ALPINE A110 R

Surprisingly serious A110 has giant-killing track pace, but does it shine on a B-road?

- ILLYA VERPRAET

 

As night follows day, GT3 follows Porsche 911 and CS follows BMW M3. As great as those standard cars are, it makes sense that there's also a focused, track-honed version with more aero, carbonfibre panels and sticky tyres for those who want to go chasing lap times. It helps that in the case of the 911 GT3, you get a really special engine thrown in.

For the Alpine A110, that kind of progression isn't as obvious, because it's almost an anti-track car. With its relatively soft suspension, compact dimensions, light weight and fairly modest power output, it's a car ostensibly and singularly designed to have fun on the road.

That it will actually entertain you on a track day seems by the by.

The result is that the R makeover sits a little uneasily - literally in the case of the visible additions.

The carbonfibre bits aren't quite as natural a fit as they are on, say, the 911. They're hard to miss, too, as they include not only a bonnet, a diffuser, various skirts, winglets and a swan-neck rear spoiler but also the wheels and, most contentiously of all, a carbonfibre rear 'windscreen'. Carbonfibre not being known for its transparent properties, this means you can't see out the back of the A110 R.

It all adds up to an extra 29kg of downforce at top speed, and together with the surprisingly comfy carbon fibre-shell Sabelt seats inside, these measures reduce the weight by 34kg over the A110 S.