The new 2018 Alpine A110 has been designed in a way to have a better power-to-weight ratio and thus compete with its largest rival – the Porsche Cayman. There is no doubt that the resurrected brand wants to become one of the leading in the world when it comes to the production of sports cars.
The Renault offshoot built the reputation back in the ‘60s and ‘70s when it produced cars with amazing performances both in racing and rallying. The A110 was definitely the company’s most renowned vehicle, and even though the revived version is based on the original, it is still a new and modern model. The head of engineering David Twohig said: “It’s inspired by our history, especially with that emphasis on light steering and a car that turns around you, but above all it’s a thoroughly modern sports car.”
The new model features a 1.8-liter turbocharged I4 engine under its hood that produces 249 bhp and 236 lb-ft of torque, and it is paired with a wet clutch seven-speed paddle shift transmission that sends power to the rear wheels. The curb weight of the vehicle is just 1,080kg, while the power-to-weight ratio is 231 bhp/ton. Just for comparison, the 718 Cayman delivers 296 bhp, and it is 1,335 kg heavy, while a power-to-weight ratio is 222 bhp/ton.
To shed as much weight as possible, the development team made a bespoke aluminum platform. Twohig declared: “We did the math with aluminum and got the answers we wanted. The key decisions lay in the structure’s mass, weight and torsional stiffness, and the next consideration was achieving top-notch fit and finish; carbon fiber or steel structures don’t allow the same quality.”
The length of the Alpine A110 is 4,18 meters, while the width and height are 1,80 m and 1,25 meters respectively. Interestingly enough, the fuel tank is located at the front of the car, but since the engine is positioned mid to rear, the weight distribution of the vehicle is 44:56 front to back. The two adults can sit comfortably in the car, but even with its compact size, the A110 doesn’t feature a glove compartment, for instance.
What also helped to reach a 1080 kg target are the seats developed by Sabelt which come with a fixed back, but you can slide them fore and aft. The weight of each seat is 13.1kg, and according to Twohig, the team was successful in this weight reduction endeavor since the comfort remained at a high level. The windshield cleaning system became more effective because the water is transferred through the wiper blades and the attention to these details is what makes the difference between good and fantastic cars.
The Alpine A110 will reach 62 mph in 4.5 seconds, a time that beats 5.1 seconds achieved by the 718 Cayman and 4.6 seconds by 718 Cayman S. We need to add that the development team put agility of the vehicle over pace and that is why the sports car received a specific double wishbone suspension both at the front and at the back of the car. Furthermore, there are also semi-automatic Getrag gearbox, small tires, e-differential for several driving modes and an aerodynamic diffuser to create downforce.
Twohig said: “The all-aluminium forged suspension was a no-compromise decision to get agility and suppleness; we wanted the best. The decision to develop our own gear sets was harder – or at least more expensive – but we knew it was the only way to get the car we wanted. Throughout this project, we concentrated on doing it right, so that meant custom pinion sets, a wet clutch, a latest seven-speed gearbox, launch control and three proper driving modes – Normal, Sport and Track – that have a distinct character across the engine and pedal maps and the active exhaust, and the option to go beyond Track and switch ESC completely off.”
He added: “The electronic solutions meant we didn’t need a limited slip diff. It would have added weight and complexity, where the reality is that an e-diff set-up can handle these power levels perfectly well. I’ve tested it and I can promise you that you can get some pretty big angles in Track mode without it feeling like it is about to bite you. This is a car that flatters.”
The launch version sported the 18-inch Michelin Sports with 235 rear tires and 205 front ones, but the standard production car will come with 17-inch wheels. “We could have gone bigger to make it look good, but the tyres look just fine and their performance matches the weight, power and torque we have. We didn’t want loads of mechanical grip, we wanted a car that is mobile and which slides relatively easily under the right circumstances,” announced Twohig.
In addition, chief engineer said: “The rear lines are beautiful, so we looked at solutions. We could have done a pop-up spoiler, but that meant adding complexity, weight and cost. So, we worked on an aerodynamic solution along the car’s floor, with the eight strakes channeling the air to cut lift. We think it’s the only car on sale that will do 250kph without needing a spoiler.”
2018 Alpine A110 Price
The Alpine A110 is already available for order, while the starting price in Europe will be €58,500. The company’s boss Michael van Der Sande says that “homogeneous price across Europe” is the aim and that the 1955 launch edition models are “practically sold out.” You can purchase this vehicle in blue, black or white.
