MEET THE FOURTH AND MOST aggressive member of the Alpine A110 SPORTINGLY family: the A110 R. Conceived at the firm's Les Ulis technical centre near Paris, formerly the home of Renault Sport, it's a full production model, not a limited-edition 'special".
As both the name and look of the car suggest, the R is about increasing performance, particularly on track. To this end it is lighter, with a significantly revised chassis and extra aerodynamic capability too. It is not, however, any more powerful, matching the A110 S at 296bhp, essentially because the seven-speed twin-clutch gearbox is at the limit of its endurance already. Nevertheless, the Ris comfortably the fastest A110 so far, with 0-62mph achieved in just 3.9sec (0.3sec sooner than the S) and a top speed of 177mph (up 6mph).
The R's headline weight figure is 1082kg, some 34kg lighter than the S (when the latter is equipped with the Aero Kit but without the carbon roof option) and a standout achievement in a class that sees nothing wrong with a track car weighing one and a half tons. The weight loss has been achieved through a variety of measures, including the use of carbonfibre for the bonnet, roof and rear screen panel, the last of which replaces the regular car's glass window. The small vertical pane of glass that usually separates the cockpit from the engine bay has gone too, replaced by an aluminium panel that saves a further 1.5kg. Consequently there is no rearview mirror because there's nothing to see anyway.
This story is from the December 2022 edition of Evo UK.
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This story is from the December 2022 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
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