THE ALPINE A110 R IS NOW AVAILABLE, INCLUDING A LIMITED EDITION FERNANDO ALONSO MODEL
The Alpine cars are often referred to as Renault Alpine cars, but Alpine is a brand on its own that was established in 1955 by Jean Rédélé, who incidentally took the name from the Alps. The confusion pops up because Alpine cars have always been retailed through Renault’s dealership network, and of course the fact that they use Renault engines too. The Alpine A110 model has a history almost as long stretching back as far as 1962 when it became the first car from the Alpine Cars factory that gained attention of the public and it’s been a flagship model for the brand ever since. It wasn’t too long ago that we were introduced to the latest A110 model called the A110 R, a sharpened and tightened version that’s as at home on normal roads as it is on the racetrack. In this incarnation the model sticks to the good power and light weight recipe in the pursuit of a favourable power-to-weight ratio. In the case of this latest A110 R the scales are tipped at 1 082 kg which results in a ratio of just 3.6 kg/hp.
This comes from a Renault-manufactured 1.8-litre turbocharged inline 4-cylinder rated at 223 kW with 350 Nm of torque, and in this small car that equated to a rapid 0-100 km/h dash in just 3.9-seconds and it can also run on to a top speed of 285 km/h. The improvements to the R model over the S model also sees improvements to the aerodynamics to increase downforce and reduce drag with a redesign on the bonnet, rear window and diffuser. The interior is also more race-inspired. Over and above this new A110 R is the limited edition A110 R Fernando Alonso Edition that’s limited to just 32 numbered cars for an extra touch of exclusivity. The Alpine A110 R is back in the news because it’s now available for order from €105,000 in France, while Fernando Alonso edition is priced at €148,000. We're not bothered converting to local currency because they're not very likely to be seen on our shores unless there's a local Alpine fan with lots of F-You money to chuck around.
Take a look at the YouTube video from the chaps at Top Gear where they took a proper look at the new Alpine Cars A110 R with special mention of the limited number Fernando Alonso Edition back when it was first debuted: FIRST LOOK: Alpine A110R – The Most Hardcore A110 Yet + Fernando Alonso Edition | Top Gear