1.e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4... What is thought of this variation

I have played these lines in casual games with @Bad_Dobby_Fischer and done some analysis. What do you think? c4 is relatively rare but the real point of discussion I think is the idea of Be2 and castles and the d4 break later when black no longer has the strong and thematic cxd4 and Bb4

I play 4..Nd4. kinda expect to win as black. Support the d4 square and all is good.

Yeah, Nd4 is the engine’s recommendation with about an equal position

From #1, Black should either play 5...d5, or stop d2-d4 with one of the two ways available: 5...Qb6, or 5...e5. I'm not very fond of 5...Nd4, and I do not care what the engine says THAT early.

unless white wants to get black out of preparation early, i do not find any good reason for doing c2-c4 against sicilian (ok in case of later d2-d4 we go in some standard positions), it is like loosing of tempo but for nothing since black still can go with d7-d5.whenever i tried this approach i was not happy at all with my positions.

Even in lines with later d2-d4 (which is mandatoy otherwise with d7-d5 black will go better considering weak d4 and d3 squares) this pawn may be target at c file...white bishoop is enclosed...

@pfren One of your suggestions is d5. Isn’t white just playing for two results in my main line or am I missing something?

And @chessbooster the idea is to grip the d5 square and squeeze black with a space advantage 

You are missing that a game result is not decided by any sort-of-harmless opening.

Here is an example of very high level coffeehouse chess on that line. Black won.