The 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C is striking… It has got seductive Italian curves and a Ferrari-like exhaust note. I drove the car everyday for a week, and every time I got behind the wheel, I had someone ask me about the car. Six out of the seven days with the car, I had fellow motorist roll down their window and compliment me on the car. Most admirers hadn’t seen the car before, but knew the brand. One admirer thought it was a Ferrari, which isn’t that far off… The Alfa Romeo 4C comes from the Fiat-Chrystler family, which includes Ferrari.

Alfa Romeo comes from a long tradition of using cutting edge technology to achieve engineering excellence. The 4C is no exception. It’s mid-engine design give it a perfect 50/50 balance. It’s light weight carbon-fiber tub places drivers low to the ground and lowers the vehicle’s center of gravity. Very few vehicles can match the handling of the Porsche Boxster GTS and the new Mazda Miata, but the Alfa Romeo 4C could run circles around them.

The Alfa Romeo 4C comes with robust powertrain, a 237hp twin-turbo 4-cylinder motor paired with a super responsive dual-clutch transmission. But the real kicker is that this little monster weighs less than 2,500 pounds. All this combined, gives the 4C a 0 to 60 time of 4.1 seconds. Wow! Fun Fact: The US version is nearly 350 pounds heavier than its European counterpart, due to US safety regulations. In terms of a stock sports car, this is probably one of the safest cars you can buy. The carbon fiber tub acts like a 360-degree shield to protect occupants, and the vehicle offers a concealed roll bar (just in case you flip it over).

When the first reviews of the Alfa Romeo 4C came out, many journalists criticized the 4C’s interior or lack there of. I don’t know which trim level they were driving, but the vehicle I tested was nice really. The center console was made of hard plastic, but the other premium materials more than made up for it: a smooth leather dash, microfiber seat inserts, and beautiful red stitching on the seats, doors and dash. The exposed carbon fiber tub reminds drivers that you are behind the wheel of a car that is engineered for performance. Fair warning: the seats are super thin and a little uncomfortable. The car also doesn’t have power steering. But that is a good thing, because it keeps the weight down.

With its heritage, radical design, and mid-engine layout, most passer-by-ers would think you are driving a $200,000 super car – it even has a engine preview window like on the Ferrari 458 Italia and on most Lamborghini’s – but the 4C isn’t a $200,000 car, its not even a $100,000 car! The Alfa Romeo 4C starts at $53,000. You get the thrill and attention of a Ferrari for a 1/5 of the price. Finally an Italian exotic that doesn’t break the bank!

I love everything about this car. The way it looks, the way it sounds, and most importantly, the way it drives. It drives like a proper sports car should. It is low to the ground, rough riding and you can feel every bump. The Alfa Romeo 4C is one of the best cars I have ever driven.

For more information on the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C, visit your local dealer or click here to visit the Alfa Romeo website.