Hollis Johnson
The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
- The Porsche 718 Boxster S and the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider are two of the best sports cars to ever emerge from Europe.
- Both the Porsche and the Alfa are powered by turbocharged, inline-four-cylinder engines located behind the driver.
- The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider costs about $74,000 while our Porsche 718 Boxster S carried a price tag of just under $90,000.
- The Alfa Romeo delivered a more raw and evocative driving experience than the Porsche.
- But, we found the Porsche to be an all-around better car.
There are few things as evocative in western society as the convertible sports car. With the top down, it's the automotive embodiment of fun, freedom, and the open road. Pretty much all the good parts of driving. Cliche? Absolutely. But get behind the wheel of a great sports car and you'll find out very quickly that there is a whole lot truth to the cliche.
Two of the best to come out of Europe is the Porsche 718 Boxster and the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider.
The Porsche 718 is the latest in the company's highly successful Boxster line of mid-engine sports cars. For years, it was seen as the 911's adorable little brother. But lately, Porsche has loosened the reigns on its entry-level sports car with the addition of turbocharging and a host of performance goodies.
The Alfa Romeo 4C paved the way for the brand's return to the US market back in 2014. Now, Alfa Romeo is powering forward with a lineup led by its stunning Guilia sports sedan and Stelvio crossover SUV. The 4C is a bit of an odd-duck. There's really nothing else like it in the world. It's part pint-sized Ferrari, part Italian Lotus. And it's 100% fun.
So the question must be asked? Which one is better? The raucous Italian or Stuttgart's finest?