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The 4C is easily one of the most underrated European sports cars of recent years, but some of its features have proven to be deal-breakers for many.

The Alfa Romeo 4C was Alfa's most important sports car yet. Why? Well, just like all other auto manufacturers, Alfa started catering more towards the general public, instead of petrol heads to stay afloat by manufacturing cars like the Stelvio and the Giulia—and of course the brand-spanking-new Tonale. What once was a brand that stood for pure driving pleasure was forced to go down the route of mass-producing somewhat "normal vehicles."

However, this didn't mean that Alfa lost its roots completely. At the 2013 Geneva Motorshow, Alfa unveiled a lightweight, mid-engined sports car called the 4C, and it was exactly what Alfaholics craved at the time. Fast-forward about a year, and the Alfa Romeo 4C as we know it went on sale. Throughout its 6-year lifespan, not many changes were made to the 4C; every single one came equipped with the same all-aluminum 1.75-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine - hence the 4C name - and it produced 237 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. So, now that you have some superficial information, let's dive into the reasons why we would love to own one of these sports cars, and some dealbreakers for us.

The 8C Competizione was Alfa's first modern supercar they ever built, and it was near-perfect. Not only was it stunning to look at, but because it had a naturally-aspirated front-mounted 4.7-liter Ferrari-derived V8 that produced 444 hp, it sounded just as great. There was one drawback, however, and that's its price. An 8C would have set you back about $250,000 when new, and they're still worth that much today.

Sure, the 4C might not be as potent as the 8C, but that's exactly the point. The 4C focussed more on the driving experience, albeit at the expense of some power. It inherited the beauty its ancestor embodied, it still maintains the same level of ambiguity, and even the 4C is bound to be a modern classic one day.

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Just look at it... isn't it drop-dead gorgeous? From its perfectly calculated proportions to its magnificently fledged-out covers, to its cute, yet aggressive front end. The perfect comparison, in this case, would be to see the 4C as a dangerous Bond girl.

Sure, she might look small and innocent, but don't let her beauty fool you. Underneath her pretty dress, she's hiding four knives, and she has trained her whole life to use them. What a magnificent car this is, truly.

It's no secret that the automotive community despises the inevitable extinction of the naturally-aspirated engine, but Alfa's take on a tiny turbocharged four-pot stands out from the rest. As we've mentioned before, the 4C is powered by a small 1.75-liter engine - that's almost half the size of a new Nissan Z's engine by the way.

However, because Alfa fitted a monstrous turbocharger to its engine, there is turbo lag involved, but not the bad kind. What we mean by that is that the 4C feels like a miniature rocketship when its boost kicks in knocking you back in your seat.

You might think this entry is meant sarcastically, but the Alfa Romeo 4C's carbon-fiber monocoque chassis was designed with one thing in mind: to weigh as little as possible. Thus, the team at Alfa managed to bring the entire chassis' weight down to just 143 lbs (65 kg), and once all of the other components like the subframe, and various engine mounts were incorporated, it weighed just 236 lbs (203 kg).

After everything else was added on, the 4C's total curb weight equaled just 2,465 lbs (1,183 kg). After hearing that, its 4.2-second 0-60 time makes more sense considering it weighs as much as your mother-in-law, regardless of having just 237 ponies at its disposal.

When buying a sports car, fuel efficiency isn't one of your priorities necessarily, but it's a bonus, especially considering the gas prices. So, to put things into perspective, let's have a look at some other sports cars' fuel economy that also fall into the $60,000 range... like the Porsche Boxster.

According to the EPA, the German pocket rocket achieves 21 MPG in the city and 27 MPG on the highway, resulting in a combined 24 MPG, which in itself isn't half-bad. Since the 4C uses a much smaller engine than the mid-engined Porsche and weighs less, its fuel economy is rated at 24 MPG in the city and 38 MPG on the highway, meaning it achieves an average of 28 MPG.

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Usually, when we say a car sounds good, it's only referring to its noise when starting up or revving, but with the 4C, it's much more than just that. As we've said, the 4C has a gargantuan turbo incorporated into its engine bay, so when you step on the throttle, it's much more than just a four-cylinder snarl entering the atmosphere, and crackling shifts.

Since the engine is mounted right behind your head, you can hear the turbocharger spooling up after 2,100 RPMs, and also hear when it relieves itself when you lift off the throttle. Best of all, this entire symphony is even better when you're behind the wheel of a 4C Spider. If you haven't had a chance to listen to one in action, we've found the perfect video for you.

Now, add everything into one big bowl, and you're left with one of the most surreal driving experiences known to man, even Doug DeMuro himself throned the 4C Spider a "Baby Supercar".

It's nippy around tight bends thanks to its rear-wheel-drive mid-engined layout, has the performance equivalent to that of a compact Italian supercar, and has the appearance of a breathtaking Italian woman. What more could we ask for?

In today's day and age, car brands have a difficult task at hand. They need to stay true to their heritage, without driving their business into the ground, and with a car market dominated by practical SUVs and fuel-efficient commuter cars, it's difficult for automakers to give enthusiasts what they need - not pointing fingers at Acura's Integra of course. Alfa Romeo however, did not disappoint.

They managed to produce a car that's as thrilling to drive, as it is to look at. They didn't just achieve "good enough" status with the 4C, but they proved to the world that Alfa is still the enthusiast's go-to car brand when it comes to an engaging, fun driving experience.

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Don't get us wrong, the Alfa Romeo 4C can be a daily driver... however, you'd have to be the size of a Golden Retriever, have arms as muscular as Hercules, and never have to take anything except your wallet with you on your way to work.

We say this because the Alfa's interior is laughably small, you never can get quite used to its harsh ride, it doesn't come fitted with power steering (it's not even an optional extra), and its trunk has a capacity of just 3.7 cubic feet (104.77 liters) - that's right, despite the engine being in the back, its front end doesn't offer any extra space. It's a perfect choice for a Sunday cruise, but as a daily, this just won't suffice.

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This is by far the biggest letdown of the entire car. The 4C doesn't come fitted with supple leather seats - they're hard and only slightly adjustable - and its central infotainment display... well there isn't one. In its center console, where you'd expect a screen to be, is a rather cheap radio shoved into it.

Above all else, the interior is drenched with cheap plastics all over. We understand the 4C is all about saving weight, therefore we can forgive the leather straps that act as door handles on the inside, as well as all the cool-looking exposed carbon fiber, but we wish there was as much detail put into the interior, as there was with the exterior.

Marnus Moolman is a young aspiring automotive writer from South Africa who is making a name for himself, despite his young age. Currently, he is studying to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting to pursue his lifetime dream of running his own automotive detailing establishment.