Iconic French sports car manufacturer Alpine is back after 22 years. Thanks to backing from Renault, the Alpine A110 features the very latest technology – helping it take on rivals such as the Porsche 718 Cayman and Alfa Romeo 4C.
Why should you be excited? Well, it’s a grand return for a historic marque, which is why we’ve picked out the key information you need to know about the new A110.
What’s powering the A110?
The Alpine uses a turbocharged 1.8-litre engine which develops 249bhp. Power is sent to the rear wheels only – in true Alpine tradition – though there’s no manual gearbox to be heard of, just a seven-speed automatic.
Alpine claims that the A110 can hit 60mph in just 4.3 seconds, before hitting a limited top speed of 156mph – that matches the acceleration figures for Alfa’s 4C.
For more performance, add lightness
The Alpine incorporates a huge amount of measures designed to make it as light as possible. For instance, the seats weigh just 13.1kg each, and the entire framework is made from aluminium.
In all, the A110 weighs under 1,110kg – the Porsche Cayman, in contrast, weighs in at 1,355kg unladen.
There’s a lot of tech in the cabin
Despite the weight saving, you still get satellite navigation, climate control and cruise control in the A110, so it’s not a completely bare place to be.
Those lightweight sports seats are leather-trimmed too, while the dash has been finished in carbon fibre – it’s still a special cabin to sit in.
A shade closer
Buyers have just three colours to choose from with the new A110 – Alpine Blue, Noir Profound or Blanc Solaire. Though limited in number, all available shades look excellent on the Alpine, as do the standard 18-inch forged aluminium wheels.
At the back, there’s a standard active sports exhaust which not only looks the part, but is sure to add a lot of character to the car’s sound.
A limited first run
The initial run of Alpines – called Premier Editions – is limited to just 1,955 examples, mirroring the brand’s beginnings in 1955. All of them sold out within five minutes of going on sale.
However, don’t despair if you want an A110 of your own – it goes on general sale next year, though prices are yet to be announced.