Introduction

The Alfa Romeo 4C is the Italian marque’s halo product, a super-lightweight, carbon-tubbed sports car with a mid-mounted, turbocharged engine and rear-wheel drive. With its stunning looks and limited build numbers, it’s available in hard-topped Coupe form or as the astonishingly beautiful open-topped Spider. However, the Alfa is sadly far from flawless and it competes in a class with some real heavyweight talent, such as the Porsche 718 Cayman, the Audi TT, and the Lotus Exige. But if you want something rare that’ll stand out from the crowd, there’s little like the 4C.

Did you know? Former Pininfarina designer Lorenzo Ramaciotti oversaw the 4C’s design – he also worked on the Ferraris 456GT and 550 Maranello, and the Peugeot 406 Coupe.

Verdict | Design | Interior | Technology | Performance | Safety | Specs | Running Costs | Pricing

Verdict: ★★★★★★★☆☆☆ (6.7/10)

This is a classic case of the old Alfa, the company that should be the automatic, go-to choice for a die-hard car enthusiast… but which has all too often left automotive fans bemoaning its underwhelming products. When the 4C Concept was revealed at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, critics drooled over its sensational appearance and the promise of a proper, sorted Alfa sports car after years of mediocrity from the company. And so much of the production 4C, launched in 2013 as a Coupe and followed up with the S...