Ian Mackenzie,Lincolnshire
Letter of the month
YOUR COVER FEATURE in Octane 252 on the McLaren 12C was a great article about a game-changing supercar. I would, however, strongly disagree with author Ben Barry’s description of the Alfa Romeo 4C – which he admits is ‘[the only car that] offers carbonfibre construction for less’ – as ‘underwhelming’.
When it was launched ten years ago, the 4C [pictured in original concept form, above] was also a game-changing yet more affordable sports car, offering near supercar performance in the real world at a much more affordable price. Carbon tub, light weight, mid-mounted engine, gorgeous looks: what’s not to like?
OK, so the steering geometry divided opinion and resulted in very mixed reviews at the car’s launch, due to nervous handling on the UK’s atrocious roads. The interior, too, came in for criticism for being low-rent, and the car is impractical as a daily driver. So it’s compromised, definitely… but, hey, those looks, and what true sports car isn’t impractical?
The steering geometry can soon be rectified by those clever people at The Alfa Workshop in Royston. A raft of aftermarket performance parts can also improve the car to be what Alfa surely intended it to be.
I’m the long-term owner of a 4C Spider, the car never fails to put a smile on my face whenever I drive it, and it draws admiring comments from anyone who sees it. It has been totally fault-free, and economical to run and own.
You state that the McLaren 12C has depreciated in its 15 years from £168,500 at launch (before options) to £65,000-95,000 today. The 4C cost around £50,000 at launch and still commands £40,000-55,000 depending on mileage and specification, and is arguably a much rarer car.
Perhaps now is the time to take another look at a properly sorted 4C, some ten years on, and give it the love it deserves.
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