New Alpine A10 first Press test drives reviews + NEW BROCHURE LINK

[Lankan]

FIRST DRIVE: Falling In Love With The New Alpine A110

A review by someone who drove one of the 50 press cars, and then ordered one himself...........
"...the one I ordered for myself is a bit different; it features many of the same options, just without the numbered plaque and special wheels, little things like that. That car is known as the A110 Pure, which is lighter and more focused than the third launch option, the A110 Légende, which adds to the options list. More weight is not an option for me though, so I chose the Pure..."
Pure
Interesting to note the variants on offer during launch Pure, Première and Légende - only heard of the Première edition until now.

"It’s a car that makes you want to be a better driver not because it withholds its potential, but because it’s so receptive to what you ask of it. You get the sense that its limits are simply your limits, that it will go as fast through the mountain passes as you’re wont to try." - guess the author meant "you want to try", which certainly does it for me.
Now only wish they come up with a manual box........and everything would be perfect.

No, he meant wont.....
adjective
If someone is wont to do something, they often or regularly do it.

There is a brochure for the regular trim levels of Pure and Legende and delighted to see a lot of the good stuff from the launch model like the half leather alcantara seats are actually standard on the entry Pure so you don't have to option it up massively like a German car - then the Legende gets full leather multi adjustable seats and 18 inch wheels .
https://alpinecars.com/pdf/ALPINE_BROCH ... _GB_BD.pdf

Plus the reviewers are saying the engine sounds really good and much better than the Porsche so that's positive. The optional sports exhaust is also switchable so you can choose if you want to have the popping and blare and turn it down when required. Obviously not as good as a 6 but hey .

Ah, misread "wont" as "won't".........may be because in my head the use of "wont" appears illogical.

Thanks for the link to the brochure............so a Pure with a manual box would be perfect. However, must admit though the engine/exhaust note in the vide Kett has posted above doesn't do the A110 any favours. Presumably that is the 'standard' exhaust, not the sports version?

 

[GPH]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sj759hN02o
There are plenty of videos online from the usual outlets but this is an interesting one from a smaller channel who have employed Vicky Parrot who used to be the road tester on Autocar until recently. Has video of the original rally A110 and she calls the new one a landmark car and a mini McLaren.

 

[Williams]

Enthusiasm for the new A110 really seems to be gathering pace, with fantastic reviews. Have any of the journo's said anything bad about it yet?

Like many, i was a bit disappointed when I heard that a turbo charged 1.8 four pot engine was going to be used. However, upon hearing one of the pre-production cars at RUK HQ back in April, I soon started to re-think. Lessons would've been learnt after the characteristic handling of the Clio v6.. and although thats partly why we love it, it suffered hideously at the hands of the media, and still does. An appropriate engine to suit the weight of the aluminium shell and positioning of the engine itself was critical to the success of the new A110.

Ive not heard any rumours of a manual gearbox, and the floor pan would need to be modified for it to work.. I'm told.


Question... which sounds better, a Clio with a v6, or a R5 Turbo with a 4 pot..?

 

[Sunbeam Lotus]

There is only one obvious answer to Shaun's question - a Clio V6 sounds far more exciting than an R5 Turbo!

I've been lucky enough to have done three rallies in MG Metro 6R4s where the 2.5 litre V6 was revved to 10,750rpm - and that is a sound that will live me for ever. My Vee at 7,000 rpm is getting there and it is always nice to take it through the torquey growling stage to head towards the scream.

Also on my personal fleet is a Sapphire Cosworth that is fun to listen to as you accelerate briskly, hearing the turbo whistle then a subtle chatter from the wastegate when you change gear. Other than that, it shows it's Pinto roots and just gets on with maintaining forward progress. As far as turbo fours are concerned, I am afraid that I have never been a fan of the sounds, be they Renault 5s, Sierra, Escort, Focus WRC, Impreza WRCs, Mitsubishi EVOs, Lancia Delta Integrales etc. etc. Give me historic BDA Escorts, Lancia Stratos, Triumph TR7V8 all day long! The family "pool car", a Mk1, Skoda Octavia VRS (1.8 litre, four cylinder, 20 Valve turbo) is a pleasant modern car but never an aural delight!

My Lotus Sunbeam, with 2.2 litres, four cylinders and twin 45mm Dell'Orto carburettors is back to Clio standard music, albeit of a different tone. 30mph limits are there so that you can enjoy listening to it going back up the gears on the other side. The Clio and Sunbeam are cars that have to have windows opened when passing through tunnels - I believe that is the law!

Simon

 

[phillv6]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Sj759hN02o
There are plenty of videos online from the usual outlets but this is an interesting one from a smaller channel who have employed Vicky Parrot who used to be the road tester on Autocar until recently. Has video of the original rally A110 and she calls the new one a landmark car and a mini McLaren.

Wow "a landmark car and a mini McLaren" that's some statement [smilie=yay.gif] [smilie=yay.gif], lets just hope it manages to take sales from the Cayman, it's certainly going to appeal to driving enthusiasts like the Vee does.

Can't help but think it probably needs a manual box though :rollseyes:, I could definately see myself in one of these if they depreciate in a couple of years time :race:

Is it too much to ask that other manufacturers may sit up and take notice the route Renault have taken by going down the "keeping the weight down approach" rather than just following the lets increase the BHP that they seem to be taking at present.

 

[Chris V6 255]

Oh dear

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/02 ... e=Facebook


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GPH]

Yes I saw this on a few of the paper's websites today and of course it would have to be Top Gear and being filming so when they show the episode it will go around the world. Lets hope there were some mods to the car for it to be taking part in the rally and it was something to do with those.

 

[slowly sideways]

It wasn’t taking part in the rally
They think a fuel line split

 

[Lankan]

Looks like there is another GT4 in town: A110 GT4 race car

"Oddly, the A110 race car still has the air-conditioning fitted making it perfectly suited for endurance races" - would be perfect if one could road-register one of these.....though how stiff it will be, and how much of a handful the 'non-standard competition sequential gearbox' will be is the question.

"The A110 GT4 will be ready to race in the second half of the 2018 season and will appear on the grids of a few select events"

Looks quite purposeful....anybody going to Geneva?

Would be interesting to see how it measures up to the Cayman GT4.

 

[rustedandrotten]

The original A110 GT4 built in the sixties was an absolute lemon, surprised that they ever resurrected that name [smilie=icon_eek.gif] :rofl:

 

[Lankan]

Hadn't seen this video review before. Quite informative, and mixed in with footage of the original A110 in rally trim - Video: Alpine A110 vs Monte Carlo rally stage

Quite unlike the Vee (due to its turning circle), the new A110 appears to get around the Col de Turini very well indeed..........

A110 is also featured on Top Gear (BBC2 8 pm, Easter Sunday).

 

[GPH]

Quite unlike the Vee (due to its turning circle), the new A110 appears to get around the Col de Turini very well indeed..........

A110 is also featured on Top Gear (BBC2 8 pm, Easter Sunday).

Yes and not looking forward to that Flambé mess. [smilie=icon_eek.gif]
I'd rather have to do a 4 point turn in the Vee than scramble to get out before it burnt to the ground!

 

[Lankan]

Quite unlike the Vee (due to its turning circle), the new A110 appears to get around the Col de Turini very well indeed..........

A110 is also featured on Top Gear (BBC2 8 pm, Easter Sunday).

Yes and not looking forward to that Flambé mess. [smilie=icon_eek.gif]
I'd rather have to do a 4 point turn in the Vee than scramble to get out before it burnt to the ground!

Ah, yes, there is that "flaming thing" that invariable would not have been edited out...........but I am looking forward to seeing what Harris makes of the A110.