2018 Alpine A110

[Canadian Turbo]

After a painstakingly long teaser campaign and a couple of concepts dubbed "Celebration" and "Vision," the much-awaited Alpine reboot is finally here in all of its production glory. Reviving the iconic “A110” moniker, the new sports car part of Renault’s recently established sub-brand will go after the likes of Porsche Cayman with a retro-flavored design inspired by the namesake model sold between 1961 and 1977.

The curvaceous body clearly shows its “Berlinette” roots, but everything else is modern. Riding on a newly developed aluminum-intensive platform, the resurrected A110 will boast a completely flat floor and a rear diffuser to enhance aero without having to feature a rear spoiler. In a bid to shave off fat, the rear-wheel-drive coupe will use bespoke lightweight seats each tipping the scales at only 13.1 kilograms (28.8 pounds) to help achieve a rumored curb weight of just over 1,000 kg (2,204 lbs).

Alpine is still keeping the powertrain specs shrouded in mystery, but at least we know the two-seater A110 will run to 62 mph (100 kph) in four and a half seconds. Reports are indicating the sports car will employ a turbocharged 1.8-liter gasoline engine derived from the Clio RS’ 1.6-liter unit and might offer as much as 300 horsepower (224 kilowatts). Some other voices are indicating it will be blessed with an entirely new turbocharged 2.0-liter unit bound to be shared with the hotly anticipated 2018 Megane RS.

We’ll have full details on March 7th when the Alpine A110 will finally receive its public debut at the Geneva Motor Show. It will go on sale towards the end of the year and the first 1,995 units are going to form a “Premiere Edition” pictured here and priced from €55,000 (about $58,220) at home in France.

[Canadian Turbo]

Re: 2018 Alpine A110

More details

After years in the making, Alpine is finally back on the road, and the product marking the brand’s return calls back to the firm’s past by reviving the A110 moniker. Arriving in portions of Europe in late 2017 and in the United Kingdom and Japan in 2018, the model aims to provide old-school driving enjoyment in a thoroughly modern package.

The new A110’s exterior references the original’s curvaceous look without being too retro. Swept back headlights and round driving lights dominate the low-slung front end. A steeply raked windshield and smooth rear provide an aerodynamic appearance. The semi-hidden intake just behind the doors is an especially attractive touch. While not visible to the owner, a flat floor and diffuser help manage air flow underneath the coupe.

At 2,381 pounds (1,080 kilograms), the A110 is fairly light by modern standards. At 164.5 inches (4,178 millimeters), it measures about 10 inches (254 mm) longer than the current Mazda MX-5 Miata and weighs about the same as an example of the Japanese roadster with an automatic transmission.

A 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder sits behind the driver and produces 252 horsepower (188 kilowatts) and 236 pound-feet (320 Newton-meters) of torque. Alpine estimates the coupe can reach 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in 4.5 seconds. The company electronically limits the top speed to 155 mph (249 kph). The only available gearbox is a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. Normal, Sport, and Track driving modes let an owner tune the engine management, gearbox, steering, stability control, active exhaust setting, and driver display to their preferences.

The new A110 launches with a Premiere Edition of 1,955 units that come loaded with standard equipment. These models have amenities like 18-inch forged aluminum wheels with a matte black finish, Focal stereo, leather-upholstered Sabelt-one-piece seats. Alpine expects prices for these examples to start at 58,500 euros in France. All left-hand drive A110 Premiere Editions already have reserved buyers, but there are still a few right-hand drive coupes available for the U.K, according to the company. Don’t expect them to last very long now that the firm is showing off the revived A110 to the public.

[CGY_GTI]

Re: 2018 Alpine A110

This is easily my favourite car from Geneva so far this year. I like how they've kept the design very similar to the original. I really hope this makes it to Canada, I'd really like one of these some day.