The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione started its life as a concept back in 2003, when it got unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The concept was initially just a design exercise meant to bring the classic, curvy shapes of the 50s and 60s models from the Milanese brand, but eventually, Alfa Romeo built 500 units between 2007 and 2008, with another 500 roadster units following shortly after.
The 8C Competizione shared its F136 Y, 4.7-liter, naturally-aspirated V8 engine with both Ferrari and Maserati (the engine is one of many from the F136 family). The 4C took the 8C’s styling and power, but on a smaller scale. It might be a small car, but the driving experience from its bigger relative is there.
The Good Part
The Alfa Romeo 4C carries half the cylinders of its older sibling, but better punch for its size compared to the 8C. The 1.7-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine makes 240 HP and the Giulietta, 159 and Brera used it too. The little sports car is also very light, 1,973 lbs to be exact for the coupé and 2,072 for the Spider. Unfortunately, due to US safety regulations, the US versions weigh 2,315 and 2,337 lbs respectively, because of the extra bracing of the chassis. The EU market coupé weighs as little as a Lotus Elise, with the US variants following closely. It is very fast too, as it gets from 0 to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds. The top speed is 160 mph, so it can be both a cornering and a straight line missile. At ¾ scale, that is.
From a design perspective you can clearly see that the 4C got the main features of the 8C: the three-piece front grille with the triangular element at the front - perhaps the most recognizable piece of Alfa's design language -, the round headlights and tailights and the 5-circle rims make the car stand out against the rivals in its class. The lack of roundness on the roof and the side windows break the curvy design a bit, but help in keeping the car's height low and give a sense of speed when looking at it.
And The Bad Part
Not everything is good about this car, though. First of all, its price. Right now the 4C goes for $50,000-60,000 for a 2015-2016 model to up to $80,000 for the 2020 model. That’s Cayman money. It can hold a candle to the German sports car but falls short in cabin size, trunk size and interior quality and features. The trunk is laughably small, it has no storage space in the front, despite being a mid-engined car. The interior has plenty of plastic components, and seats with little room to adjust them. Yes, you pay a premium for the driving experience, but these sacrifices are huge.
What About Its Competitors?
So how does it compare with other similar cars? First of all, the price. We mentioned the price of the 4C before, and for that money there are other options. The Alpine goes for around $50,000 to $55,000 (starting at $57,000 for a 2022 model) and the S2000 for anything between $25,000 to triple that amount. A used Cayman from 2015 would set you back a bit over $40,000 while a Boxster of the same year would be slightly cheaper. In the case of the Lotus Elise, if you only count the 1.8-liter version making 220 HP, that would be around $40,000 to $45,000. All these prices are for second hand models with a good running condition.
All cars except the Porsches and the Alpine make around 220 to 240 HP. The French car makes 252 to 300 depending on the spec, while the base-level Cayman makes 275. One thing to keep in mind about the Cayman and Boxster is that they are heavier. The 981 Cayman weighs 3,097 lbs and the Boxster, 3,120, compared to the 2,431 lbs of the Alpine and the ~2,700 of the S2000, but it has a higher power ceiling with it higher trims, although you may consider buying a 911 at that point for that price.
The S2000 and Elise have much broader price bands because their respective brands built them for much longer than the 4C, so you can end up saving a few thousand dollars by going for older year models. This is more visible with the Elise, as the S2000 is rising up in value faster than the British sports car due to the ever-increasing fandom of Japanese sports cars and VTEC.
In terms of practicality, the 4C would be at the bottom of the list alongside the Elise if we would need to rank them. There is simply no space for stuff. It is also very rudimentary in the interior, but if you don't need anything more than a gear stick, a steering wheel, three pedals and a seat to enjoy driving then this might be an advantage for you. If you really want to daily it you are better off with a Cayman or even an Audi TT, a Nissan 350Z or a 370Z.
To sum up, the 4C has the engine, weight and design as its strong points, making it a small but surprisingly powerful car that can turn a lot of heads, but it is a struggle to use regularly. But again, you don't buy a sports car to carry a week worth of groceries or your kids at school, right?