Ben Collins considers the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione one of the most overrated cars he has ever driven, even though he still admires its styling and the sound of its naturally aspirated V8. The former Top Gear Stig shared that opinion during a recent interview with Cars & Money, describing a sports car that captivated him while standing still but became far less convincing once he began pushing it harder.
Ex-Stig slams the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione’s handling
Collins drove the 8C through the Swiss Alps while filming a Top Gear segment alongside Jeremy Clarkson. Wolfgang Egger’s bodywork immediately impressed him, while the sound produced by the 4.7-liter V8 strengthened the car’s emotional appeal. The production model delivered approximately 444 hp in U.S. terms and sent its power to the rear wheels through a six-speed automated manual transmission mounted at the rear as part of a transaxle layout.
His opinion reportedly changed during the first serious braking zone before a tight hairpin. Collins recalled that the rear became unstable and that the front and rear of the car seemed to react without enough coordination. The sensation remained noticeable throughout the drive, reducing the confidence he needed to use the car’s performance more aggressively.
A comparison with the first-generation Maserati GranTurismo made his criticism even sharper. The two Italian grand tourers used closely related architecture, components and Ferrari-derived V8 technology, but Collins found the Maserati more balanced, predictable and precise. In his view, the GranTurismo demonstrated how effective chassis tuning could transform a car built with similar mechanical ingredients.
His comments reflect one professional driver’s experience rather than a universal verdict. The 8C still occupies a special place in modern Alfa Romeo history thanks to its limited production, classical sports-car proportions and unmistakable design. Alfa Romeo built only 500 Competizione coupes, and the entire production run sold out before manufacturing began. Its carbon-fiber body, front-engine and rear-transaxle configuration, and Ferrari-derived V8 also gave it considerable technical significance.
Collins does not dispute those qualities. He described the 8C as beautiful and praised its exceptional engine note, focusing his criticism on the way the chassis behaved when driven closer to its limits. That distinction helps explain why collectors and performance-focused drivers may reach very different conclusions about the same car.
For a collector, rarity, styling and the emotional appeal of the V8 may matter more than ultimate composure on a demanding road. Drivers looking for sharper responses and greater confidence could instead share Collins’ preference for the GranTurismo.
His assessment does not erase the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione’s appeal. It simply shows that a sports car’s beauty, sound and exclusivity can create expectations that its driving experience may not satisfy for everyone.