Skip advert
Advertisement

Alfa Romeo 4C Spider review - Performance and 0-60 time

Removeable roof and styling tweaks add a new layer to the 4C's appeal, but the Spider is still a flawed sports car

Evo rating
RRP
from £59,500
  • Exotic styling, light weight, performance
  • Less than exotic engine, busy chassis, gearbox

Performance and 0-60 time

Bar the odd fraction, the Spider is as impressively quick as the Coupe. With the aid of Launch Control, the Spider will punch from 0-62mph in a claimed 4.5sec and hit a 160mph top speed. That’s serious performance from a sub-2-litre, sub-£50k 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. Immersed in the process of threading the car down the road, you don’t really notice the questionable sound it’s making, so it’s less of a problem. That sound is undeniably characterful and effective, albeit in a rather hot hatchy manner that’s at odds with the 4C’s baby-exotic brief and obvious class.

Advertisement - Article continues below

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 travelling at three-figure speeds between the corners.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Honda Civic Type R for £5k off – save 10 per cent on the ultimate hot hatch
Honda Civic Type R deal
News

Honda Civic Type R for £5k off – save 10 per cent on the ultimate hot hatch

The Civic Type R is not long for this world and there are deals to be had on Honda’s pricey but near-perfect hot hatch
26 Jun 2025
Frontline MGA Factory Edition review – a quaint classic with a modern heart
Frontline MGA Factory Edition
Reviews

Frontline MGA Factory Edition review – a quaint classic with a modern heart

The MGB restomod specialist turns its attention to the B’s pretty predecessor. The result is compelling
26 Jun 2025
Can Lotus survive its latest crisis?
Lotus factory
Opinion

Can Lotus survive its latest crisis?

Lotus’s latest troubles are grabbing headlines, but the writing’s been on the wall for some time.
28 Jun 2025