I am an ALFA fan for years. I had a 1969 spider I bought new and kept for over 40 years and would still have it if I had the garage space. Also had a 1967 GTV SCCA road race car for a couple of years. I than bought a 2015 4C Launch Edition new and now it is 7 years old. Absolutely no regrets...it is a wonderful car and very reliable and bullet proof. A few simple mods take it to the next level. ECU, some suspension tricks, better stickier tires, a good alignment. My neighbor has the twin of my car with many of the same mods. Prior to this he had an Exige with the 4 cylinder Toyota boosted engine that he heavily modified with different engine upgrades, cams, better cooling, coil overs, engine management, etc. The 4C he has is similar to mine now. He says the 4C is definitely the faster yet MORE COMFORTABLE car. He also owned a 427 Cobra in the past and currently also has a Porsche 935 clone and a Caterham. He enjoys the Caterham but it is by far the most compromised car. I notice that the 4C is the car that he uses the most which says a lot. We never got the V6 Exige in the US so can't compare the two. I would say that the V6 models would be very expensive here so would be up against a Porsche 911 which would have been a hard sell. I found the Lotus of the past to be more of "kit car" quality. The 4C is more of a finished product but still not perfect. That is where the owner of any car can make it better with "fixes" that the manufacturer didn't provide.
Sadly, the important question has not been answered. A diligent comparison has not been given. These cars were conceived as somewhat bare essential driver focused cars, with handling and driver engagement as the focus of their development. This is why one would buy a Lotus Exige in preference of a highly competent Porsche Cayman. Very few people buy these cars based on emissions, or how comfy the seat is, this one has an LCD display...come on get, with the program mate. It's purely about how they drive, how engaging they are to drive, the overall motoring experience. The fact that this video completely misses this is a reflection of this review. This video has not addressed anything other than obvious visual or audible differences between these cars. PS, if you want a comfy seat, LCD display, narrow body and low emissions why not just buy a Honda Civic and be done with it...
Yes, Alfaworks can sell you an OEM ECU with the map on therefore you can swap it in and out of your car without voiding the warranty. The remap takes the car up to 280 bhp which isn't that much but the torque goes up to 310 lbft which is the same as an Evora 410! You'll find that the stock tyres will not be sufficient to handle this amount of torque so I went 10mm wider front and rear and put on a set of Yokohama AD08R. Personally I would sort out the geometry first before increasing performance as the stock geometry was probably set up by a bunch of drunk Italians on a Friday afternoon!
i dont see how stickier tyres and an ecu map could possibly shave off 0.6secs off the 0-60 time of the alfa to match the exige v6 which is more like 3.9 secs compared to the 4.5 of the alfa. Most of the benefits of the alfa are pretty frivolous over the benefits of the lotus. If you plan to daily drive them then i think the alfa has more benefits in that department. Alfa made the car too stiff with too big wheels and to compensate made the car as wide as possible. Basically they didn't really know how to make a car handle and so made it really wide and really stiff and still exige handles better.
I sold my normally aspirated '05 Lotus Elise last year (2018) and bought a 2016 Alfa 4C (hardtop version) and I absolutely love it over the Elise. No regrets at all. Of course the Elise is not quite as much of a car as an Exige but they do have many similarities when it comes to creature comforts so I can relate very well to this video. The n/a Elise is actually very slow car, it just looks fast. The 4C looks awesome and is very fast for a 4 cylinder with a turbo. The brief turbo lag on the 4C doesn't really bother me, but I don't track cars so it's not an issue. It's a super fun car to drive, and can even take on road trips without getting too uncomfortable, which was something I can't say for the Lotus.
Having just picked up my Lotus Exige Sport 350 a week ago, I was wondering what you might end up with. I admit to comparing the two before taking the plunge with Lotus...but I have a bit of a crush on Lotus in general. The Alpha is a great car, and both do attract similar and specific buyers. They are not everyone’s cup of tea. I would never say the Lotus is 100% perfect, but it delivers what I personally want from the car. It’s a pain to get out of, lacks technology, totally impractical, but all is forgiven when driving.....forwards. I love it in so many ways though. You make good points regards driving position and adjustability , but as 5ft 8 midget, the lotus is thankfully a perfect fit :-). Adjustability is important for many however. I’m trying to ignore emissions and tax on the Lotus so thanks for the reminder. Hope you enjoy the Alfa, and I enjoy your videos and presentation style. Look forward to seeing more.
Hi, if you tried the Lotus Sport 350 and the Alfa 4C before making your decision - then you've chosen the right car. All this stuff is subjective (some people prefer a Ferrari F430, others go for the Lambo Gallardo but they're both greats..). I did a video about the Sport 350 - and loved the car, especially in orange (I called it the 'mini Mclaren'). For me though Lotus need to make a few improvements on the creature comforts of the Exige. They also need to improve its emissions given how small a car it is! By the same token - Alfa could do with tweaking the engine performance & sound of the 4C. There's always compromise somewhere! Thanks for watching.
The Alfa is certainly a wider car (wider than a Ferrari F430), and it does feel more roomy inside. It also has more creature comforts such as adjustable steering wheel and adjustable seats - which the Lotus doesn't.
If the Alfa had a manual gearbox, it would probably be one of the biggest selling sportscar in its range. But with the Lotus that has more horsepower, V6, better looking interior, cheaper price (!!!) And a manual gearbox, its a no-brainer choice. However, Ive driven the Alfa and its a bliss. Its all a matter of taste I think.
The auto version of the Exige has a faster 0-60 time than the manual version, and the road tax on it (here in the UK) is almost half the price of the manual too - thats almost a free service every year in cost terms. Thanks for watching.
That's crazy about the tax....shame on the UK for adding that being that the auto will no doubt use more gas as well, however the excuse that it does a faster 0-60 than the auto is meaningless, you don't drive the car for the pleasure of saying I can do a faster 0-60 in my slushbox, it's a sports car! It deserves to be a manual!
Both nice cars,indeed,but i hope for you that you do not crasch the 4c,because than your tax saving will be gone for a very long time . Ps.i drive a Ips and its really slow and its not needed much to find a better gearbox.Anyway ,important is to have what makes you happy.
My take is that you were not comfortable in the Lotus simply because you owned it for a year and only drove it 1K miles, just my sense of things. It will be interesting to see if you put miles on the Alpha at a greater rate. Unfortunately you can not buy the Exige V6 S in the USA, otherwise I would have been severely tempted, I ended up buying an Evora 400 recently as this is the only new Lotus currently available, that's street legal. BTW, I doubt I will track it or any car for that matter, a street weapon is always fun. I find the discussion on technology to be an interesting one, my sense is there is a coming backlash against technology laden sports cars. It's interesting that the Porsche GT4 and 911R are runaway hits, these eschew the dual-clutch/auto box high-tech go-fast hardware. They are slower but more pure and involving, as a street car that's my priority. While Lotus Exige could stand to add a few more gizmo's (many of which have been added to the Evora 400) and do a better job of ergonomics as well as attention to detail, I do feel there is a growing market for the back to basics high performance sports car. The Singer Porsche is another great example, an awesome car, if I had an unlimited budget. Good luck with your 4C, it's an interesting car and I agree less of a weapon that the Exige.
John Aldeborgh Hi John and thanks for your feedback. I think it was more a case of realizing that I had already had 2 Exige models and needed a change. I agree with your thoughts about these cars becoming technology overload, however as someone who has had a mix of sports cars, I do like features such as paddle shifters and carbon fiber. Here in the UK the emissions laws mean that the manual version of the Exige is almost double the annual road tax amount of the paddle shift version of the same car! So that in itself is a factor we have to consider - that said the manual version is by far the most popular! Thanks for watching.
The Alfa is only available in an Auto version. The Lotus: the Auto version is: Lower emissions, faster acceleration 0-60, cheaper road tax (by almost 50%) and easier to drive long distances than the manual version of it. So there was method in my madness! Thanks for watching.
I am an ALFA fan for years. I had a 1969 spider I bought new and kept for over 40 years and would still have it if I had the garage space. Also had a 1967 GTV SCCA road race car for a couple of years. I than bought a 2015 4C Launch Edition new and now it is 7 years old. Absolutely no regrets...it is a wonderful car and very reliable and bullet proof. A few simple mods take it to the next level. ECU, some suspension tricks, better stickier tires, a good alignment. My neighbor has the twin of my car with many of the same mods. Prior to this he had an Exige with the 4 cylinder Toyota boosted engine that he heavily modified with different engine upgrades, cams, better cooling, coil overs, engine management, etc. The 4C he has is similar to mine now. He says the 4C is definitely the faster yet MORE COMFORTABLE car. He also owned a 427 Cobra in the past and currently also has a Porsche 935 clone and a Caterham. He enjoys the Caterham but it is by far the most compromised car. I notice that the 4C is the car that he uses the most which says a lot. We never got the V6 Exige in the US so can't compare the two. I would say that the V6 models would be very expensive here so would be up against a Porsche 911 which would have been a hard sell. I found the Lotus of the past to be more of "kit car" quality. The 4C is more of a finished product but still not perfect. That is where the owner of any car can make it better with "fixes" that the manufacturer didn't provide.
Two fantastic cars.
They are. Wish I could have kept them both!
@@johnny-S I have an Elise and I love it, is not the fastest car of the world but the funny.
Sadly, the important question has not been answered. A diligent comparison has not been given. These cars were conceived as somewhat bare essential driver focused cars, with handling and driver engagement as the focus of their development. This is why one would buy a Lotus Exige in preference of a highly competent Porsche Cayman. Very few people buy these cars based on emissions, or how comfy the seat is, this one has an LCD display...come on get, with the program mate. It's purely about how they drive, how engaging they are to drive, the overall motoring experience. The fact that this video completely misses this is a reflection of this review. This video has not addressed anything other than obvious visual or audible differences between these cars. PS, if you want a comfy seat, LCD display, narrow body and low emissions why not just buy a Honda Civic and be done with it...
Yep i agree. I recommend you watching everyday drivers comparison, its a lot better.
Well i guess a buyer of a lotus not opt for a manual box tells a lot here.
God I love the 4C.....
What u need is an alfaworks ECU/remap, geo tweaks and stickier tyres and it will easily match the exige's performance. I went from Evora S to 4C.
Thanks for the tip on that. Have you done a remap on your 4C? If so who did it? Thanks for watching.
Yes, Alfaworks can sell you an OEM ECU with the map on therefore you can swap it in and out of your car without voiding the warranty. The remap takes the car up to 280 bhp which isn't that much but the torque goes up to 310 lbft which is the same as an Evora 410! You'll find that the stock tyres will not be sufficient to handle this amount of torque so I went 10mm wider front and rear and put on a set of Yokohama AD08R. Personally I would sort out the geometry first before increasing performance as the stock geometry was probably set up by a bunch of drunk Italians on a Friday afternoon!
i dont see how stickier tyres and an ecu map could possibly shave off 0.6secs off the 0-60 time of the alfa to match the exige v6 which is more like 3.9 secs compared to the 4.5 of the alfa.
Most of the benefits of the alfa are pretty frivolous over the benefits of the lotus. If you plan to daily drive them then i think the alfa has more benefits in that department.
Alfa made the car too stiff with too big wheels and to compensate made the car as wide as possible. Basically they didn't really know how to make a car handle and so made it really wide and really stiff and still exige handles better.
@@davieman3443 seen your car very impressed
I sold my normally aspirated '05 Lotus Elise last year (2018) and bought a 2016 Alfa 4C (hardtop version) and I absolutely love it over the Elise. No regrets at all. Of course the Elise is not quite as much of a car as an Exige but they do have many similarities when it comes to creature comforts so I can relate very well to this video. The n/a Elise is actually very slow car, it just looks fast. The 4C looks awesome and is very fast for a 4 cylinder with a turbo. The brief turbo lag on the 4C doesn't really bother me, but I don't track cars so it's not an issue. It's a super fun car to drive, and can even take on road trips without getting too uncomfortable, which was something I can't say for the Lotus.
Having just picked up my Lotus Exige Sport 350 a week ago, I was wondering what you might end up with.
I admit to comparing the two before taking the plunge with Lotus...but I have a bit of a crush on Lotus in general.
The Alpha is a great car, and both do attract similar and specific buyers. They are not everyone’s cup of tea.
I would never say the Lotus is 100% perfect, but it delivers what I personally want from the car. It’s a pain to get out of, lacks technology, totally impractical, but all is forgiven when driving.....forwards. I love it in so many ways though.
You make good points regards driving position and adjustability , but as 5ft 8 midget, the lotus is thankfully a perfect fit :-). Adjustability is important for many however.
I’m trying to ignore emissions and tax on the Lotus so thanks for the reminder.
Hope you enjoy the Alfa, and I enjoy your videos and presentation style. Look forward to seeing more.
Hi, if you tried the Lotus Sport 350 and the Alfa 4C before making your decision - then you've chosen the right car. All this stuff is subjective (some people prefer a Ferrari F430, others go for the Lambo Gallardo but they're both greats..). I did a video about the Sport 350 - and loved the car, especially in orange (I called it the 'mini Mclaren'). For me though Lotus need to make a few improvements on the creature comforts of the Exige. They also need to improve its emissions given how small a car it is! By the same token - Alfa could do with tweaking the engine performance & sound of the 4C. There's always compromise somewhere! Thanks for watching.
A.L.F.A. Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili....for God's sake.....it is ALFA !
You drinking the wrong tea
Well said... you forgot one thing, the Alfa Romeo looks so much better...
I disagree. The exige looks like a serious performance car, the 4c ( and the elise) look like playthings. Nothing wrong with that though.
The Alfa also looks like it has a fair bit more interior space than the Lotus.
Yes it is indeed slightly ore roomy as its overall width is a lot wider. Thanks for watching.
The Alfa is certainly a wider car (wider than a Ferrari F430), and it does feel more roomy inside. It also has more creature comforts such as adjustable steering wheel and adjustable seats - which the Lotus doesn't.
Thanks for the comparison. I was wondering how they handled respectively and the comparative feel of the cars. Any comments on these?
If you’re worried about parking sensors and electric windows, I think you’re maybe missing the point of cars like the Exige.
I prefer the Lotus. It's more simple and pure.
If the Alfa had a manual gearbox, it would probably be one of the biggest selling sportscar in its range. But with the Lotus that has more horsepower, V6, better looking interior, cheaper price (!!!) And a manual gearbox, its a no-brainer choice. However, Ive driven the Alfa and its a bliss. Its all a matter of taste I think.
Very nice video.
Were those MK 1 vectra stalks on the lotus dashboard? ( from 1996.)
Yep and rover 200 series wing mirrors
What about handling, performance, acceleration, braking etc compared to the Lotus ?
🗣️ EXIGE 👍
Switched off after seeing your Exige was an Auto.....wtf man?!?!
The auto version of the Exige has a faster 0-60 time than the manual version, and the road tax on it (here in the UK) is almost half the price of the manual too - thats almost a free service every year in cost terms. Thanks for watching.
That's crazy about the tax....shame on the UK for adding that being that the auto will no doubt use more gas as well, however the excuse that it does a faster 0-60 than the auto is meaningless, you don't drive the car for the pleasure of saying I can do a faster 0-60 in my slushbox, it's a sports car! It deserves to be a manual!
Both nice cars,indeed,but i hope for you that you do not crasch the 4c,because than your tax saving will be gone for a very long time .
Ps.i drive a Ips and its really slow and its not needed much to find a better gearbox.Anyway ,important is to have what makes you happy.
I recently sold the Alfa 4C for the reason you highlighted! See my recent video. Thanks for watching.
My take is that you were not comfortable in the Lotus simply because you owned it for a year and only drove it 1K miles, just my sense of things. It will be interesting to see if you put miles on the Alpha at a greater rate. Unfortunately you can not buy the Exige V6 S in the USA, otherwise I would have been severely tempted, I ended up buying an Evora 400 recently as this is the only new Lotus currently available, that's street legal. BTW, I doubt I will track it or any car for that matter, a street weapon is always fun.
I find the discussion on technology to be an interesting one, my sense is there is a coming backlash against technology laden sports cars. It's interesting that the Porsche GT4 and 911R are runaway hits, these eschew the dual-clutch/auto box high-tech go-fast hardware. They are slower but more pure and involving, as a street car that's my priority. While Lotus Exige could stand to add a few more gizmo's (many of which have been added to the Evora 400) and do a better job of ergonomics as well as attention to detail, I do feel there is a growing market for the back to basics high performance sports car. The Singer Porsche is another great example, an awesome car, if I had an unlimited budget.
Good luck with your 4C, it's an interesting car and I agree less of a weapon that the Exige.
John Aldeborgh Hi John and thanks for your feedback. I think it was more a case of realizing that I had already had 2 Exige models and needed a change. I agree with your thoughts about these cars becoming technology overload, however as someone who has had a mix of sports cars, I do like features such as paddle shifters and carbon fiber. Here in the UK the emissions laws mean that the manual version of the Exige is almost double the annual road tax amount of the paddle shift version of the same car! So that in itself is a factor we have to consider - that said the manual version is by far the most popular! Thanks for watching.
A.L.F.A. Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili....for God's sake.....it is ALFA !
4c it is oscene 😂
the guy buys AUTOMATICS??...........WTF??...................
The Alfa is only available in an Auto version.
The Lotus: the Auto version is: Lower emissions, faster acceleration 0-60, cheaper road tax (by almost 50%) and easier to drive long distances than the manual version of it. So there was method in my madness!
Thanks for watching.