If you had a choice...

"JustWaitingForAMate" (justwaitingforamate) 10/19/2013 at 05:13 • Filed to: Alfa4c, alfavsporsche, porschecayman

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Alfa Romeo 4c or Porsche Cayman, which? and why?

GhostZ > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 05:27

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4C. The Cayman is still a relatively common, unremarkable car. The 4C is both technologically impressive, and significantly rarer.

toadterror > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 05:28

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4C Every time. Not bagging the Cayman, by all accounts it's a honey. But that Alfa.

Come on Subaru. 1000kg mid-boxer-engined/rear-drive manual with STi in the pipeline with AWD (thanks to the hybrid/KERS system driving the front wheels. Is it too much to ask? Hell, Develop it with Toyota and they release it as the MR2. Blasted up some quick sketch - thoughts?

Minimality > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 05:30

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Dynamically? I can't say. I have driven the cayman, however not the Alfa, that will follow soon enough. On paper it looks very promising.

Emotionally? The Alfa. It is the most important car Alfa has made in recent decades. It marks the comeback to bring Alfa Romeo to its former glory, it looks stunning, it has a carbon monocoque, it is built exactly like a perfect car in my head would be - light, rear engined, rear drive. It is a car that will not lose its value, importance in Alfa Romeos history and will be remembered and loved just like the Alfa Romeos from 60s, 70s, 80s. What does the Porsche Cayman have against that? Its the 2nd gen cayman in the small sportscar segment which will never become a classic quite like the 911. The Alfa just has so much more to it than the over-engineered cayman.

Shady Balkan Subject, Drives an Alfa > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 05:37

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It is a hard choice. On one hand we have a friggin' Porsche, on the other we have a stuning Italian, small, midengined car. The Cayman in its S trim is hailed as a better drivers car then a normal 911, so this makes it special, also it comes with a manual and for me this is a very importatnt. Still I think if I am given the choice I will go with the 4C, it feels more special and also I am a sucker for Alfas.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 05:38

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4C, because Alfisti.

There is a sensible reason though. In 10 years, the Cayman will have depreciated. I don't think the same will happen to the 4C (it may even have appreciated).

Of course, I don't actually care about that to be honest.

Fred (FreddsterExprs) > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 07:54

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4C. The Porsche probably is the faster and even the more comfortable car. I bet the cabin is way better aswell, and I would hate to source parts for the Alfa.

But here in germany, a Porsche Cayman is way too common. It just can't get me as excited as the Alfa will.

Just wear your damn mask... > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 07:57

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Cayman, because if I'm going to spend that much money I want to be able to operate it for a long time. I have zero confidence that Alfa will make it here to the states (fool me once, shame on you. Fool me 47 times, shame on the buff books who keep claiming they're coming in two years.) and if they do, I have even less confidence they'll be around for the long haul. Plus the Cayman is a joy to drive. Give me joy and parts availability.

Desu-San-Desu > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 08:05

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Cayman. I think the front end of the Alfa is hideous.

Barbarian772 > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 08:25

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Alfa, because it looks way better, even with the shitty looking headlights. the Cayman might drive better(no Idea, have driven neither of them), but it looks like every other Porsche and Porsches are just very very common here in Europe. I don't want a Porsche, I want an Alfa.

The only thing that I don't like on the Alfa is the fact that they don't sell a manual gearbox. Other than that(and the headlights) it is an awesome car...

BadMatt > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 08:27

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They both are awesome cars!

I prefer the Cayman, I mean, that is the one I would buy as a daily driver. If I could afford more than one car, maybe my choice would be harder to make.

It doesn't screen "look at me" like the Alfa (visually and literally... The Alfa has no muffler after all!). I do not crave the attention. I just want to have fun while driving.

The finish on the interior is not only more "race car rough" in the Alfa, it looks cheaper and parts seem to come from the cheap Alfa parts bin. I also do not like those headlights very much but I understand how some guys would find the difference attractive.

Also: Alfa = no 3rd pedal. I am not a transmission Nazi so I could do with a dual clutch transmission but I still prefer manual shifting.

From what I have read, the Cayman is a more balanced car to use as a daily driver: the Alfa has no radio, no AC, thin uncomfortable seats, no soundproofing, about 1/4 of the Cayman's storage... The Cayman is great to use on the road and is still great on the track.

So yeah... I am that "boring" and reasonable guy. Not sure my wife would say the same when I'd get back home with this baby!

Slave2anMG > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 08:33

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Cayman. Because manual transmission and I've thought the Cayman was the best looking Porsche out of there in years.

Matt Hardigree > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 08:43

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On record: the Cayman is about the best vehicle you can get for your money. It looks great, is faster than most things, and is a pure delight to drive. Take everything you like about the Miata (but the price) and make it better, faster, stronger, easier.

THAT BEING SAID.

Alfa. Because it's an Alfa. Because it's weird. Because it's hard.

twinturbobmw > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 08:43

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Cayman for sure. The reason you spend that much money on a sports car is for the way it drives and how fast/fun it is. The 4c just doesn't have the performance to be competitive in it's class. Sure it looks great and will get you a lot of attention, but so will an Elise or even an MR2.

Alex87f > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 08:58

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Wow. Tough choice.

I wanna say I'd take the Alfa, because it's an Alfa, it's light, it looks great and it's been kept simple..

But on the other hand, the latest Cayman looks quite the part too. And you can have it with a manual (yes I know the DCT from the Alfa shifts better but I don't care). And it's got a freakin' N/A flat-6 that revs to nearly 8 000rpm! Plus I said I'd have a Porsche by my 30 so I'd better get to it.

All things considered then? Well it's still a tough choice, especially without having driven them, but I think I'd take a 2.7 manual Cayman with a few options, provided it stays under 2 700 - 2 800lbs.

EDIT: I just looked at the specs, 2 888lbs wet without driver.
And gee is this thing quick! Standing kilometer happens in just 25.7 seconds, that's 993 / E36 M3 levels of performance. But not too quick either. I like that.

PRBot II > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 09:26

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4C. Everyone has a Porsche, and I just gotta be different.

Volvosaurus-Rex > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 10:21

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I would take the Alfa for a number of reasons:

1. I am not as familiar with Alfas as I am with cars that haven't all rusted away here in the US. That being said, I've heard they rust away and never work. Seeing as this one will be made from Aluminum, Carbon, and unicorn tears, it *probably* won't rust. That will make is unique among the Alfa breed.

2. It is the first great reincarnation of the "add lightness" mantra that made the Elise so awesome. The Cayman is a car that weighs similar to other cars, the Alfa is a featherweight in comparison.

3. Basically, as an engineer, I geek out over all the amazing designs that make the Alfa, with it's 4 cylinder engine, a real competitor to the Cayman with its 6.

4. Look at it! Nothing looks like that on the road.

Mikeado > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 10:29

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If this was DD/Track/Burn It would be easy: DD the Porsche and track the Alfa.

At the end of the day, the Cayman unarguably is the more complete car. But the Alfa is probably the more exciting car for a B-road blast or a twisty track, because it's so much lighter than the Porsche - around 400kg, or nearly the weight of a Caterham less - and doesn't have steering that's diluted by any kind of assistance. Which one then?

I think I'd definitely buy the 4C as a second car if I had something to commute and shop with, but otherwise I'd have to have the Cayman (ideally an S). But even if I did get the Porsche, I'd want other people to buy the Alfa Romeo. I really want it to be a success for them and I do lust for it. But the head says Porsche and I'm something of a Porsche fan anyway. Tough choice for the heart, though...

McSchmalex > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 12:01

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Showed a friend the Jalop article on this car showing it was going to be $54 grand. He got all excited, contacted a Chevy dealership, and asked about reserving one as soon as they come to the US.

The dealership said it was going to be more like $86k because of different environmental and safety regulations in the US.

Milky > JustWaitingForAMate 10/19/2013 at 13:24

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Every damn time

Because emotion

JustWaitingForAMate > McSchmalex 10/19/2013 at 16:17

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That may be a bit of BS from the dealer. They're starting at 70k in Oz, up to 100k with all the trimmings. I can't see them being more expensive in the US than here.