Alfa Romeo 4C
The Alfa Romeo 4C is best described as an affordable exotic car. This two-seat sports car was available as a coupe or convertible and featured a mid-mounted turbocharged four-cylinder engine driving the rear wheels through a paddle-shift twin-clutch transmission. The car's low center of gravity and center-mounted weight gave it exceptional handling, while the carbon-fiber chassis and aluminum suspension kept the overall weight to a minimum. The result is a car that earns exotic status in every way except its price.
Explore the evolution of the Alfa Romeo 4C
Get our expert take on used Alfa Romeo 4C models, or view year-by-year changes.
First generational Alfa Romeo 4C
Alfa Romeo has been producing sports cars since 1910, giving the automaker a well-deserved reputation for its expertise in creating fun-to-drive vehicles. The 4C nods to Alfa's glorious racing history with its name, referring to the 6C racing models of the 1920s. It also means the 4C has an important pedigree to uphold.
Thankfully, the Alfa 4C is a pure sports car. It's tiny, it has minimal storage space, and it's totally impractical, checking all the critical sports car boxes. But it's also got a carbon-fiber chassis reinforced with lightweight aluminum, as well as an unmuffled turbocharged engine paired with a paddle-shifted transaxle. The engine produces only about 237 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque, but the 4C weighs less than 2,500 pounds, delivering a 0-60 mph time around 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 160 mph. It's not intended as a family car, though you could use it for commuting between weekend driving adventures.
Model highlights
1.7-liter turbocharged engine
Six-speed twin-clutch transaxle
Rear-wheel drive
Seating for two people
Coupe or convertible body styles
Changes by year
Latest generation from 2015 - 2020
2020 Alfa Romeo 4C
2019 Alfa Romeo 4C
Highlights
Coupe body dropped from production
Rearview camera, rear park sensors, and cruise control became standard
Track package no longer available
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2018 Alfa Romeo 4C
Highlights
Available Track package with tuned suspension, larger wheels, and flat-bottom steering wheel
Revised front end with available carbon-fiber air intakes
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2017 Alfa Romeo 4C
Highlights
Available carbon-fiber roof, sport exhaust, and new wheel designs
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2016 Alfa Romeo 4C
Highlights
Upgraded standard audio system
New dual-mode exhaust system available
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2015 Alfa Romeo 4C
Highlights
First year for the all-new Alfa Romeo 4C coupe and convertible (spider)
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Jeff Zurschmeide has been an automotive journalist for more than 20 years, covering the new car business as well as motorsports and industry news. He lives in Tillamook, Oregon, at the confluence of great roads, nice weather, and plenty of space for a collection of strange old automobiles.
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