4 Alfa Romeo 2019C Review: Spider

Nothing could have prepared me better for my 2019 Alfa Romeo 4 year trip than a trip to Sydney's amusement park.

There's a roller coaster called "Wild Mouse" - an old-school one-car ride, no loops, no high-tech tricks, and each ride is limited to only two seats.

The wild mouse tosses you back and forth with little regard for your comfort, gently tapping into your fear factor, making you wonder about the physics of what's going on under your ass. 

It's an adrenaline rush, and at times, really frightening. You exit the trip thinking to yourself, “How the hell did I survive?”.

The same can be said about this Italian sports car. It's incredibly fast, it's incredibly nimble, it handles like it has rails attached to its underside, and it could potentially do a brown thing to your underpants.

Alfa Romeo 4C 2019: Targa (spider)
Safety Rating
engine's type	1.7 L turbo
fuel type	Premium unleaded gasoline
Fuel efficiency	6.9l / 100km
Landing	2 Places
Price from	$65,000

Is there anything interesting about its design? 8/10

Put a Ferrari badge on it and people will think it's the real deal - pint-sized performance, with all the right angles to get a lot of looks.

In fact, I've had dozens of players nodding, waving, saying "good car friend" and even a few rubber neck moments - you know, when you drive by and someone on the trail can't help but forget, that they are walking, and they are looking so intently that they may well collide with an approaching lamppost. 

Put a Ferrari badge on it and people will think it's the real deal.

It's really dizzying. So why does he only get 8/10? Well, there are some design elements that make it less user friendly than some of its competitors.

For example, the cockpit entrance is huge because the carbon fiber sills are huge. And the cabin itself is quite cramped, especially for tall people. An Alpine A110 or a Porsche Boxster is much more suited for everyday driving… but hey, the 4C is noticeably better than, say, a Lotus Elise for getting in and out.

The cabin is a tight space.

Also, as smart as it looks, there are Alfa Romeo design elements that have changed since the 4C was launched in 2015. launch release model.

But even if it's not an unmistakable Alfa Romeo, it's an unmistakable 4C. 

The headlights are what I dislike the most.

How practical is the interior space? 6/10

You can't get into such a small car and expect a lot of space.

The 4C measures tiny at just 3989mm long, 1868mm wide and just 1185mm high, and as you can see from the photos, it's a squat little thing. The removable Spider roof may suit you if you are tall.

I'm six feet tall (182 cm) and I found him to be like a cocoon in the cabin. You feel as if you are tying yourself to the body of a car when you get behind the wheel. And entry and exit? Just make sure you do some stretching beforehand. It's not as bad as a Lotus for getting in and out, but it's still hard to look good scrambling in and out. 

The cabin is a tight space. Headroom and legroom are scarce, and while the handlebars are adjustable for reach and angle, the seat has only manual sliding and backrest movement—no lumbar adjustment, no height adjustment...almost like a racing bucket. They are also as hard as a racing seat. 

I'm six feet tall (182 cm) and I found him to be like a cocoon in the cabin.

Ergonomics aren't impressive - the air conditioning controls are hard to see at a glance, the gear selector buttons require some study, and the two center cupholders (one for a double mocha latte, the other for a hazelnut piccolo) are awkwardly placed exactly where you might want to put your elbow . 

The media system sucks. If I were to buy one of these, that would be the first thing, and in its place would be an aftermarket touchscreen that: a) would actually allow Bluetooth connectivity; b) look like it was sometime after 2004; and c) be more suitable for a car in this price range. I would also upgrade the speakers because they are bad. But I can totally understand if those things don't matter because that's the engine you want to hear.

There's no touchscreen, no Apple CarPlay, no Android Auto, no sat-nav.

The materials - apart from the red leather seats - are not very good. The plastic used looks and feels similar to what you'll find in used Fiats, but the sheer volume of exposed carbon fiber really helps you forget those details. And the leather straps for closing the doors are good too. 

Visibility from the driver's seat is decent - for this class of car. It's low and the rear window is small, so you can't expect to always see everything around you, but the mirrors are good and the front view is excellent.

Does it represent good value for money? What functions does it have? 6/10

Look, no one considering an Italian sports car is likely to wear a common sense hat, but even so, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is an indulgent purchase.

With a list price of $99,000 plus travel expenses, it's out of your pocket. Apart from what you get for your money.

Standard equipment includes air conditioning, remote central locking, electric heated mirrors, manually adjustable leather sports seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a four-speaker stereo system with USB connectivity, Bluetooth phone and audio streaming. It's not a touchscreen, so there's no Apple CarPlay, no Android Auto, no sat-nav... but this car is fun to drive home, so forget about maps and GPS. There's also a digital instrument cluster with a digital speedometer - trust me, you'll need it.

Standard wheels are staggered - 17 inches in front and 18 inches in the rear. All 4C models have bi-xenon headlights, LED daytime running lights, LED taillights and dual tailpipes. 

Of course, being a Spider model, you also get a removable soft top, and you know what's nice? A car cover comes standard, but you'll want to put it in the shed as it takes up little trunk space!

The car cover takes up most of the trunk.

Our car was even higher up the pay scale, with a proven price of $118,000 before the roads - it had a few checkboxes with options. 

First up is the beautiful Basalt Gray metallic paint ($2000) and contrasting red brake calipers ($1000).

In addition, there is the Carbon & Leather package - with carbon fiber mirror housings, interior frames and a leather-stitched dashboard. This is the $4000 option.

And finally the race package ($12,000) which includes 18-inch and 19-inch staggered dark colored wheels and these wheels are fitted with model-specific Pirelli P Zero tires (205/40/ 18 front). , 235/35/19 behind). Plus there's a sporty racing exhaust system, which is amazing, and racing suspension. 

What are the main characteristics of the engine and transmission? 8/10

The Alfa Romeo 4C is powered by a 1.7-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that develops 177kW at 6000rpm and 350Nm of torque from 2200-4250rpm. 

The engine is mounted amidships, rear-wheel drive. It uses a six-speed dual-clutch (TCT) automatic transmission with launch control. 

The 1.7-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine delivers 177 kW/350 Nm.

Alfa Romeo claims to reach 0 km/h in 100 seconds, making it one of the fastest cars in this price range. 

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How much fuel does it consume? 8/10

Claimed fuel consumption for the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is 6.9 liters per 100 kilometers, so it's not a cheapskate.

But, impressively, I saw real fuel economy of 8.1 l/100 km in a circle that includes urban traffic, highways and “harsh” driving on winding roads.

What is it like to drive? 9/10

I said it was like a roller coaster, and it really is. Sure, the air doesn't ruffle your hair as much, but with the roof off, the windows down, and the speedometer constantly getting closer to license suspension, it's a real thrill.

It just feels so cramped—the carbon fiber monocoque is stiff and super-stiff. You hit the cat's eye and it's all so sensitive that you might mistake it for hitting a real cat. 

The Alfa Romeo DNA driving modes - the letters stand for Dynamic, Natural, All Weather - are one of those apt examples of a well-executed system of this type. There is a noticeable difference between how these different settings work, while some of the other drive modes are more balanced in their settings. There is a fourth mode - Alfa Race - which I did not dare to try out on public roads. The dynamics were enough to test my character. 

The steering in natural mode is great - there's great weight and feedback, super direct and incredible ground contact under you, and the engine isn't as savory but still gives amazing driving response. 

It will be a difficult choice between this, the Alpine A110 and the Porsche Cayman.

The ride is firm but collected and compliant in any of the driving modes, and it doesn't have adaptive suspension. It's a firmer suspension setup, and while the damping doesn't change dynamically, if the surface isn't perfect at all, you'll be shaking and jerking all over the place because the steering feels even more dialed in. 

In dynamic mode, the engine offers amazing response when you move at a pace, picks up incredible speed, and before you know it, you will be in the license loss zone.

The brake pedal requires some firm footwork - like in a race car - but it pulls hard when you need it. You just have to get used to the feel of the pedal. 

The transmission is good at speed in manual mode. It won't stop you if you want to find a redline and it sounds amazing. Exhaust pleases!

You don't need a stereo when the exhaust sounds so good.

With the roof up and the windows up, the noise intrusion is very noticeable - a lot of tire roar and engine noise. But take the roof off and roll down the windows and you get the full driving experience - you even get some sut-to-tou wastegate flutter. It doesn't even matter that the stereo system is such rubbish.

At normal speeds in normal driving, you really need to pay attention to the transmission because it is unreliable and slow to respond at times. There is noticeable lag if you gently press the gas, from both the engine and transmission, and the fact that peak torque isn't reached in song before 2200 rpm means the lag has to be fought. 

It will be a difficult choice between this, the Alpine A110 and the Porsche Cayman - each of these cars has very different personalities. But to me, it's more like a go-kart than anything, and it's undeniably incredibly fun to drive.

Warranty and safety rating

Basic Warranty

3 years / 150,000 km


guarantee

ANCAP Safety Rating

What safety equipment is installed? What is the safety rating? 6/10

If you're looking for the latest in security technology, you're in the wrong place. Sure, it's at the forefront because it has an ultra-durable carbon fiber construction, but there's not much else going on here.

The 4C has dual front airbags, rear parking sensors and anti-towing alarm, and of course electronic stability control. 

But there are no side or curtain airbags, no reversing camera, no automatic emergency braking (AEB) or lane keeping assist, no lane departure warning or blind spot detection. Admittedly - there are a few other sports cars in this segment that lack safety too, but 

The 4C has never been crash tested, so an ANCAP or Euro NCAP safety rating is not available.

How much does it cost to own? What kind of guarantee is provided? 6/10

If you're hoping that a "simple" car like the 4C will mean low cost of ownership, this section may disappoint you.

The service calculator on the Alfa Romeo website suggests that over 60 months or 75,000 km (with service intervals set every 12 months / 15,000 km), you will have to shell out a total of $6625. On a breakdown, services cost $895, $1445, $895, $2495, $895.

I mean, that's what you get when you buy an Italian sports car, I guess. But be aware that you can get a Jaguar F-Type with five years of free maintenance, and Alfa looks like a rip-off. 

However, Alfa comes with a three-year, 150,000 km warranty plan that includes the same coverage for roadside assistance.

Verdict

People may wonder if it makes sense to buy an Alfa Romeo 4C. It has excellent competitors in terms of price-quality - Alpine A110 does almost the same thing as Alfa, but more polished. And then there's the Porsche 718 Cayman, which is a much smarter option.

But there's no doubt that the 4C stands apart, a cut-price alternative of sorts to a Maserati or Ferrari, and is almost as rarely seen on the road as those cars. And just like the roller coaster at Luna Park, this is the kind of car that will make you want to ride again.

Would you prefer the 4C Alpine A110? Let us know about it in the comments.