Has anyone cross shopped the 4C to the f-type (other than Z4, boxster, 911)? I know on many levels they are totally different cars,but they seem to line up nicely price wise (60-70kish) and in terms of its practicality (2 seater sports car with limited storage, can be had in both spider and coupe trims). My wife decided on the f type over the 991S, we are going to check out the 4C this weekend before pulling the trigger on the jag

Value: this is hard to tell, many says the 4C will be a future classic but who knows, maybe if it gets discontinued in a few years. F-type depreciates heavily in the first two years but should slow down a bit after that

Performance: super lightweight 4 cyl mid engine vs heavy weight 6-8 cyl classic british sports car setup, both forced induction. One's mostly carbon fiber one's alum

Design: both are awesomelooking. Alfa has that small sexy italian look (esp in red), the f type has a british muscle presence

I think comfort will be the biggest difference here, we will find out soon enough. We test drove the v8 last week it had a very good and comfy ride, it's a fun, crazy (that exhaust!) luxurious GT cruiser. I doubt the alfa will be anywhere close in terms of interior comfort and quality

What do you guys think?

 

I don't see 4C as Jag match up, just from luxury point of view if nothing else. 4C seems to lean toward track day side of the equation. As an owner of a Maserati I can tell you there is also the "italian" ownership expierience.

 

Totally different propositions. One is a lightweight, stripped out carbon tub, rear engined go kart for the road. The other is a heavy luxurious cruiser / muscle car.

4C would be great for weekends / blasting around the twisties with precision handling and feel, the other is for cruising long distances and being a general hooligan with little in terms of handling finesse.

 

if you dont mind me asking what comes with "italian ownership experience"?...lol. Never owned an italian I wonder how that's like

 

When I was shopping, I briefly considered 4C. That consideration ended when I found that you couldn't even order 4C with a manual gearbox. What kind of track car is that if it only comes with a slush box?

 

You said it buddy, but the "Italian" experience has positives not just negatives. I've got a 4C spider and an F-type coupe so I like both cars, but for different qualities. People who get upset at cabin noise should not buy a 4C because there is no button you can push to turn it into a normal car. People should not expect a 4C can fill everyday transportation duties (unless those people are multigenerational Alfisti...those people will put up with any discomfort with a smile on their face if they're in an Alfa). The 4c is more fun to drive than the F-type on a very twisty road, but in traffic, on a long trip (with bags), going for groceries, etc...it is a highly compromised car. In addition, the legendary Italian build quality will stress any normal person (fix it again Tony may apply...see the 4c forum). The variation in the quality of the interior materials are confusing (hand made carbon fiber tub next to cheap looking FIAT switch gear).

I think a Porsche or a Vet are things you can cross shop vs the F-type. To get a 4c, you need to really want a sports car, not just get a car that looks and sounds sporty. The 4C is a toy you add to a collection of cars because it's completely different vs the modern car. The most entertaining part of the 4C is the unassisted steering...most people aren't use to it so it freaks them out a little...I love it. The F-type is a real car you can use to transport people & stuff, go out to a restaurant, commute to work, go on a road trip, etc..

 

I would disagree with your assessment of F-type. Mercedes SL is a heavy luxurious cruiser. Charger is a muscle car. F-type is not nearly as luxurious as SL and a lot more agile to be considered just a muscle car.

F-type, at least in a convertible trim, is a proper roadster.

 

It's a twin clutch, there's no torque converter involved (that's the slushy bit in an automatic). If it had a manual, it wouldn't be as fast as a base 911. Even Porsche fit a PDF in their GT4 club sport (the race car version of the GT4). The 4c is an amalgam of FCA parts..the twin clutch is the same gear box they use in the Dodge Dart and the Alfa Romeo Mito.

 

True on the 4c, but the F-type isn't sloppy like an old school muscle car. I'd call the F-type a British Vette before I'd call it a muscle car. The new Vette isn't bad...the fat guys in Kentucky did a good job.

 

Thanks for sharing!!! Very nice to hear from actual owners. It sounds like the 4C might be too much for wife who just like the look and italian-ness lol. Like some online reviews said, 4C is meant to be a 4th car. At this point, we have no parking spot for a 4th toy

 

It has a dual clutch automated manual gearbox versus a traditional automatic slush box - very different.

 

Well I come from a Ferrari, 911 Turbo and supercharged Lotus Elise so maybe my viewpoint is a little skewed. I absolutely love my F Type but it does feel a little blunt and cruiser-like to me.

 

I think any car when compared to Lotus Elise handling will feel "a little blunt and cruiser-like". I wouldn't expect anything else out of Lotus.

 

Some of the 4c owners are women but most are men. The unassisted steering requires a little but of muscle while maneuvering in a parking lot (street parking is hardest). It's a real toy, more fun than other sports cars (and well worth adding a garage or renting one at the local track to stash your toy).

 

Amen! Most reviewers compare the 4C to a Porsche Boxter or Cayman, but the 4C is much more Lotus Elise than contemporary Porsches. The latter have precise steering but the steering feel is poor compared to the Porsches of the 1970s and 1980s. Porsche didn't put in power steering until the 964, and it was hydrolic assist, not the electric assist most cars (including Porsches...and the F-type) get now.

 

First rule of Italian car ownership is to realize they are made by workers who take 2 hour lunches with wine! Second they are all small volume cars(not Fiat). But they have a personality and performance that is noticably different, not German. Just be prepared for some illogical things and a long road to getting them changed. The Maserati Ghibli is a pretty decent car today, but it was us early adopters that had to find all the things that needed to be updated. Like software industry that lets customer find problems then comes out with 2.0.

 

+1. This is really an apples to oranges proposition. The F-Type is a luxury Sports/GT car that you can comfortably cover massive stretches of pavement over several hours (13 hours for me yesterday). The 4C is an autocross/track car that will beat you up after an hour or two. Thirty years ago I would have considered it (but not with the AT).

 

I considered the Alfa Romeo 4C. Had a few test drives and really loved the car. It's a track giant. Very nimble and at the hands of an experienced driver I highly doubt even the SVR can overtake it on most tracks. However, it is not the most comfortable of cars. Has no real amenities and many feel it's launch times are mediocre at best. It's a very small car also and I constantly felt even the smallest of trucks would squash me to bits in an accident.

I'd put the experience of driving the 4C on par with the Cayman R, GT4 and Audi TTRS. Brilliant but there's a very small segment of us who would get the experience out of the 4C it was intended. The F-Type and even SVR are luxury cars first...track cars last. Just like the Mercedes SLS or Aston Martin Vanquish. You don't own a 4C to go out to dinner on the town on weekends. You own it to track or show at events. Very apples to oranges in that regard.

 

Mediocre launch times? Yeah right, low to mid 4s to 60 mph is definitely mediocre. I think the people who say that have never been in a 4C. If they had, they'd know that the "sensation of speed" in the 4C is greater than the that in mainstream cars. This is why the speed warning feature in the F-type is a good thing to have. In a powerful "mainstream car", you'll find yourself going over 100 mph without realizing it (and if the cops see you do it, you'll go to jail). In the 4C, you feel the speed better, and at ~130 mph you'll really feel the speed. If you're looking to smoke people at stop lights, get a tesla p90 with ludicrous mode. If you're looking to feel the speed, get a 4C.

I've never used launch control in any car I own. I think it's a feature intended for bad drivers so they can impress their friends at stop light drag races.

 

Formula One uses a slush box. If it's good enough for the pros, why is it not good enough for you?