There are some cars on the forecourt today that you just know will be as exciting to drive as they are to look at. Cars that create their own modern legends whilst referencing a history that is both compelling and equally memorable. And I am forever glad that such cars can still exist in a market place that is becoming ever more homogeneous and unglamorous as the years accelerate us towards a rather more uncertain motoring future. A future that will undoubtedly see some familiar brands end up in the history books rather quicker than we expect. The marque that we’re talking about today is one that can trace it’s routes (sic) back to 1955 and France.
Alpine have always traded on the three principles of lightness, agility and competitive spirit, features that made the original A110 Berlinette such a design classic and features that they we keen to recreate in their all new A110 family. And my word, what a job they’ve done.
The GT tested puts great emphasis on the classic traits of a grand tourer, that of power and comfort. Indeed, the 1798cc mid-engined power plant receives a boost from 252hp up to 300hp bringing the 0-62 time down from a lethargic 4.5s to a much more reasonable 4.2s. And then there is the Active Sport Exhaust System that allows the A110 to growl, hiss and pop at will when playing with the slick 7 speed, Dual clutch automatic gearbox. This is a car that titillates all of your sensations as you revel in the abilities on show.
The comfort offered by Alpine is more than enough to see you heading out of town and down towards the south of France or perhaps Italy as and when the mood takes you as it includes Six-way adjustable comfort seats upholstered in black or brown leather allowing you to set up your driving position for your own individual needs. The cabin itself is beautiful with high quality leather and aluminium throughout, with everything you touch giving a feeling far above and beyond that of a more run of the mill vehicle. Yet the GT still includes everything you would expect to find to make your journey that little bit more comfortable as the miles tick along with an excellent infotainment system including Android AutoTM and Apple CarPlayTM and thanks to the enhanced connectivity, you have instant access to new automatic services such as navigation and system updates over the air, or real-time fuel prices. Excellent.
Out on the Alpine course at Millbrook is where the Alpine A110 GT really comes alive though and you truly start to get a sense of what this mid-engined grand tourer is truly capable of and it’s a feeling that you will want to experience again and again. Sitting low you immediately feel connected to what the car has to offer, the controls becoming an extension of yourself due to the amount of feeling that they can offer. Acceleration is visceral when you truly open the taps and begin to tap into the minimum of what the Alpine can do. It would take a far better driver than me to truly push the performance envelope but what I can access is genuinely phenomenal. Steering that allows you to place the car wherever you want to and a connection between throttle, engine and rear wheel drive that makes the drive quite sublime. And on the two mile high speed bowl the GT is given a chance to really stretch it’s legs recording 100mph in no time at all, all the while being followed by the sound of furious intent through the excellent exhaust.
What a car.