Alfa Romeos have a distinct poise and finesse characteristic of their Italian roots. Trust the folks from Italy to bring forth style, and, boy, do they deliver. The Alfa 4C is a visual marvel, an eye-catching design representing Italian ingenuity.

The 4C was Alfa’s ticket to twenty-first-century motoring. It was one of the cars that put Alfa back on the map, and fans of the brand had a reason to rejoice. Alfa Romeo’s rather timid appeal in the States was broken by this small package of excellence.

After Alfa discontinued this fun little sports car, demand has risen. One of the reasons for the 4C’s rather sad demise was lack of interest. Sure, the car was fun and all, but it was an expensive piece of kit. A 2015 Alfa 4C had a list price of $64,000, and by ticking a few boxes, you could’ve easily pushed that number to the mid-seventies.

Surely everyone must’ve forgotten about the car. So why this discussion? We reckon the 4C could potentially be a great investment. The chances of Alfa re-introducing a 4C running on gasoline are slim. Plus, the car is pretty rare—only 2,100 or so made it to the USA. But more importantly, values look pretty tempting, at least for a mid-engined Italian exotic. Here’s a closer look.

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Forgot The Alfa Romeo 4C? Here’s A Recap

The 4C was what Alfa Romeos were really about—fun, exotic, and lightweight. The Alfa 4C featured a carbon-fiber tub with aluminum subframes front and rear. Its curb weight stood at 2,465 pounds (wet), which is next to nothing for a modern sports car. Power came from an all-aluminum 1.75-liter turbocharged inline-four that produced 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Transmission duties were dealt with via a 6-speed twin-dry clutch automatic.

With a power-to-weight ratio of 0.26 hp/kg (8.22 lb/hp), the 4C could sprint from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Together with all of its electronic gadgetry, the Alfa 4C offered a sensational driving experience. Its closest competitors did offer a similar feel, but the lack of Alfa’s magic was evident. Unlike Alfas of the past, the 4C came with working electronics. Although they weren’t the best by industry standards, for an Alfa, they were excellent. If you didn’t know, Alfa Romeos of the past were plagued with choppy reliability.

Although the brand has seen better days, post Ferrari ownership, Alfa has definitely started regaining its former glory. Perhaps not as influential as it once was, Alfa Romeo is trying hard to turn its fortunes around. The Giulia is quite an elegant piece of machine, the Stelvio is a fun little crossover, and the Tonale is everything the Stelvio is, only smaller.

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Let’s Closely Examine The 4C’s Depreciation and Market Value

In terms of holding its value, Alfa Romeos were never the best. Relatively, though, the 4C was much better. A brand new 4C depreciated roughly 10% after a year, an average of $7,000 per year. The used car market for the 4C is largely split between Standard and Launch Editions apart from the body styles. The average price for a used Alfa Romeo 4C Coupe is around $52,000, while the Spider retails a bit higher, at $66,000. This is based on a market study conducted by factoring model years up to 2020. Interestingly a lot of dealers have earlier model years listed for sale. If you scrounge the internet well enough, there’s a potential bargain waiting for you.

According to this study by Fourwheel Trader, getting into a used 2015 or 2016 Alfa Romeo 4C between $35,000 and $42,000 meant ideal. That, however, is pre-pandemic levels. Expect a decent premium in today's market (discussed in the following section).

Earlier model years have almost plateaued in terms of depreciation, and some have even started to rise a bit. In a study consisting of later models, prices of near-identical mileage 2020 4Cs versus 2019 4Cs from their respective time of listing have seen a bump of $6,000. Meaning there’s strong market demand, especially since the model stopped production in 2020.

What About The Alfa 4C’s Current Market Situation?

Firstly, there are not many 4Cs listed for sale. The premiums which they demand are primarily due to the lack of supply. Cargurus has examples with an average price of $54,000 or thereabouts. Of these listings, Spiders carry a significant premium over the Coupe. Plus, later model years tend to be expensive; 2015 or earlier are relatively cheap.

The cheapest listing is a 2015 Alfa 4C Coupe available for $49,000 with around 30,000 miles on the clock. This, however, seems a bit overpriced considering the current used market situation. Also, whether or not it’s a bargain depends on how you crack the deal. If you can negotiate a 10-12% discount on the list price, then it should prove a fair purchase. Keep in mind that not too long ago, a 2015 4C was sold for $43,000 with just 7,000 miles on the clock.

Sources: Fourwheel Trader, Cargurus