Breaking even with tough competitors like the Porsche 718 Boxster, Toyota Supra, and Chevrolet Corvette wasn’t easy for Alfa Romeo 4C Spider all thanks to its small, lightweight, and stunning supercar-in-miniature styling, underpinned by a carbon fibre-tub chassis and clever powertrain at a comparatively low price point.
It was everything that enthusiasts wanted with assistance-free steering and a sub-1000kg kerb weight,
At launch, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider was £8000 more expensive than the coupe. This difference was based on the Spider’s roof arrangement, also the subtle visual changes, and the extra equipment inside.
The Alfa Romeo 4C spider retained the turbocharged 1742cc four-cylinder with its 237bhp and 258lb-ft power and torque outputs and six-speed dual-clutch transmission. While this layout boosts the performance, it still lacks that much flair.
For 2020, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider which is the only body style left gets a new Italia edition with unique blue paint, graphics, and trim pieces. This special edition is limited to only 15 units.
Performance and 0-60 Time
The 2020 Alfa Romeo 4c Spider is well known for its incredible handling, ample turbo power, and sizzling Italian style.
A snarling 1.8-liter turbo-4 puts out an impressive 237 horsepower to the rear wheels via a 6-speed dual-clutch transmission that fires off quickly but with rough shifts.
The Spider punches from 0-62mph in a claimed 4.5sec and hits a 160mph top speed. That’s a serious performance from a sub-2-liter sports car. With 237bhp, the engine is at least effective and imbues the little Alfa with decent, if noticeably turbocharged, pace in a straight line.
Its mid-engine construction, carbon fiber tub, unassisted steering, and incredibly light overall weight make the 4C one of the sharpest-handling cars on the road, but ride quality is rough and the boost from the turbo comes on like a rally car from the 1980s.
Still, on the right road with its dual-clutch, paddle-fed motor hauling back the high numbers on a ball of relentless, on-boost energy, the 4C Spider can be a lot of fun.
The healthy reserves of mid-range torque, coupled to the swift reflexes of the TCT transmission, make for near-seamless surges of acceleration that soon see you traveling at three-figure speeds between the corners.
This is a delightful toy for shorter romps around the racetrack or back roads, but long road trips are not advised.
The Exterior
The 4C has an exterior presence that is very impressive. Big arches, dramatic curves, an enticing front end, and a wide and low stance make the 4C a head-turner, even among sports cars.
It’s more attention-grabbing than some six-figure sports cars at a fraction of the price, especially in red, yellow, or new exclusive Misano Blue.
Its commitment to Italian style has really paid off as the 4Chas is one of the most outstanding stylings among supercars of its class.
With the departure of the fixed-roof version last year, the 4C is only available in removable soft-top Spider form, which folds up neatly into the small trunk when removed.
The Interior
The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider doesn’t have the luxurious interior as enthusiasts would wish it to have. With its miniature body style, there is no much room space, especially for cargo as the front end doesn’t open like on other mid-engine cars.
It comes with a flat-bottomed steering wheel and floor-hinged pedals, climate controls.
The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider offers a great bolstering with standard sport bucket racing seats that are flat and adjustable with embroidered logos and floor-hinged pedals.
Air conditioning, cloth seats, a 7.0-inch digital gauge cluster, Bluetooth, and rear parking sensors are all standard.
The trunk which is just 3.7 cubic feet and sits behind the mid-mounted engine can not accommodate big luggage to make matters worst, the front end doesn’t open up at all, so there’s no “frunk” to be found here for extra small-item storage.
Fuel Economy
Thanks to its small-displacement turbo-4 as it now works in the car’s favor, the 2020 Alfa Romeo 4C manages good fuel economy for an exotic sports car.
On premium fuel, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider gets 24 mpg in the city and 34 on the highway and 28 combined, making it more efficient than the likes of even the Subaru BRZ and Toyota 86 with much more power and infinitely more panache.
That comes out to an annual fuel cost of around $1,700 according to the EPA, though likely much less if this is an occasional-use vehicle as it should be.
Safety
It is rather unfortunate as the 2020 Alfa Romeo 4C has no crash test results from any agency, so we’re unable to give it a score here.
Considering its low patronage and lack of standard active safety features, the NHTSA and the IIHS can not tests the 4C Spider for crashworthiness.
As included, you get dual front airbags, side airbags, a knee airbag for the driver, and hill-start assist for the dual-clutch transmission.