# My car of the day, new Alpine A110



## Soul boy 68 (Sep 8, 2013)

For my final car of the day for 2017 I feature a car that has kind have been forgotten, but not now as Renault's eagerly anticipated Alpine A110 finally hits UK showrooms. This A110 resembles it's sixties namesake, just like BMW's Mini took inspiration from the original. With a mid-engined layout and with weight on it's side, 1,103 kg in fact, this Alpine has all the ingredients for a great sports car. With 249 BHP from a 1.8 litre turbo engine and seven speed auto gear box and to cut down on costs aluminium was used instead of Carbon Fiber. The new coupe looks compact and in order to maintain the lines of the original, Renault have omitted the rear spoiler so instead, down-force is provided by a large diffuser. Inside the cabin looks nicely laid out with it's raised centre console which houses the buttons for the gear box. So it looks like a well overdue return to form for Renault and their Alpine A110. It seems to show where the Alfa Romeo 4C missed the mark and it's a worthy opponent that could trouble the Porsche 718 Cayman for performance.

Key specs:

Price: £49,995
Engine: 1.8 litre 4 cyl turbo
Power/torque: 249 BHP/320 NM
Transmission: seven speed auto, rear-wheel drive.
0-60 in 4.5 seconds
Top speed is 155 MPH
On sale early 2018.

Like it?


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## Sam534 (May 10, 2017)

I do like almost every aspect apart from the front end lights and the branding on the front. In fact it almost looks like it should be the back of the car.

Edit: Oh and no manual box? Big downside. 

Love the interior and rear end and side profile. I'd have one but not for the brand new price tag. 

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## Daz. (Jul 26, 2012)

I really want to love it but that rear is ****ing hideous.


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## lbr1984 (Jun 14, 2017)

I’m not a fan... it looks like lots of bits of other cars have been stuck together which is a shame as the original was beautiful. It’s Cayman money too and I know which i’d pick!


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## Brian1612 (Apr 5, 2015)

Think it looks like 3 different cars stuck together and a bit of a mess. Interior looks nice though and really interior wise it's what Alfa should have done with the 4C.

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## daydotz (May 15, 2011)

Love it


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## Andyg_TSi (Sep 6, 2013)

I like it.....harks back to the original A110 Berlinette


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## Sam534 (May 10, 2017)

Andyg_TSi said:


> I like it.....harks back to the original A110 Berlinette


Now I see why the headlights are the way they are

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## voon (Apr 28, 2010)

Certainly an oddity with the extra round lights and a somewhat strange back design (which looks better from the side). Which is why I approve of it. it's not my design or my car, but I want to see stuff like that on the road, not the 345345th Porsche 911.


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## RicardoB (Oct 18, 2015)

Looks good to me. A nice up to date design of the original. 

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## Ultra (Feb 25, 2006)

It maybe an up to date version of the original, but it's still fugly and there are better cars out there to spend 50 large on, imo.


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

I liked it the first time I seen pictures of it and I still feel the same way.


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## Mikesphotaes (Jul 24, 2016)

Funny rear, like a squashed TT, but the rest of it is very nice indeed!


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## Philb1965 (Jun 29, 2010)

I'd have an original but not keen on the new version. Front view good, side view looks awkward and the rear.....I'm struggling for words.....miniature A7 fastback? Fugly.


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## muzzer (Feb 13, 2011)

50k....just can't get the fact they want 50k for it.


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## DLGWRX02 (Apr 6, 2010)

Love it, don’t know why just something about it. Lowiepete’s a lucky guy.


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## insanejim69 (Nov 13, 2011)

Gorgeous. Really like that, but 50k is alot, but if it's like any other Renault (same goes for Vauxhalls) no dealer ever charges rrp and no one with half a brain would pay full rrp, bet you could nab a new one for closer to £40k or so after a few months.

James.


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## alfajim (May 4, 2011)

love it. but i'd rather an alfa 4c


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## andy665 (Nov 1, 2005)

Love it - so much more appealing than a similarly priced Cayman - great heritage that no one under 40 can begin to understand. 

Getting some fantastic reviews as well


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

andy665 said:


> Love it - so much more appealing than a similarly priced Cayman - great heritage that no one under 40 can begin to understand.
> 
> Getting some fantastic reviews as well


In this weeks Autocar they've had their first drive of the A110 and reckon it's good enough to usurp the Cayman. Praise indeed, although I'm sure you'll pay for it in the long term with poor residuals, even despite the rarity and exclusivity.

If you're in the market for a Cayman I'm not sure you'd consider the A110 as the appeal of each is different, in my opinion. German engineering and quality versus a modern recreation of a piece of motorsport heritage.

Alan W


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## pez (Jun 7, 2014)

Not for me I think. The interior looks nice but I just can't get past the fact that the outside looks like someone has raided the parts bins of other manufacturers


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## GleemSpray (Jan 26, 2014)

I really want to like it, to call it unique and eclectic.

But the more i look at it, from different angles, it just looks like a bitza and a mongrel. Its like a nod to the Cayman at the front and a nod to a Merc coupe at the back

Sorry, its a definite no from me. Especially as any Renault costing 50K has to be sensational, if you want to avoid the inevitable poor residuals in years to come.


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## ollienoclue (Jan 30, 2017)

Fantastic. Should have been done years ago. 50K for that is fine. This is looking for the niche that all other brands have deserted.

I'd have one. Rear looks fine, front won't be to all tastes, I'd just remove the Alpine branding on the front as I personally think it doesn't suit.


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## andy665 (Nov 1, 2005)

Lots of people have no understanding or recognition of the Alpine brand. Its not a Renault, like saying Rolls Royce is a BMW. Owned by Renault but a long history in motorsport, responsible for manufacturing a good number of Renaultsport models in their Dieppe facility etc etc

Cannot be called Alpine in the UK as PSA own the name

The price is not excessive in todays marketplace, the design marks it out clearly as an Alpine, if their is resemblance to anything else it can only be because those cars to which it may bear a resemblance to have copied the design elements from the original A110 that dates back to 1961

Like many niche products many people will not get it - those that do will clearly have a great car to own and drive, those that don't will simply be missing out


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

Fugin ugly


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## insanejim69 (Nov 13, 2011)

Interestingly I just read that they have pre sold all 1955 cars (a nod to the fact Alpine was founded in 1955) in just 5 days !! That's impressive, also reviews seem to be glowing atm m, almost all reviews always its a better drivers car than the Cayman.

Sorry but for me, the more and more I look at the pics of the car the more I like it, it looks great imo with some great nods to the original A110, fresh, different, instead of another generic Porsche, Audi or VW.

James.


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

The only thing I like about that is the colour :lol:

A no from me SB


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## Vsti (Oct 27, 2013)

Love it.


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## lbr1984 (Jun 14, 2017)

andy665 said:


> Love it - so much more appealing than a similarly priced Cayman - great heritage that no one under 40 can begin to understand.
> 
> Getting some fantastic reviews as well


why wouldn't anyone under 40 understand?

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## andy665 (Nov 1, 2005)

lbr1984 said:


> why wouldn't anyone under 40 understand?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Maybe not everyone under 40 but very few people under that age will have any knowledge of Alpine, especially the real glory days


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## GleemSpray (Jan 26, 2014)

andy665 said:


> Lots of people have no understanding or recognition of the Alpine brand. Its not a Renault, like saying Rolls Royce is a BMW. Owned by Renault but a long history in motorsport, responsible for manufacturing a good number of Renaultsport models in their Dieppe facility etc etc
> 
> Cannot be called Alpine in the UK as PSA own the name


 I think that you have kind of defeated your own argument there, Andy. It's like saying that a full-on AMG is not a Mercedes.

I'm in my 50's, with a fair appreciation of motorsport, and all my life it has been Renault Alpine /Alpine Renault in some way. I remember well the various incarnations of the 110 / GTA during my lifetime and they all had a Renault badge attached to them in some way.

This is a fabulously limited edition light - weight special, but it is built with Renault assistance, in a Renault funded facility, using a Renault engine.

I like it from a performance perspective, but still think its fugly.

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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

GleemSpray said:


> This is a fabulously limited edition light - weight special, but it is built with Renault assistance, in a Renault funded facility, using a Renault engine.
> 
> lk


wasn't the original clio williams going to be a limited edition? ... we all know what happened there :lol:


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## insanejim69 (Nov 13, 2011)

enc said:


> wasn't the original clio williams going to be a limited edition? ... we all know what happened there :lol:


The first batch of Clio Williams were limited edition, the phase 2 cars weren't and that shows in used car prices. Early ones go for alot of money where phase 2 cars are around half the price almost.

James.


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

insanejim69 said:


> The first batch of Clio Williams were limited edition, the phase 2 cars weren't and that shows in used car prices. Early ones go for alot of money where phase 2 cars are around half the price almost.
> 
> James.


Yes but there wasn't going to be a phase two etc :thumb:

That was the whole idea of limited edition


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## Derekh929 (Aug 28, 2011)

andy665 said:


> Lots of people have no understanding or recognition of the Alpine brand. Its not a Renault, like saying Rolls Royce is a BMW. Owned by Renault but a long history in motorsport, responsible for manufacturing a good number of Renaultsport models in their Dieppe facility etc etc
> 
> Cannot be called Alpine in the UK as PSA own the name
> 
> ...


This is all very well and I think this will be cracking car but if they can't get the basics right , like expressing interest twice, also meant to be getting email updates and yes no contact at all.

This is a major problem for many including me, I also was very keen on the new Alfa,but three attempts to get info and a fair dealer with little to no idea, I gave up and took the German route.
Some may say follow the sheep and I will agree and loads of German marks have poor dealer network, I maybe need to drop my rose tinted glasses but I want to at least think they want my business not be bothered to respond to me


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## Alan W (May 11, 2006)

Derekh929 said:


> This is a major problem for many including me, I also was very keen on the new Alfa,but three attempts to get info and a fair dealer with little to no idea, I gave up and took the German route.


I registered interest in the 4C as soon as it opened and they started taking details.

I wasn't sure I could spend so much money on an Alfa but thought being registered would provide much pre-launch information and priority treatment/care that might convince me it was worth it.

However, I never heard from Alfa at all, despite providing all the details requested. A poor show and, in hindsight, I'm quite pleased they didn't.

Alan W


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