The 4c has a twin cluch and so do F1 cars as well as Porsche track cars (the race cars as well as the GT3 and GT4 club car...the GT4 with the old school manual gearbox is the street car version of the GT4). There is no slush box (torque converter) in a twin clutch gear box. For a guy that says he collects cars, SinF should know better.

The lack of a proper manual is unfortunate for many enthusiasts, but if it did have one the 4c would be slower (mid 5s to 60 mph), and quickness is important for a track day car. Rather than being fixated on my left foot, I chose to focus on the unassisted steering.

Would it be nice if someone came out with a car that had unassisted steering, a traditional manual gear box, and less than 1 ton in weight? Yeah, I was hoping the 718 would be like the old 718 (I am fine with a small car with a turbo 4 pot engine). Instead, the new 718 was a revealed as a boxter refresh with a turbo 4 pot, and 800 lb more curb weight than the 4c (in other words, a marketing gimmick to get Porsche fans to swallow the loss of the flat 6). You might get a great manual gear box in a new 718, but you need to swallow all that extra weight, electric power assisted steering, and an engine exhaust sound that's been compared to a garbage disposal coming on in a water filled sink.

The 4C is a car that shouldn't exist because it's going against the trend we see in the auto industry (more tech toys, comfort, fake engine sound, numb steering feel, etc...). This is why there is such a poor market for the 4c. The market appeal is so poor that rumors are it will phase out as early as 2018. Some say, Alfa Romeo has a 400 day supply of parts for more units, and isn't stocking up for more. We might end up with ~2000 Alfa Romeo 4C cars in US. That's the kind or scarcity one needs to reach collector car status in the future. Of course, buying a 4c to store it under a blanket is a waste but I suspect some are doing it (the car comes with a fancy $400 red car cover). Many 4c owners are tuning the car and some have crashed it so the collector subset of 4Cs could be very small....even if it has a twin clutch gear box.

 

I crossed shopped a f-type and alfa 4c

Alfa4c much rougher ride, noisy, lacked comfort. I loved it, but my wife preferred the Jag, so went with a v6s, manual!

Your wife would appreciate the Ftype!

 

Driving in Formula 1 is generally a professional activity, not a leisure activity. If somebody paid me good money, I would drive an automatic to be competitive. Maximum fun requires an MT. That's why.

 

No car is perfect. The 4c is the car you wish Porsche had made. They would have put a 3rd pedal in, but not the hand laid carbon fiber tub (that's just crazy in a $70k car). If Porsche had done a proper 718, it would be better built than the 4C, and I would've purchased a new Porsche from them.

I have a Jag F-type. Great car for trips and running errands. Going through tunnels on Kanan passing a Prius is great fun....for me, not the tree hugger in the Prius. Having an F-type doesn't mean it should be your only car.

 

I find Prius drivers to be the most aggressive on the road; they believe they're driving an F-type or a Porsche. The new Prius succeeds in eclipsing the old on the ugliness scale, the rear end is amongst the worst on a car I've ever seen. If an American car maker made a car this unattractive, inside and out, they'd be ridiculed forever. As for the Kanan tunnels, you mean when they're actually both open at the same time and you're not crawling through them.

 

Not the smartest or noblest thing on a forum to call a poster a liar. I didn't mean launch times like using the "launch". I've had numerous cars with that option and frankly never used it. I meant launch times like 0-60 and quarter mile times and yes, the 0-60 times in the 4C is along the lines of what most entry level sports cars times are like the Camaro SS, Mustang GT, BMW M235, Audi TTS, Boxster S/Cayman S. The quarter mile time is very mediocre. It's pretty much equal to the F-Type base V6 times. My last car was a Gen 5 Viper, so yes...the 4C posts mediocre times. I guess performance is relative.

 

The Prius exists so people can claim to be "good people" who care about the environment. This is important for people who work for celebrities. The celebrities can own many politically incorrect cars, but they have a Tesla to look good...and truth be told a Tesla will break your neck while accelerating in full ludicrous mode so your not a total douche if your seen in one). The same can't be said of a Prius.

Kanan isn't as bad in the winter and the work on the tunnels is almost done. I travel more in the summer and do it from the East coast, so I don't get the full Kanan parking lot experience (beach traffic is mostly in the summer).

 

Did you just read the brochure for the 4C? Have you actually even driven any Porsche? The Boxster and Cayman 718 platform are spectacular cars. I'd pick the Cayman GT4 or the last edition of the Cayman R over the 4C any day. Obviously, the last gen and current gen Boxster Spyder is far superior to the 4C. I've driven all these cars and I know what i'm talking about. Even the last gen and current gen TTRS is better than the 4C.

The 4C is a fun little track toy and at around $60k you can't beat it for price but against cars like the ones I just mentioned, it will lose.

 

Yes, photo of my little Italian *******. Not owned a Porsche in a long time but always take the opportunity to drive a 911 when I get it. Noticed the evolution in the latter is towards mainstream. Not talking about speed, but the impression of speed.

 

Yours is done quite tastefully, with the contrast roof. It looks really great.

Coincidentally I saw a white 4C in San Francisco this morning with a white top and it looked really awful....the oblique curves of the car are hard to see without some contrast so it looks like a ripped up styrofoam block on wheels.

Some time ago I posted the comment that the aspect ratio the car looked a little off to me (actual on the left, elogated on the right):



Irrespective of this, I really like the choice you made. It looks great in (italian) red, but I hadn't expected it to look that good in white....it has a hunched stance that reminds me of the R8.

 

Yes, you are technically correct. This doesn't change the fact that paddles are poor substitution for a manual gearbox.

Sure, these gearboxes are faster than any driver. At some point you must ask, what is that we enjoy about cars. Could it be driving? Otherwise getting computer to do all the driving, and we already have self-driving cars, is even faster.

 

The 4C will outperform the TTRS, Boxster, Mustang etc in certain scenarios. Its not all about launch times / quarter mile.

Having owned a supercharged Lotus Elise along with 911 Turbo, Ferrari and of course my V8 F Type I can honestly say in certain situations the other cars wouldn't be able to keep up with the Elise.

The F Type in particular is a big lumbering beast that goes pretty well but is more about showmanship rather than outright poise and finesse. That's not to say I don't enjoy it - hence the reason I have had it for 2 years now. Great car but would get trounced by a 4C in certain track / road types.

 

I nearly bought a 4c launch edition with less than 500 miles on the clock. it was a whimsical consideration. it is so sexy in the flesh. so Italian. it is a precise sports car and for those of you that know...think modern day lancia stratos. it is also a car that alfa used to re-enter the market with a car that would make an impression. the car is essentially a halo type machine and a serious bit of kit with its stunningly gorgeous carbon fiber chassis. no car maker on the planet would offer that level of detail for less than $100k.


alas, I did not buy it as I just don't have room in my life at this point for another car that was so single focused...I already have too many. in turn, I am looking to the 510 hp giulia 4 door sport sedan. it will be my way to own another alfa and have a monster daily driver. the love affair can soon begin again in October