ROMA – The golden balance between lightness, design and power offered by the Alpine A110S – version modern classic of the car that dominated the Criterium des Alpes race in 1954 and then the Rally World Championship in 1973 – ensures increasingly rare sensations in the contemporary automotive scene through a pure, precise and unfiltered driving experience.
With two dry seats, advanced aerodynamics and just 1,114 kilos of weight driven by 292 horsepower sent to the rear wheels only by the 1.8 turbo petrol, the new Alpine A110S updates the already optimal technical setting of the origins, enriching it with useful modern technologies and tributes to its heritage from more perspectives. The memories of the triumphs at the Col de Turrini – epic stage of the Monte Carlo rally in which the French sportswoman wrote fundamental chapters of her fairy tale – emerge strong and clear in the stylistic choices, in the sensational behavior under stress of the “berlinetta” and in the general trim and controls point.
Alpine A110S
The most direct way to reach the idyll with the Alpine comes, omen name, on the mountain roads and along the provincial road that leads to the highest peak in Lazio, the exuberant transalpine rear-wheel drive two-seater has demonstrated the dynamic properties of a true sports car and for true enthusiasts. After about sixty kilometers of road starting from the center of Rome – an enemy context for rigid structures such as that of the Alpine – and the boring stretch of consular at constant speed, the spectacular uphill curves towards the Terminillo plateau emphasis on the performance qualities that characterize history and purpose of the model. Net of the valuable aesthetic presence, the Alpine is a car for true connoisseurs of driving and with very few rivals (first of all Toyota Supra and Porsche Cayman). The model shines with its own light in terms of design, handling, sounds, handling and when the route requires commitment and concentration, the pleasure of steering, gearbox (a seven-speed double clutch with paddles on the steering wheel) and pedals increases exponentially with every gesture. , draw, braking or accelerating.
The salient features of the Alpine experience are primarily to be found in its proverbial ability to establish a symbiotic relationship with the driver. The passenger compartment – cared for with attention even if a little narrow for the taller ones and with few storage compartments – is oriented towards the maximum connection between man and machine obtained by enveloping sports seats, countless racing details and an optimal driving position. Becoming familiar with the vehicle and understanding its reactions, thus becomes a practice for a few kilometers because even in maneuvers close to the limit, the low center of gravity increases stability and mechanical grip, the perfectly calibrated steering requires very few corrections and the suspensions copy every undulations of the asphalt conveying further mastery to the action. The sum of the elements rallystici (therefore calibrated on maximum road performance) combined with the commendable lightness of the Alpine, converge towards an agility of rotation in curves and hairpin bends difficult to find elsewhere. The same reasoning concerns the movements of pure blood sports in which the rear wheels are called to manage 292 horses and 320nm of torque. Good numbers for a 0 -100 in 4.4 seconds and 260 times of maximum speed and some of the reasons why the high-speed dance of the Alpine A110S (price from 68,800 euros) – recognizable by the flags on the carbon fiber rear pillars, roof in carbon, orange and black lettering on the rear, orange brake calipers and dark-finish “GT Race” wheels – imposes mastery and caution. Especially when the edges of the carriageway are bounded by snow and ice and the mapping is in Sport. The latter, however, is one of the few modern concessions to driving dynamics together with traction control that can be completely deactivated.
However, if the surface is slippery, it is advisable to confine the TC Off operation to the runway. The rear of the Alpine can be extremely stomping and although the grip limit remains high, it is advisable to investigate the management of oversteer between the curbs. As mentioned, the Alpine is conceived and prepared to excel in the changing conditions of the road asphalt, but over the course of the approximately ten laps carried out on the Vallelunga track, fun and involvement reached new heights. The forty horsepower of the A110S more than the 252hp Alpine “base” can all be felt and the passive suspension with new coil springs is 50 percent stiffer for the benefit of responsiveness and precision. The S version of the Alpine A110 can also count on an even lighter and stiffer stabilizer bar and specific compound Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tires. The ground clearance was finally reduced by 4 mm and the many screens dedicated to telemetry that can be consulted from the touch screen (which includes navigation, smartphone support, integrated digital functions) allow you to monitor lap times, g-force and many other relevant parameters. to the exciting performances of an original, fun and stylistically fascinating model.
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