2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider
You may have thought the all-business 4C sports car was an odd choice for Alfa Romeo to spearhead its return to the U.S. But, it clearly makes the point that performance will be paramount as Alfa goes forward here. And before the sedans and crossovers start trickling in, they’ve given us one more treat to sample, the 4C Spider.
As we’ve already noted, the minimalist Alfa Romeo 4C is not for everyone. And chances are this 2015 4C Spider will also have limited appeal. But, those willing to take a chance on either, will be slipping into something special indeed.
In mid-engine drop-top roadster fashion, the Spider in the name refers to the removable roof panel. When you take it off, the resulting open air space above you may be minimal, but it only adds to the purely exhilarating experience of the 4C.
Actually, the standard cloth top is the definition of minimal and rather flimsy. While removal is step intensive, it’s not difficult. Best option, just keep it off and the car parked in the garage on rainy days.Or go for the optional carbon fiber hardtop.
Top on or off, once underway, the Spider feels plenty solid and secure. It’s also surprisingly quiet with the top on.
And no matter what is or isn’t keeping the rays off your dome, this car is still the only new car that delivers the “road rushing at you sensation” of 60’s era exotics.
It feels fast, but not struggling to keep it under control fast. Like most lightweight roadsters, it’s all about getting through corners quickly not necessarily making it to the next one in a hurry.
Keeping with the theme, the interior is equally unembellished, even resorting to a non-intuitive aftermarket Alpine which had no satellite radio, but did include Pandora.
Seats offer just enough comfort and there’s plenty adequate room inside to operate. Our taller drivers had a hard time seeing all of the gauges; which is a shame as they are pretty darn cool.
Oh yeah, there are things to nitpick, but barely, and in doing so you’re mostly missing the point of the car. There’s limited luggage space, though, unlike many convertibles, the top takes up very little of it.
While at just 1.7-liters of displacement, you might think the turbo power plant diminutive as well, but it has surprisingly more guts than the 237-horsepower number would indicate. And you’ll absolutely enjoy wringing all 258 lb-ft. of torque out of it.
Same as the Coupe of course, as are the 6-speed twin-clutch transmission and DNA dynamics selector, which allows you to choose between All-Weather, Natural, Dynamic, and Race settings. There’s no doubt it gets up to speed in a hurry, not exactly in a high dollar exotic car kind of way; more of a snarly tiny terror as it hits 60 in 4.3-seconds, just as in the only 22 lbs. lighter Coupe.
The gearbox shifts impeccably whether in manual or auto mode, and gear spacing is right on; with 3rd gear being the real workhorse. Despite an identical start, we managed to clear the ¼-mile a 10th quicker than the hard top at 12.9-seconds and 107 miles per hour.
When you keep the throttle pinned in this car, all of your senses are fully engaged; the noises that it makes are truly magnificent. Steering is still fully manual, and the car stays flat as the proverbial pancake.
But that’s just the start of the overused clichés we’ll apply here… turns on a dime… handles like it’s on rails… feels like a go-kart… …pick your favorite.
Brakes are perfect as well. Stops from 60 averaged just 90-feet, with super short pedal travel, good feel, and hardly any nose dive.
Outside of the roof, nothing changes to the exterior design. It still has the ¾-scale “exotic Italian by way of Lotus” look that makes it a visual winner.
Standard staggered 17/18-inch wheels can be upgraded to 18/19’s; but keep in mind the performance tires can be a handful on wet roads, they also find every groove in the pavement. And since there’s a direct connection to the steering wheel, you’ll be clued in immediately.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are the same as in the hardtop, 24-City, 34-Highway, and 28-Combined. We managed a very good 32.7 miles-per-gallon of Premium. So the Energy Impact Score is better than average, with 11.8-barrels of annual oil consumption with 5.2-tons of CO2 emissions.
If we didn’t already love the 4C enough, the Spider’s base pricing of $65,495 had us seriously contemplating refinancing our debt, finding a dealer, and putting some serious money down.
Back to essence, not necessarily back to basics, is what the 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is all about. It is not minimalism for the sake of it. But, it is maximizing driving pleasure by encapsulating the spirit of the 60’s exotics in modern hardware. A winning formula that more people need to take advantage of.
Specifications
- Engine: 1.7 liter
- Horsepower: 237
- Torque: 258 lb-ft.
- 0-60 mph: 4.3 seconds
- 1/4 mile: 12.9 seconds @ 107 mph
- EPA: 24 mpg city/ 34 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 11.8 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 5.2 tons/yr
2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT
It’s A Turbo GT With No Turbos Or Even An Engine
In an era when even mass market EVs have mind-bending acceleration, how do performance-minded brands such as Porsche stand out? Well, you take things to an even higher level of road-going insanity. Hold on for this one! The Porsche Taycan Turbo GT just changed the game again.
When the original Porsche Taycan arrived for 2020, it did not disappoint. We blasted the Turbo S version to 60 in 2.8 seconds and hustled that hefty Hoss around Roebling Road Raceway with 911-like proficiency. None of that was enough for Porsche. So, for 2025, the Taycan gets more range, more style, more tech, and of course it does it all faster than before too. And that’s before we even get to this Porsche Taycan Turbo GT which is new to the lineup.
For our return trip to Roebling Road, there was a threat of a major winter storm about to impact our track time, so we wasted none of it, hitting the track early and often. And it’s still amazing how this big battery on wheels can feel so Porsche like. No other brand has been able to accomplish a similar feat. We laud BMW for even coming close with the i4, but here you get the full capable and confident Porsche experience; even the brakes feel incredibly natural and powerful, ceramic brakes are standard with the Turbo GT.
Having said that, it remains a very heavy vehicle, so while you’re hustling it around the track it does tend to feel more like work than fun. Many EVs dial back the power as soon as you get up to speed, but here in the Turbo GT, it never seemed to let up, building to the point we reached over 170 mph on Roebling’s front straight, and the way it powers out of corners is otherworldly.
Now, while it does absolutely shred on a racetrack, it really feels best just high-speed sweeping your way through life on some scenic roads through the countryside. This Turbo GT’s 760-kW dual-motor setup cranks out 1,019 horsepower and 914 lb-ft of torque with Launch Control, which allows for sprinting to 60 in 2.2 seconds and clearing the quarter-mile in less than 10. But alas, that winter storm arrived and covered the track in snow before we got a chance to verify that.
You get the full capable and confident Porsche experience.
All Taycans get a new rear motor for ’25, along with updated software and improvements to the cooling system. And guess what? It charges faster too, now accepting up to 320 kW, getting it to 80% in as little as 18 minutes. There’s a 30% boost to the energy capture from regen braking as well, now up to 400 kW. What the Taycan desperately needed was more range, because who wants all this fun to ever stop; and it has been increased by as much as 35% throughout the lineup, now delivering as many as 318 miles; 276 for this Turbo GT.
The Turbo GT features a unique front splitter and active rear spoiler, but all Taycans get revised styling for ’25 including upgraded lighting and a revised front clip that both improves aerodynamics and accentuates the Taycan’s substantial width. All wheels have been aerodynamically optimized as well.
Things inside look mostly the same, but they have improved the functionality of their multimedia setup, moved some controls around, and provided more standard content. It’s a borderline luxury car experience as far as amenities and tech go, yet it still has a purposeful feel to it; and whether things are covered in Race-Tex or real leather everything looks and feels great. Gauges are of course all virtual now, but they can still have a traditional look if you prefer. You really have to duck down to get into the rear seats, but space is plentiful; and with a pair of trunks, there’s abundant luggage space too.
Using 41 kilowatts of electricity for every 100 miles, the Turbo GT earns a fair Efficiency Rating. There are now more options than ever across the Taycan lineup, and that’s even before you even get to Cross Turismos and Sport Turismos. So, while this Turbo GT may cost $231,995 to start, you can get largely the same experience for as little as $101,395 for a base Taycan.
The 2025 Porsche Taycan Turbo GT is more than just a fantastic EV; it’s a great car period, and even a terrific Porsche. With the recently released Macan Electric SUV and the upcoming Boxster and Cayman EVs, more than any other brand, Porsche is giving us reasons not to fear the electrified future.
Specifications
As Tested
- Motor Setup: Dual Motor
- Battery Size: 105 kWh
- EPA Range: up to 276 miles
- Horsepower: 1,019
- Torque: 914 lb-ft
- 0-60 mph (est.): 2.2 seconds