TopGear has just stepped out of the new Alpine A110 R. You can read the full test report in our March issue (in stores from 23 February); now the highlights.
Test object: Alpine A110 R
Performance: well, the R
Location: near Madrid and Circuito de Jarama
Weather conditions: sunny, degree or 8
Another new version of the A110?
Yes, are you still keeping up? You now have the regular A110 with 252 hp, the A110 GT with 300 hp, the A110 S with 300 hp and a lot of sporty modifications… And the Alpine A110 R. With, yes, 300 hp and a lot of sporty modifications. But just a little more serious.
Sounds a bit… superfluous?
You thought so. They don’t say it in so many words, but this must be the car Alpine always wanted to build. It is also the very last A110 version they will make before they switch to full electric like so many. In other words, this is it, the French lightweight hothead of your dreams.
What has changed on the Alpine A110 R?
Not the drivetrain. But otherwise: aero adjustments for better cooling and more downforce at the rear, a saving of 34 kilos due to, among other things, carbon fiber body parts and wheels (with a different design at the front and rear), an extensively adjustable, lower and laterally stiffer chassis, carbon fairings with Sabelt -five-point harnesses, Cup 2 semi-licks, no rear window…
So hardcore stuff?
Yes and no. Absolutely, it is stiffer and firmer than the well-known Alpines, but not so much that it cannot be lived with. It’s so light and so frisky that bumps don’t affect it. It breathes with the road and grips as long as you dare. It goes from 0 to 100 in 3.9 seconds and has a top speed of 285 km/h, but it’s in the corners that you’ll have the most fun with it. It’s pure telepathy.
What does it cost?
You buy the Alpine A110 R for 116,290 euros (105,000 in Belgium). Compare this to the 72,000 (63,000) that a standard A110 should cost, or the 86,000 (75,000) of an S, and you might wonder if it’s worth the extra price. But if you look at what else you can buy for this money, how it drives and what it is capable of, then you know enough. This is a steering and pedaling buddy you’ll only see once in a generation – if you’re lucky.
You can read our full driving test of the Alpine A110 R in TopGear Magazine 213, in stores from February 23!
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