I finally took delivery of my 4C on Wednesday afternoon, after exactly 2 years of waiting! Only got a chance to take it out for a proper drive yesterday, but made up for it with an epic 300 km drive, including 4 mountain passes (Helshoogte, Franschhoek, Viljoens and Clarence Drive).
The instructions for the TCT gearbox call for 200 km of driving in Natural mode before engaging Dynamic, and avoiding spirited driving - so I spent much of the drive in Natural and short-shifting at 3-3,500 rpm.
The verdict? I absolutely love it! The steering feel, the suspension, the noise, the torque - all make for a very special experience. Many reviewers have compared the 4C to a Lotus Exige S, which I've recently had a lot of driving time in (drove one from Durban to Cape Town a couple of weeks ago). Admittedly, this is the previous-generation 1.8-litre supercharged version, not the later 3.5-litre V6, but there really is no comparison. While the Exige is a great little track toy, it really is a bare-bones, stripped-out car, and the suspension is MUCH harsher - making it quite a handful on bumpy roads.
By comparison, the 4C soaks up most road imperfections much better, even though it can be a bit skittish (especially on some of the broken tarmac on Viljoens Pass). In fact, the very detailed steering feel and light front end remind me more of an earlier 911 than anything else. It will take some time though before I have the same degree of confidence in the 4C as I have in a 911. One thing I'm finding a little tricky to get used to (and which I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere) is that it's difficult to come off the throttle and onto the brake quickly without lifting my heel - because of the unusual positioning of the floor-mounted brake pedal. Guess it's time to practice some left-foot braking!
As promised here many months ago, my 4C will be on exhibition and available for viewing by local Alfisti in my showroom at RS Performance Cars in Northgate Estate (see here for directions, map and GPS coordinates - Contact RS Performance Cars). No, my car is not for sale - I'm leaving it in the showroom mainly because it's too low and wide to get up my very steep driveway and into my garage at home.
Interestingly, I'm fetching a BMW Z4 M Coupe from Jhb tomorrow, and I have a Porsche Cayman S arriving on Wednesday - so with these plus the Exige S, I'll have a selection of most of the two-seater sports coupes the 4C is usually compared to (feels like I'm getting ready for a group test).
The instructions for the TCT gearbox call for 200 km of driving in Natural mode before engaging Dynamic, and avoiding spirited driving - so I spent much of the drive in Natural and short-shifting at 3-3,500 rpm.
The verdict? I absolutely love it! The steering feel, the suspension, the noise, the torque - all make for a very special experience. Many reviewers have compared the 4C to a Lotus Exige S, which I've recently had a lot of driving time in (drove one from Durban to Cape Town a couple of weeks ago). Admittedly, this is the previous-generation 1.8-litre supercharged version, not the later 3.5-litre V6, but there really is no comparison. While the Exige is a great little track toy, it really is a bare-bones, stripped-out car, and the suspension is MUCH harsher - making it quite a handful on bumpy roads.
By comparison, the 4C soaks up most road imperfections much better, even though it can be a bit skittish (especially on some of the broken tarmac on Viljoens Pass). In fact, the very detailed steering feel and light front end remind me more of an earlier 911 than anything else. It will take some time though before I have the same degree of confidence in the 4C as I have in a 911. One thing I'm finding a little tricky to get used to (and which I haven't seen mentioned elsewhere) is that it's difficult to come off the throttle and onto the brake quickly without lifting my heel - because of the unusual positioning of the floor-mounted brake pedal. Guess it's time to practice some left-foot braking!
As promised here many months ago, my 4C will be on exhibition and available for viewing by local Alfisti in my showroom at RS Performance Cars in Northgate Estate (see here for directions, map and GPS coordinates - Contact RS Performance Cars). No, my car is not for sale - I'm leaving it in the showroom mainly because it's too low and wide to get up my very steep driveway and into my garage at home.
Interestingly, I'm fetching a BMW Z4 M Coupe from Jhb tomorrow, and I have a Porsche Cayman S arriving on Wednesday - so with these plus the Exige S, I'll have a selection of most of the two-seater sports coupes the 4C is usually compared to (feels like I'm getting ready for a group test).
