We have been teased by this car many times already, the new car’s UK connections going back to 2015 when Lord March drove a concept up the Goodwood hill to open the Festival of Speed that year.
The overall shape might not have changed much in the intervening years, but it’s a pleasant surprise to see it finally all shiny and new, minus its disguise, oversized wheels and other concept car accoutrements. To our eyes, it looks more sporty, more French, more Alpine and more in keeping with its late, great Monte Carlo Rally-winning ancestor, the 1960s A110 whose name the new model inherits. All of which is a good thing in our book.
A120 was the hotly-tipped moniker, in keeping with Alpine naming progression of the past. But linking the car as closely as possible to Alpine’s winning heritage – don’t forget the manufacturer was the first World Rally Champion in 1973 – was clearly too hard to resist.
What will be the rebooted Alpine A110’s claims to fame? We don’t know all yet – the car’s official debut is at the Geneva Motor Show on March 7th – but what’s for sure is that this largely aluminium, mid-engined two-seater will trade on light weight and compact dimensions for any performance and agility advantage it may have over rivals, including the (relatively tubby) Porsche Cayman. The engine is not so far confirmed but expected to be a 1.8 turbo of around 250bhp. Alpine has said 0-62mph will take 4.5 seconds.
Price is set to be around £46,000 for the initial fully-loaded Premiere Edition model, but it is thought right-hand drive versions won’t arrive in the UK until 2018. There will be 1955 cars only of this first run – the number denoting the year Jean Rédélé founded the company.
Sixty-two years on, bon retour A110!
alpine
A110
Geneva
