Alfa Romeo 4C - Awfully fun

The sound of music

alfa romeo 4c

Also, the radio is terrible. I mean, it might sound OK but the control interface is ridiculous. And tiny. Not that it matters because you can hardly hear it over the engine noise. It's loud in there.

Good thing that engine noise is so nice. Even in the version without the optional "sport exhaust" package, that 4-cylinder motor's got a terrific snarl and, when you hit the gas hard, you can hear the turbocharger sucking in air.

One other thing... You can't get a manual transmission in this car. It's only available with an automatic. (Again, this is another way in which it's similar to an exotic car. Most of those don't come with manual shifters, either.) But it's an automatic that knows its job. Accelerate hard and it snaps sharply through its 6 speeds. Slow down into a sharp curve, and the engine makes wonderful burbles and growls as you use the steering wheel paddles to downshift.

First published October 6, 2014: 1:13 PM ET

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