Me and my Alfa!
In advance of the Irish launch we went to the Isle of Man to test drive the gorgeous Alfa Romeo 4C writes Suzanne Keane
What is it? Powered by a 1750cc all aluminium 4 cylinder direct injection tubocharged engine with 240 horses sitting just behind the driver and passenger Alfa Romeo’s new 4C 2-seater coupe goes from 0-100kmph in a mere 4.5 seconds.
First impressions of the Alfa Romeo 4C? My first glimpse of this car was a flash of red roaring its way around Jurby Airfield in the Isle of Man. As it pulled up to a stop the sleek Italian design became clearly visible under the Metallic Alfa Red paint. There is no doubt that this car is a head turner.
What about the interior? If anyone has a graceful method of sliding into the Carbon Fibre Monocoque of the 4C please let me know – but once inside it’s clear that this is a car designed for fun and not function (air conditioning and a sound system are optional at no extra cost). The red stitching and aluminium pedals & footrest scream sports car and the cockpit design (with the engine sitting inches behind your head) makes even the most timid driver feel like drag racing.
And on the road? The 4C certainly isn’t afraid to accelerate – a fact that is helped by its 240bhp and that it only weighs 895kg. Turbo lag is virtually non-existent and the steering is extremely direct. On corners there is plenty of grip and zero body roll.
When it’s time to slow down the Brembo brake callipers don’t just look good – the 4C has a braking distance of 36m from 100kmph and even on a wet track these brakes were more than adequate.
Bucket seats and aluminium pedals convey the real purpose of this car
As a daily driver the average fuel consumption of 6.8 l/100km or in old money an mpg of 41.5, could almost be considered economical although the 110 litres of luggage space and lack of visibility for parking (that engine does block the rear window slightly) make it a slightly impractical choice. Then again, a supercar isn’t designed for practicality and with the 4C they have certainly brought some excitement back into Alfa Romeo’s “DNA”.
How much? Irish list prices are yet to be confirmed although the Launch Edition models have already sold out in the UK so getting your hands on one of these in Ireland could prove difficult but would be well worth the effort!
How Safe? The 4C comes equipped with the very latest safety technologies and reassuringly it was chosen by Eurosport events as the Safety Car of the FIA World Touring Car Championship for the entire 2014 season – the first event takes place in Morocco on the 12th/13th April.
3 words to describe the Alfa Romeo 4C: Stylish, Sexy, Rapid.
For more information about the 4C check out the Alfa Romeo website or facebook page
Suzanne Keane
28th March, 2014
