NEW ALPINE A110S SETS ITS SIGHTS ON THE CAYMAN S

The Porsche Cayman better watch its back, the new Alpine A110S has more power, a stiffer chassis and is hunting the German.

The Alpine A110 sports car shook things up when it was launched in 2018, offering that segment of the car market a bit of French flair to rival the German's dominance. It offered buyers something a little different to the Porsche Cayman, with its striking looks and great handling characteristics.

Now, Alpine has decided to release a more powerful model to top off its range. It will be more expensive, obviously, but the extra dosh gets you more power, 39 horses to be precise, from its 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder. Output figures of 288bhp at 6400rpm and 236lb ft from 2000 to 6400rpm will see the A110S go from 0-62mph in 4.4sec. It's just 1/10th quicker than the standard model but Alpine reckons its more fun than before.

The chassis has been revised for extra stiffness and the suspension setup has also been updated. The dampers have been tweaked to compliment the springs that are now 50% stiffer, while the roll bars are twice as firm compared to the standard model, with the car now sitting lower to the ground. Track mode on the reconfigured stability control system allows the driver to adjust the chassis setup even more.

The seven-speed Getrag dual-clutch transmission delivers power to the rear wheels, with a brake-based e-differential to enhance traction. Sitting behind the GT Race alloys wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres, which have a compound specific to the S, are 320mm Brembo brakes for extra stopping power with less fade.

Losing 1.9kg by opting for a carbon roof panel also helps with the more aggressive outlook of the S but, according to Alpine, the car is still comfortable to drive every day.

Which is good news because you'll want people to see this car as often as possible. There's a new matt paint option called Gris Tonnerre (nope, we don't know either), while splatterings of orange have found their way to the B-pillars and brake callipers, and the Alpine lettering is now black to compliment the dark grey wheels.

Hop inside and you'll find Sabelt seats, that weighs just 13kg each, wrapped in Dinamica microfibre fabric, as is the headliner, sun visors, door panels, and portions of the steering wheel with orange interior stitching that replaces the blue found on the other models.

You can place your order with Alpine already, with deliveries starting at the end of the year. It's hard to justify a sticker price that is seven thousand euros more than the standard car without actually driving it, but we're sure plenty A110S will find homes even at €66,500. Look out Porsche, the plucky Frenchman is heading your way.