French sports car maker Alpine has launched a new ‘R’ version of its A110 two-seat coupe, which is honed for the track but ‘still certified for the open road’.
It’s been an exciting week for Alpine.
The regular A110 scooped the ‘Best Fun Car’ at the Parkers New Car Awards, ‘solidifying the A110’s place amongst the best mid-engined sports cars on the market’.
Those rivals include the likes of the Toyota GR Supra, Audi TT Coupe, and Porsche 718 Cayman, so it’s keeping good company.
Meanwhile Alpine - a subsidiary of parent company Renault - is also preparing to throw-back the sheets on a new ‘Alpenglow’ concept car (below).
And now the A110 R has joined the fray, too.
But first, a quick recap on the A110 line-up in general.
All of the A110’s are powered by variations on a 1.8 litre petrol engine.
You’ve got the standard A110, with power of 252 hp, followed by the A110 ‘GT’ grand tourer and the performance-infused A110 S.
Both the ‘GT’ and ‘S’ get more power than the common-or-garden A110, with 300 hp.
The quickest of that trio is the ‘S’, which can sprint from 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds, and the ‘S’ also gets sharper handling and a bespoke chassis
Now, though, the ‘R’ has ratcheted things up a notch.
It too gets 300 hp, and 340Nm of torque, but thanks to extreme weight-saving, it can accelerate from 0-62mph in just 3.9 seconds.
How has Alpine achieved such a feat?
A spokesperson reveals:
“The first main difference with the A110 R is seen through the extensive work put in to reducing its overall weight down to as little as 1,082kg – 34kg less than the A110 S. Its aerodynamic performance has been enhanced for greater downforce and reduced drag.”
The ‘R’ also gets unique parts, including a new carbon fibre bonnet, carbon fibre wheels, carbon fibre rear window, a flat undercarriage, and a rear diffuser with ‘swan neck’ mounts, as well as exclusive improvements to the chassis.
There are Sabelt carbon fibre seats in the cabin that weigh 5kg less than the regular seats from the A110 S, as well as a 6-point safety harness.
When it comes to the chassis the R sits 10mm lower than the S, and also features adjustable shock absorbers so you can lower it by another 10mm when you’re on the track.
An Alpine spokesperson adds:
“The stiffness of the unique anti-cant bars has been increased 10% in the front and 25% in the rear compared to the A110 S. The same can be said for the suspension springs that are more than 10% stiffer in the front and rear for far greater body support.”
High performance Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 semi-slick tyres are standard, as is a Brembo braking system with composite discs at the front and rear.
Meanwhile you also get the ‘Alpine Telemetrics’ package, which gives you real-time data on the turbo pressure, gearbox temperature, torque, power, steering wheel angle, and accelerometer - all essential when you’re pushing it to the limit on the circuit.
Order books open later this month, when it’s expected the R will cost from around £80,000.
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