The Alpine Cars Thread

Price (mis)match comparison: Alpine A110 vs. McLaren 570S

An A110 costs one third of the price of a 570S and has less than half the power, but is the McLaren better to drive?

First of all there are the similarities you simply cannot miss. Both cars place their turbocharged engines in the middle of two-seat bodies, for instance, and what power those engines produce is sent to the rear axle only.

Then there are the similarities that aren’t immediately obvious, such as a commitment to reducing weight that borders on the obsessive and a shared preference for open rather than limited-slip differentials.

And then there are the similarities you cannot identify until you drive the two cars back to back over the same road. These similarities are not only the most hard-won but they are also far and away the most intriguing. We will come back to those a little later on.

For all that the dainty Alpine A110 and the McLaren 570S have in common, it is impossible to ignore the number of quite prominent things that keep the two cars so far apart. Cost is the big one. For the price of this 570S you could buy 2.9 A110s, even in top-spec Premiere Edition guise, as we have here. There is a gulf in power between the two cars, too, because while the French sports car manages to produce 248bhp, the British supercar is more than twice as powerful, with a peak output of 562bhp.

A pair of cars being similar in some ways and different in others is clearly not reason enough to go to the effort of getting those two cars together. Indeed, any two-car combination you can dream up can be described in those terms. The reason this test is happening at all, then, goes something like this: when I first drove the A110 on the outskirts of Paris earlier this year, the thought occurred that if McLaren was to build a sports car some day at one third of the price of its current cheapest model, that sports car would surely be so like the Alpine A110 that Groupe Renault would waste little time briefing its solicitors.

Some people seem to think the A110 is offensively ugly, but I’m in the camp that reckons it’s a masterful piece of design. Retro but not pastiche. Recognisable yet modern. The McLaren has been with us now for three years and in that time it has become very familiar, but it is the Alpine that is made to look underwhelming when the two cars are parked alongside one another in a gravel car park on Exmoor. In the company of the arrow-headed 570S, which looks as though it has been elongated by the 200mph wind to which it can subject itself, the A110 looks oddly upright.

We have chosen Exmoor because I’m hoping the tricky, lumpy-bumpy roads that duck and weave across its moorland will help to illustrate one of the core similarities between the two cars. It’s a quality that is so immediately obvious aboard the A110 that it actually dominates the entire driving experience: the car has pliant enough suspension and long enough wheel travel that whatever three-dimensional features in the road surface you come across – bumps, sunken drain covers and so on – the A110 simply shrugs them all away. The suspension is so compliant, even across a road like this one, and its body control over crests and undulations is so resolute, that you drive the road as though it is entirely flat and perfectly smooth.

Weighing not much more than 1100kg at the kerb the Alpine is unusually light for a modern car, and that, combined with double-wishbone suspension all round, is at the very heart of the A110’s sophisticated way of getting down a bumpy down. I may well have driven a car that was as good as this one at dealing with an uneven, broken road surface, but I have certainly never driven one that was better.

There is something about the way this car feels when you turn in to a corner – the harmony between the rate at which it rolls onto its outer edge and the way it rotates towards the apex – that means the best kind of road is one that never stops twisting and turning. Perhaps the one thing that really makes the Alpine rewarding to drive, though, is its grip, or rather the relative lack of it. The tyres, Michelin Pilot Sports 4s, are reasonably narrow and, rather than being ultra-sticky, trackday-style rubber, are simply performance all-rounders. That means they hold on just about hard enough that you can lean on the chassis and carry good speed along a road, but when you do overstep the mark they don’t give up their grip so suddenly that you’re sent flying into a hedgerow. Instead, they do so in a beautifully progressive and predictable way, which means you feel as though you’re getting everything out of the A110 without having to frighten yourself.

Every one of those handling behaviours is there for a reason. From the outset, the A110 was designed and engineered to be satisfying and engaging to drive on the road. It never set out to be the fastest car in overall terms orthe quickest around a lap, and to drive realise that it is a much better car because of it.

Of all the models in McLaren’s line-up, the 570S is perhaps least burdened by the need to be fast around a lap or quicker than the next supercar to 100mph. It is the one that has been developed to be fun to drive on the road, and in that sense it shares a key commonality with the Alpine.

After the A110, the 570S feels like a rocketship. Having said that, the 570S feels like a rocketship after most cars. And most rocketships, for that matter. Its performance is so explosive that you find yourself gripping the steering wheel harder and your eyes widening more and more whenever the engine spins through 6000rpm. Its steering is so much more connected than the Alpine’s, its soundtrack both richer and louder, and all of that combined means the overall driving experience is a more intoxicating one. I’m not quite convinced it is actually a more fun experience, however.

Driven immediately after the A110 the 570S feels firm and fidgety, but after a few more miles you begin to realise that, rather like the Alpine, the McLaren has poise and compliance. It also absorbs bumps rather than whacking into them and being knocked off course, and when it drops into a compression it does so softly and lightly. Steer the car through a corner and you get a very clear sense of the rear axle working every bit as hard as the front to generate lateral grip, and in that moment you feel perfectly suspended between the two. The Alpine does exactly the same thing.

The McLaren’s tyres are modest, too, relatively speaking. They are Pirelli P Zeros, not super-tacky P Zero Corsas and certainly not the track-biased Trofeo Rs. Again, they generate lots of cornering grip, certainly more than the Alpine’s Michelins do, but they don’t hold on so hard that you can’t feel the front tyres smudge just a little across the road surface when you turn into a corner with some commitment, then persuade the rear axle to swing out a touch as you accelerate away from the apex. The truth is, you must drive a fair bit quicker in the 570S to feel it move around at the edge of tyre grip than you do in the A110, but you absolutely can reach that point on the road.

And that, we can conclude, is what connects these two cars most intimately. Rather than being so fast and so downright grippy that they feel caged in on the public highway, the A110 and 570S are accessible and even playful at road speeds. That is what makes them two of the most enjoyable performance cars on sale today, and to spend a day driving them is to realise what a pity it is that many other sports cars and supercars are made less enjoyable to drive over a moorland road by the vanity quest to be fastest on a circuit.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/features/price-mismatch-comparison-alpine-a110-vs-mclaren-570s

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The 2019 Alpine A110 Is the Definitive Modern Sports Car

Verdict

The final drive back up the Motosu-Machi to explore the lake more and try and sneak a peak at Mount Fuji confirmed it for me: I love the A110. It’s a car that feels special because it is special, able to put a bigger smile on your face as cars costing three times.

You might judge a car on its on-paper stats but in a fun and emotional sense, the A110 is one of the best cars on the market right now. Well, except in North America where it’s not available.

But this car is so good it might make you consider moving somewhere where it is.

https://jalopnik.com/the-2019-alpine-a110-is-the-definitive-modern-sports-ca-1831320337

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DRIVEN: Alpine A110

What is clear is that the A110 is indeed a special car. Pricing and availability may well be factors prohibiting Renault South Africa from bringing the A110 to local shores but I think the French brand should reconsider. Indeed, I believe there'd be merit in importing a limited number of examples, each of which would easily find homes even at fairly lofty prices. And, at the same time, they'd add glamour to a French marque that at the moment has a distinct focus on value-for-money products (and is admittedly doing incredibly well locally).

Turns out eight minutes was plenty...

FAST FACTS

Model: Alpine 110
Price: n/a
Engine: 1,8-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged petrol
Power: 185 kW
Torque: 320 N.m
0-100 km/h: 4,5 seconds
Top Speed: 250 km/h
Fuel Consumption: 6,2 L/100 km
CO2: 138 g/km
Transmission: Seven-speed dual-clutch
Maintenance Plan: n/a

https://www.carmag.co.za/car-reviews/driving-impressions/driven-alpine-a110/

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Alpine A110 Pure 2019 UK review

Should I buy one?

Those holding out for a road-racing version of the A110 will need to wait a little longer, because the Pure isn’t that car.

But anybody simply wanting to scratch a sports car itch should put the Pure at the top of their shortlist. When you consider the modest volumes being built and the thoroughness of the engineering, the A110 is good value even at £50,000, and the Pure is usefully less expensive. Mind you, the entry-level 718 Cayman is cheaper still and a more focused device, although no more compelling for it.

What you do about options on the A110 is a matter of personal taste. There’s something charming and authentic about an Alpine without a sports exhaust, big brakes or wheels bigger than necessary. Straight out of the box, the Pure is also the only A110 that sneaks under 1100kg, which is supremely light for a turbocharged car with a dual-clutch automatic gearbox and no structural carbonfibre.

We'd be tempted to add the Brembo brakes, but elsewhere the Pure retains climate control, Bluetooth, a brace of USB ports and sat-nav, so it’s not by no means an amenity-free zone. You don't get parking sensors, but anybody who needs those in something so dainty needs to have a word with themselves.

In the end, there's even more to come from the A110, and the Pure is merely nod in that direction. Some nod, though.

Alpine A110 Pure specification

Where Bedfordshire, UK Price £46,905 On sale Now Engine 4 cyls, 1.8-litre, turbo, petrol Power 249bhp at 6000rpm Torque 239lb ft at 2000rpm Gearbox 7-spd dual-clutch automatic Kerb weight 1098kg Top speed 155mph (limited) 0-62mph 4.5sec Fuel economy 46.3mpg (WLTP CO2 138g/km (WLTP) Rivals Porsche 718 Cayman, Alfa Romeo 4C

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/alpine/a110/first-drives/alpine-a110-pure-2019-uk-review

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Meaner Alpine A110 To Be Revealed This Weekend

Alpine has released some images on social media of what is likely a more powerful A110 sports car set to be revealed at Le Mans this weekend.

The new model will act as a rival to the more potent Porsche 718 Cayman S, Audi TT S and the brand new, resurrected Toyota Supra. However, it’s anticipated to have more of a track focus than those cars.

https://www.zero2turbo.com/2019/06/meaner-alpine-a110-to-be-revealed-this-weekend.html

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New Alpine A110S: faster, more hardcore flagship revealed

S version of Alpine's Porsche Cayman rival gets more power and bespoke suspensions settings for a more focused feel

Alpine says the new high-performance A110 S is a true “focused sports car” with a “very different character” from existing versions of the two-seater.

The new range-topping variant of the mid-engined Alpine is built around a reworked version of the 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, with the turbo boost pressure increased by 0.4 bar.

That means the unit’s peak power output has risen by 49bhp to 288bhp, which arrives at 6400rpm, 400rpm higher than previously. Torque remains at 236lb ft but is available from 2000rpm to 6400rpm, 1400rpm higher than in a standard A110.

Retaining the seven-speed automatic gearbox from the standard Alpine, the A110 S can cover 0-62mph in 4.4sec – a 0.1sec improvement – and its top speed is 162mph. The A110 S retains the same aluminium body but has a different chassis configuration, with new stiffer coil suspension springs, retuned dampers and firmer anti-roll bars.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/new-alpine-a110s-faster-more-hardcore-flagship-revealed

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Alpine A110S revealed with upgraded power and improved handling

Although there's no confirmation that the Alpine A110 will reach South African shores, the boutique Renault-backed sportscar has been an absolute hit in the European market. Buildling on this momentum, Alpine has added a new flagship model to the A110 range. Dubbed the A110S, this derivaitve offers more power and improved sharpness via several chassis tweaks.

Using the same TCe MP5 turbocharged 1,8-litre four-cylinder engine as the Renault Megane RS, the A110S delivers 215 kW, an improvement over from the base car’s 185 kW output. Torque is unchanged at 320 N.m. This enables the A110S to crack the 0-100 km/h sprint in 4,4 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 250 km/h.

Sharpening the A110S's handling characteristics are a set of tuned springs that lower the ride height by 4 mm. This is further aided by a revised anti-roll bar setup and wider (215 mm front and 245 mm rear) Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. The electronic stability control has also been revised to incorporates a dedicated track mode.

https://www.carmag.co.za/news/new-models/alpine-a110s-revealed-with-improved-power-and-handling/
 
More Power for Renault's Porsche Rival

Renault reveals its latest version of the Alpine A110S – and it’s even lighter.

There aren’t many cars that can rival Porsche’s 718. If you want a mid-engined sportscar, you ordinarily have to pay supercar money for the privilege of having an engine between the axles, instead of on top of one of them.

Renault is finally giving Porsche what they have never had: a proper compact mid-engined rival to the 718 (Cayman). The car in question is the brand’s revival of its Alpine sub-brand and named A110. If you are a Renault follower, and aware of its classics, that naming convention will make complete sense.

Availability in select markets is scheduled for the fourth quarter of this year, with indicative pricing of R1 250 000. Renault SA was originally excited about bringing Alpine models to SA, however hasn't been able to make a business case work for it with current exchange rate fluctuations.

https://www.cars.co.za/motoring_news/more-power-for-renaults-porsche-rival/46877/
 
Alpine A110S

With an intense sports car persona and assertive styling, the Alpine A110S joins the A110 Pure and A110 Légende in the Alpine model range. Assuming a position at the top of the line-up, the A110S is a lightweight coupe characterised by high engine power, a focused chassis setup and refined design elements.

The A110S has been engineered to deliver precise handling response and exacting high-speed stability. Sophisticated styling flourishes inside and out, as well the use of high-end materials such as carbon fibre and Dinamica upholstery, amplify the car's purposeful nature.

At its core a true Alpine, the A110S is a mid-engined, two-seat sports car that delivers 292Ps and weighs 1114kg. It is engaging to drive at all speeds while still being comfortable in everyday use. Approachable and undemanding to drive, the A110S is faithful to Alpine's underlying principles of lightweight engineering, compact dimensions and performance through agility.

Priced €66,500 before options, the Alpine A110S is available for booking immediately and the first cars will appear in showrooms in October 2019. Deliveries are due to begin before the end of the year.

Sébastien Erphelin, Alpine Managing Director comments: 'The A110S delivers an intense Alpine driving experience. From the very inception of the Alpine project it has been our intention to offer different versions of the A110 with handling and performance characteristics of their own. Like all versions of the A110, it is easy both to drive and live with day-to-day. The A110S is welcoming of all drivers regardless of their skill level, too.'

https://www.netcarshow.com/alpine/2020-a110s/

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Alpine readies rally-spec A110 for international competition

Lightweight racer features rollcage, aluminium chassis and 300bhp-plus turbocharged four-cylinder engine

Alpine has launched a rally-spec version of its A110 sports car aimed at competing in events at an international level.

Underpinned by the same lightweight aluminium chassis as the track-oriented GT4 and Cup variants, the A110 Rally has been developed with the help of Signatech, which also runs Alpine’s sports car programme.

The machine packs produces more than 296bhp from an uprated version of the standard A110’s 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

Further performance modifications come in the form of three-way hydraulic suspension, Brembo brakes, a limited-slip differential and a sequential six-speed gearbox. A new steering wheel, featuring an integrated telemetry display and paddle shifters, has been fitted.


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Hardcore Alpine A110S makes public debut at Tokyo

S version of Alpine's Porsche Cayman rival gets more power and bespoke suspensions settings for a more focused feel

The Alpine A110S has made its public debut at Tokyo motor show, having first been revealed in August.

The flagship model, which went on sale in September, is priced from £57,590 in the UK, including the cheapest paint option.

The S commands a £6780 premium over the mid-range Légende variant, and can be specced in a range of five colours, the most expensive of which, matt grey, costs £4440. A new set of 18in black alloy wheels is exclusive to S trim, and a contrasting carbon roof can be equipped for £2208.

Inside, the standard leather-Alcantara sports seats can be replaced with a pair of carbon-backed buckets for £1656, while bespoke floormats with blue stitching can be added for £110.

Driving aids such as hill start assist, cruise control and tyre pressure monitoring are equipped as standard, but a rear parking camera is optional at £480.

The new A110 S is, according to the company, a true “focused sports car” with a “very different character” from existing versions of the two-seater.

The new range-topping variant of the mid-engined Alpine is built around a reworked version of the 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine, with the turbo boost pressure increased by 0.4 bar.

That means the unit’s peak power output has risen by 49bhp to 288bhp, which arrives at 6400rpm, 400rpm higher than previously. Torque remains at 236lb ft but is available from 2000rpm to 6400rpm, 1400rpm higher than in a standard A110.


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