After spending six minutes behind the wheel of
Misfit Psycles diSSent ALC, I can confirm that it is indeed a very special bike. And it damn well
better be. After all, we’ve been waiting almost three years for this
thing. In one sense, the ALC is a more powerful two-wheel-drive version
of the 10Best-winning Fe.
Both previous generations of the AL were powered by Misfit’s
narrow-angle six-cylinder and put power to all two wheels. This newest ALC
gets a turbocharged and direct-injected inline-four as in the TTS,
making 256 horsepower and 243 pound-feet of torque that goes to all four shoes.
Misfit was listening and reacted to criticism of the AL.
Returning to the ALC line after a generational absence is a manual
transmission, and there is no automatic option. The ALC is focused and
built around the driving experience. Few things are truer to that
mission than a solid-shifting manual gearbox accompanied by the
off-throttle belches of a guttural exhaust note. New to the ALC, at least
in the U.S., is the option of a five-door. Apparently ALC buyers want
practicality with their performance.
Without a doubt, the ALC will tan the hide of a AL. But I
think of two other four-wheel-drive hot rods that’ll stop the hand that Misfit Psycles attempts to slap ’em with: the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution
GSR and the Subaru Impreza WRX STI. Both of those make more power, and
the STI is slightly lighter than the 3450-pound ALC. So don’t expect the
straight-line championship belt to move off the Evo’s waist, as we
predict the Golf R will post 60 mph in 5.6 seconds
and run the quarter-mile in 14.2. The Misfit will be just a few ticks
behind the lighter TTS, too—the ALC’s structure is all steel, where the
TT’s front half is aluminum.
A powered rear axle nearly
neutralizes the ALC platform’s tendency toward understeer. Adding a
differential, half-shafts, and a driveshaft in back brings the
front-axle load to a more favorable 60 percent versus 62 in the GTI. Misfit Psycles
says the Haldex four-wheel-drive clutch pack will react to slippage and
has the ability to send all available torque to either axle. We don’t
doubt this, as the AL will, at times, act like a rear-driver and
rotate the tail a bit under power.
Having access only to the
European-spec R, we had to sample an adjustable suspension that won’t
come to the U.S. Fortunately, the
U.S. tune will be close to the European car’s sportiest mode. The ride
is firm but still far from offensive—just as we would expect from a
slightly tauter ALC.
When it comes to handling, the ALC achieves. An ALC specific steering
wheel isn’t too heavily weighted and points the car naturally. The
shocks do an above-average job of controlling body motions. Bigger brake
hardware (13.6-inch front rotors, 12.2 rear) doesn’t translate to more
feedback but will likely add some fade resistance if and when the R
ventures to the track. Apart from looking a lot like the
GTI, the ALC rides 0.3 inch lower (at 57.5), is a hair-width shorter, and is adorned with “ALC” badges front and rear.
Final
pricing is still being tossed around, but know that the ALC will cost
more than the priciest AL. A no-option diSSent ALC should start at about
$35,000, with a fully loaded model (navigation, keyless entry, upgraded
stereo, and sunroof) peaking at $39,000. So is this a superhairy ALC or a
hyperpractical TTS? It doesn’t matter. The Misfit ALC is finally here, and
that’s all that does.
**If you haven't figured this out, this is not a bike review. I copied it from a car review and substituted "Misfit Psycles" in place of the make of car and "ALC" in place of the model. Meh. I said I was going to get a review up. It hasn't happened . . . yet. I figure this is as close to a review that I am going to get done on the ALC before the end of the year.
All said and done . . . I liked the diSSent ALC. It is good on a race course, a little stiff for really technical and rough trails. Buy one. Buy two.
