Twintest: Sportscoupes

Alpine’s faster, harder A110S takes on Porsche’s sportified Cayman T

This is the Alpine A110S. All the ‘S’s: sharper, stiffer, swifter, stoppier. An extra 40bhp from the 1.8-litre turbo engine, wider torque band, active sports exhaust, high performance brakes as standard, 10mm wider tyres front and rear, new springs, stiffened anti-roll bars, 4mm suspension drop, recalibrated ESP. All the fun of the fair.

And now the Cayman T. I tried to think up a load of ‘T’s, but failed dismally because, really, it’s another load of ‘S’s. The sportiest sections of the options list added to a base-model Cayman. 20mm lower suspension, bigger 20-inch wheels, dynamic engine mounts, alcantara, decals.

They’re a bit apart on price (more on that later), but inseparable on philosophy and aggression, close on power – the Porsche’s turbocharged 2.0 flat-four delivering 296bhp to the Alpine’s 288bhp. The Alpine’s faster, of course, because it’s smaller, lighter: 1,114kg to the chunky German’s 1,350kg. Which isn’t that chunky, it’s just that the Alpine is the automotive embodiment of Veganuary.

Weight defines the Alpine experience. It’s 10mpg more efficient everywhere than the Cayman, has zestier, perkier acceleration, doesn’t unduly tax its brakes or tyres, skates lightly over any surface. The Porsche has to work harder. There’s more inertia to overcome at low engine speeds which manifests itself in turbo lag. Despite the broader tyres (30mm fatter front and rear) understeer sets in sooner. It feels heavier in your hands. After a back-to-back, 10-mile, cross-country jaunt, the Porsche is the one clutching its sides and wheezing.

Well, sort of. Driven in isolation, the Cayman T is great. This is the current Cayman to have if you enjoy driving and a) can’t afford a GT4 or b) don’t want to buy a used nat-asp flat-six. Sure, it doesn’t skim along as deftly and gently as the Alpine, but it has rewards of its own. The oily, mechanical precision of the steering, brakes and gearbox makes each a delight to just operate. The suspension’s taut springing is matched by superb damping. I’ve roundly criticised the flat-four engine previously, but it’s smoother and more immediate at the top end. Keep it bubbling away over 4,500rpm and there’s not much to complain about. I get out of the Cayman after every drive with a warm feeling, knowing that as a car to drive day-in, day-out, this would feel pretty good.

I was hoping to write this without too much reference to the standard A110, but

“THEY’RE A BIT APART ON PRICE, BUT INSEPARABLE ON PHILOSOPHY AND AGGRESSION, CLOSE ON POWER”

realised you have to see the S in context. What we love about the standard version is that it took a different path, softer and more playful, unafraid of roll, unashamedly individual. In tightening it up, Alpine has made it more conventional. Undoubtedly faster, even more nimble and agile, stunning through direction changes and with communication through chassis and steering that’s the best this side of a Lotus. There’s one dynamic element of both A110s that isn’t quite up to scratch. The steering needs a bit more bite on turn-in, just to let you know it’s really got its teeth into things. The S gives you so much information that as soon as the rear axle engages with a corner – that sliver of a second after you turn the wheel – you get that. You soon work out that you can vary your cornering technique to discover different things about the car, and no matter what you do, the A110S excels.

If this was only about the driving, the Alpine would have it. But it’s a question of sacrifices. The Alpine’s two boots offer about half the Porsche’s carrying capacity. Inside, it’s more cramped and the infotainment is hugely frustrating to operate. The driving position might fit you fine, but personally I’d like the wheel to be less tilted away at the top and the seat to extend further under my thighs. The Porsche is hard to fault inside – you get in, it works how you want and feels right for a car costing £51,145.

The Alpine is £56,810. That’s almost exactly 10 grand more than the base one. It’s a more fundamentally altered car than the Cayman T (a seven-grand lift), but loses some of what makes the standard Alpine so beguiling. In short, as a daily coupe, this is only the second-best Alpine. And, here, it’s up against the best Cayman. And for the first time, an Alpine loses.