The Herald - The Herald Magazine
ALPINE A110
AT A TIME when car-makers are all vying for their market share in SUVs or crossovers, one brand is aiming to buck the trend by combining heritage and technology in the perfect sportscar package. The Alpine A110 Berlinette may not have been sold in the UK for very long, but its reputation for rallying back in the Sixties and Seventies precedes it – and the risk has proved worth taking.
The A110 has been designed from the ground up by a small team based in France but there are some clear transfers from the original model, such as the bonnet spine, twin auxiliary lamps and design sculpted into the door.
Just like in everything has been dialled up to 11 and the sense of style combined with clever engineering developments has create a car founder Jean Redele would be proud of.
The A110 features the 1.8-litre fourcylinder engine taken from the Renault Megane. As the car is mid-engined, weight is distributed close to 50/50 with the centre of gravity poised around the driver’s hips. It produces 248bhp and 320Nm of torque, giving it a 0-60mph time of merely 4.3 seconds before it carries on to a potential top speed of 156mph.
Although it’s turbocharged, throttle response and power delivery are almost instant, while it also produces an incredible noise that’s unlikely to disappoint. Economy figures are respectable, too, with a combined cycle of 46.3mpg and emissions pegged at 138g/km.
The A110 feels both inspiring and invigorating. Direct steering and the weight distribution enables me to power effortlessly around corners.
With petite dimensions – the car is 4.18m long, 1.8m wide and 1.28 high – navigating the Alpine along the narrowest of roads doesn’t cause any scares.
Currently, the A110 is only available in this Premiere Edition specification, and if you want to get your hands on one, you’ll be sorely disappointed. Only 1955 were produced, in honour of the year the brand was created, and they sold out in five days.
The Premiere comes in one set-up, with the standard infotainment paired with Focal speakers. While there’s a choice of colours,