So we know what the deal is with the Alpine A110. Though it has not arrived in local showrooms yet, the car’s spec sheet and approximate price have. Just as well, things are looking very positive on the verdict of its drive, with nearly all given early access to the compact mid-engine coupe left rather effusive.
Production versions kicked off with the exclusive Premiere Editions, and predictably priced that much higher than than what a standard version would cost. Not content to stop there, Alpine has announced a new pair of A110 variations called the Pure (go figure) and the Légende, both of which will be making an appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in a few days.
The former variant is easy enough to explain. ‘Pure’ refers to it being the more focused, prioritising lightness over luxury and its associated costs. There will be fewer toys and perhaps even some items being left off the list price as optional extras, with one of them perhaps being a limited slip differential and adaptive dampers.
Soon onward, it would appear that the Légende will sit at the top of the A110 range, offering a package that crams as many toys and niceties as standard. As such, it’s expected that said variant will be measurably heavier than the Pure and standard car, though given Alpine’s philosophy this is unlikely to cause all that much difference to the car’s inherent dynamism.
Also unlikely are any changes to the powertrain. Expect every A110 to be powered by the same 1.8-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol that’s found in the upcoming Megane RS. Mounted longitudinally amidship, this unit punches out 188kW and 320Nm - about 17kW and 70Nm less than the Renault hot hatch - to the rear wheels and mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
That said, since we already know that the fiery turbo-four in the Megane RS tune is capable of delivering more oomph, we do wonder just how much more Alpine will choose to extract from it when the time comes to unveil their lighter, faster, and more hardcore A110 Sport.
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