2020年阿尔法罗密欧4 c Spider Performance

What if we told you that one of the best performance cars to come out of Europe in the past few years is a mid-engined Alfa Romeo which only has 237 hp under the rear decklid when there are McLarens rolling around with almost four times that power. Yes, it is hard to believe that with such a low power output the 4C could honestly be a competitor to cars such asthe Jaguar F-Type, but here we are. The key ingredient to the 4C's blistering performance all boils down to its low curb weight; less weight means more performance, whether it be straight-line acceleration or braking performance. Around town, and through the twisties, the 4C's lightness is palatable and is one of the overriding themes of this car. Nail the perfect launch, and the diminutive 4C will launch to sixty in only 4.1 seconds, and continue on to a top speed of 160 mph. That's enough to get you into some serious trouble.

Once again the low curb weight of the Alfa Romeo 4C comes into play: because it doesn't weigh anything, Alfa Romeo didn't feel the need to stuff a V6 or V8 engine in the back. Instead, they opted for an all-aluminum 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine with direct-injection, twin intercoolers, and variable-valve timing. This compact four-pot engine delivers a mild 237 hp at 6,000 rpm, and 258 lb-ft of torque at 2,200 rpm. That might not seem like much, especially when you consider the fact that the Porsche Boxster 718 offers 300 hp from its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-pot engine. But those low numbers don't stop the 4C from out-accelerating the Porsche. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a quick-shifting dual-clutch six-speed automatic transmission which delivers a sharp response, especially when set in the more sporty manual driving mode, where turbo whooshes, crackles and pops become more noticeable. For those looking for some extra bark, Alfa Romeo offers an optional Akrapovic dual mode center-mounted exhaust system that should open the engine up nicely.

We hate to harp on about the 4C's light weight, but once again it plays a pivotal role. See, the heavier the car, the harder the engine has to work to haul it around. On the other hand, the 4C, which is powered by a small-capacity turbo engine and weighs next to nothing has no problem sipping on fuel when not in attack mode. What this means is that you get the gas mileage of a small hatchback, but with Porsche-killing performance to boot. The EPA rates that the 2020 Alfa Romeo will do 24/34/28 mpg city/highway/combined. That's nearly 30 mpg from a full-blown performance car. With a 10.5-gallon fuel tank on board, the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider will get 294 miles per fillup, but these will cost you as the turbocharged engine requires premium gasoline to keep it in tip-top shape.