biased.Smiley

    Still also love Porsche though Smiley

     


    --

    I'm just another female petrolhead :)

     


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    My father had an Alfetta 2.0 (I think) in the 70s .. it had a sonorous engine, was fast, looked like nothing else on the road. We all loved it. It didn't go wrong much either.

    The Alfa from the 70s that really did it for me was the GTV6.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    That model had a rear transaxle which made the car very stable on fast and wide curves. But because the rest of the car wasn't very well developed there were two serious issues:

    1. The the gear link to the back was cumbersome and the gearchanges haphazard. Especially, 3rd to 2nd was almost impossible and the synchromesh was damaged very easily.
    2. The second problem  was that the advanced rear transaxle and the unique De Dion rear suspension ( that kept the cars planted at high speeds) didn't combine well with the front suspension and as a result the Alfetta had a  ponderous low speed handling (below 80-90km/h) i.e. in the city and on country roads.

    The contemporary BMW 3 series were well assembled but drove like boats and oversteered on a spilled glass of water. This gave the Alfetta/Giulietta some edge.


    --

    "Form follows function"


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    My favourite Alfa :)  1972 Montreal

    This is also one of my favourites, the 1956 Giulietta Spider. Such an adorable little car. :)

     


    --

    I'm just another female petrolhead :)

     


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    reginos:

    That model had a rear transaxle which made the car very stable on fast and wide curves. But because the rest of the car wasn't very well developed there were two serious issues:

    1. The the gear link to the back was cumbersome and the gearchanges haphazard. Especially, 3rd to 2nd was almost impossible and the synchromesh was damaged very easily.
    2. The second problem  was that the advanced rear transaxle and the unique De Dion rear suspension ( that kept the cars planted at high speeds) didn't combine well with the front suspension and as a result the Alfetta had a  ponderous low speed handling (below 80-90km/h) i.e. in the city and on country roads.

    The contemporary BMW 3 series were well assembled but drove like boats and oversteered on a spilled glass of water. This gave the Alfetta/Giulietta some edge.


    --

    "Form follows function"

     

    thinking about it, the Alfetta had in board rear brake discs .. very unusual at that time, and probably now too

    I was only ever a passenger, so no idea what it was like to drive. Dad enjoyed it though.


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    SuzyF:

    My favourite Alfa :)  1972 Montreal

    This is also one of my favourites, the 1956 Giulietta Spider. Such an adorable little car. :)

     

    There are two things men actually really don't want to hear: Adorable and little. Smiley So this is more of a car for women (the Spider).

    The Montreal is a different story, gorgeous car, even now. Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S (Oct. 5th 2013), Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2013)


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    sfo:
    reginos:

    That model had a rear transaxle which made the car very stable on fast and wide curves. But because the rest of the car wasn't very well developed there were two serious issues:

    1. The the gear link to the back was cumbersome and the gearchanges haphazard. Especially, 3rd to 2nd was almost impossible and the synchromesh was damaged very easily.
    2. The second problem  was that the advanced rear transaxle and the unique De Dion rear suspension ( that kept the cars planted at high speeds) didn't combine well with the front suspension and as a result the Alfetta had a  ponderous low speed handling (below 80-90km/h) i.e. in the city and on country roads.

    The contemporary BMW 3 series were well assembled but drove like boats and oversteered on a spilled glass of water. This gave the Alfetta/Giulietta some edge.


    --

    "Form follows function"

     

    thinking about it, the Alfetta had in board rear brake discs .. very unusual at that time, and probably now too

    I was only ever a passenger, so no idea what it was like to drive. Dad enjoyed it though.

    Brakes were inboard for better weight distribution. 

    The Alfasud had inboard brakes at the front!

     


    --

    "Form follows function"


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    reginos:
    sfo:
    reginos:

    That model had a rear transaxle which made the car very stable on fast and wide curves. But because the rest of the car wasn't very well developed there were two serious issues:

    1. The the gear link to the back was cumbersome and the gearchanges haphazard. Especially, 3rd to 2nd was almost impossible and the synchromesh was damaged very easily.
    2. The second problem  was that the advanced rear transaxle and the unique De Dion rear suspension ( that kept the cars planted at high speeds) didn't combine well with the front suspension and as a result the Alfetta had a  ponderous low speed handling (below 80-90km/h) i.e. in the city and on country roads.

    The contemporary BMW 3 series were well assembled but drove like boats and oversteered on a spilled glass of water. This gave the Alfetta/Giulietta some edge.


    --

    "Form follows function"

     

    thinking about it, the Alfetta had in board rear brake discs .. very unusual at that time, and probably now too

    I was only ever a passenger, so no idea what it was like to drive. Dad enjoyed it though.

    Brakes were inboard for better weight distribution. 

    The Alfasud had inboard brakes at the front!

     

    Reduced unsprung weight, surely?


    --

    fritz


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    RC:

    There are two things men actually really don't want to hear: Adorable and little. Smiley So this is more of a car for women (the Spider).

    The Montreal is a different story, gorgeous car, even now. Smiley

    LOL! Haha it is a women's car indeed. It was in fact my mom's first car (even back then it was already a youngtimer)

    The Montreal is a timeless classic IMO, designed by Marcello Gandini who also designed some Lamborghinis (Miura, Countach) and the Lancia Stratos.


    --

    I'm just another female petrolhead :)

     


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    This car was featured in white in a classic 70s film "The day of the Jackal" about an assassination attempt on De Gaulle.

    It was the professional assassin's (played by Edward Fox) car, which means it was not perceived as girly at the time.


    --

    "Form follows function"


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    reginos:

    This car was featured in white in a classic 70s film "The day of the Jackal" about an assassination attempt on De Gaulle.

    It was the professional assassin's (played by Edward Fox) car, which means it was not perceived as girly at the time.

    Indeed. No more so than a Porsche 356, which might look quite puny by the performance standards of today's sports cars, was not thought of as being a girl's car. 


    --

    fritz


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    But that doesn't mean I can't drive this cute little adorable car ;)  haha


    --

    I'm just another female petrolhead :)

     


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    reginos:

    This car was featured in white in a classic 70s film "The day of the Jackal" about an assassination attempt on De Gaulle.

    It was the professional assassin's (played by Edward Fox) car, which means it was not perceived as girly at the time.

    I always wondered why Fox would drive such a car, same goes to The Saint's car choice (Volvo P1800). Smiley Roger Moore should have driven the Aston Martin DB4 instead, much better (and more manly Smiley) car. Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2013)


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    SuzyF:

    But that doesn't mean I can't drive this cute little adorable car ;)  haha

    Pardon me, I should have written:  "was not thought of as being exclusively a girl's car."   Smiley

    -

    fritz


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    RC:
    reginos:

    This car was featured in white in a classic 70s film "The day of the Jackal" about an assassination attempt on De Gaulle.

    It was the professional assassin's (played by Edward Fox) car, which means it was not perceived as girly at the time.

    I always wondered why Fox would drive such a car, same goes to The Saint's car choice (Volvo P1800). Smiley Roger Moore should have driven the Aston Martin DB4 instead, much better (and more manly Smiley) car. Smiley

    Roger Moore had been intended to drive the then-new E-Type Jaguar in that series, but Jaguar was unable to provide a car in time, and the P1800 was substituted at short notice. I think the P1800 may have been chosen because, IIRC, this model was assembled at the Jensen factory in the UK back then. 


    --

    fritz


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    A British Volvo  heart

    The things that one can learn on Rennteam  wink


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    Gladstone:

    A British Volvo  heart

    The things that one can learn on Rennteam  wink

    Same here, didn't have a clue about the E-type for The Saint and the "british" Volvo, fritz is really awesome. Smiley Smiley

    I love The Saint (I watch all the old episodes over and over again with my daughter...she loves Roger Moore Smiley) and my respect for The Saint just grew after I learned what kind of car he actually was supposed to drive in the tv show. Smiley Smiley


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2013)


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    Gladstone:

    A British Volvo  heart

    The things that one can learn on Rennteam  wink

    Just checked that fact on Wikipedia Smiley and Jensen assembled the first 6000 cars in 1961 and 62, when the production was transferred to Sweden. 


    --

    fritz


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    Well, you knew how to use Wikipedia properly.   I didn't, so... wink


    --

    RC (Germany) - Rennteam Editor Porsche 991 Turbo S, Cayenne GTS (958), BMW X3 35d (2013)


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    sfo:

    The Alfa from the 70s that really did it for me was the GTV6.

    Had one!! Back in 1981, black with beige trim rather than the obligatory Rosso Alfa. The only Bond car I have ever owned! ( featured in Octopussy again, black)! The sound of that engine was so magnificent they kept the soundtrack authentic in the film. Never had any serious bother with it either apart from once when the fan belt snapped! 


    --

     

    Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Skoda Octavia Mk.3 daily drive


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    dreamcar:
    sfo:

    The Alfa from the 70s that really did it for me was the GTV6.

    Had one!! Back in 1981, black with beige trim rather than the obligatory Rosso Alfa. The only Bond car I have ever owned! ( featured in Octopussy again, black)! The sound of that engine was so magnificent they kept the soundtrack authentic in the film. Never had any serious bother with it either apart from once when the fan belt snapped! 

     

    the V6 with all the polished bits and red lettering Smiley


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    sfo:

    the V6 with all the polished bits and red lettering Smiley

    The engine you are thinking about is the one from the 164 which had polished manifolds. This is what the engine looked like in a GTV6.

    V6 engine.JPG


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    ISUK:
    sfo:

    the V6 with all the polished bits and red lettering Smiley

    The engine you are thinking about is the one from the 164 which had polished manifolds. This is what the engine looked like in a GTV6.

    V6 engine.JPG

     

    that shattered my illusions ..


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    Correct ISUK Smiley I had one of those as well, although mine, a 1990 164 3.0 V6 Lusso had the chrome inlet tracts but not red lettering. Unless my old memory is failing the GTV6 engine was plain aluminium, not black with polished lettering as per your photo, presumably added by a proud owner. 


    --

     

    Porsche 997 Carrera S PDK Aqua Blue / Black - Skoda Octavia Mk.3 daily drive


    Re: Alfa Romeo 4C

    1984 Alfa Romeo GTV6 2.5

     

    1983 Alfa Romeo GTV 2.0


    --

    I'm just another female petrolhead :)

     


     
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