Alpine A110s

Living with the Alpine A110s

Review by Jacob Lerklint

I’ve spent quite a bit of time in the regular Alpine A110, and it quickly became one of my favorite cars. Its refreshing way of being lighter than its competitors, not compromising the ride quality by making it too stiff shows you that lightness and a softer spring rate is the way forward if you like both fun and usability in a car. When Alpine announced that they were going to make an “S” version I immediately began to worry that they would ruin the concept that made the regular A110 so good.

Now that it’s finally here, what’s the difference between the regular A110 and the A110S? Well, first of all it’s quite a bit more expensive, however you do get more standard equipment, including the bigger optional brakes in the normal A110. The significant news are the 4mm lower ride height, 10mm wider tires, front and rear, 50% stiffer springs, 100% stiffer anti rollbars. The boost is also increased by 0.4 bar which equals to a 40hp increase.

First thing you’ll notice driving the A110S is the quicker turn in thanks to the slightly wider tires, it’s not a game changer but it definitely feels more serious. The increase in power is not immediately noticeable, you’ll need to use higher revs to feel it. I thought it would make a bigger difference as 40hp is somewhat a big leap up percentage wise. It’s still really quick, we managed a 4.28sec 0-100kmh using the very effective launch control. The grip level of the A110S is superb, it’s so easy to drive it fast through bends and still feel safe doing it. The DCT gearbox works like a charm, just like in the regular A110. Never makes me feel like I need a manual transmission mated to it.

Now, let's talk about the most important change with the A110S, the stiffer ride. Has it ruined it? No, most definitely not. Yes it’s distinguishable, it doesn’t ride over bumps and uneven roads quite as nice as the regular A110 but it makes the A110S more focused and slightly more of a serious car. That won’t suit everyone, especially if you do longer road trips on imperfect roads. Being a more dedicated car it kinda takes some of the fun out of the standard version, the rear won’t step out as easy. However, if you plan to take your A110s to the track more than once, the stiffer suspension is a nice welcome. Noise, the sports exhaust is standard on the S, it has a nice tone to it but being the sportier version I think they could’ve done something more with it. One of the many pros of being lightweight is the impressive fuel efficiency, we managed a 6.0l/100km on the highway.

So, is the hefty premium for the Alpine A110S worth it compared to a Pure specced A110? Well, for me the concept of the regular one is a winning recipe, you get a fun, quick, rwd, lightweight, quirky all aluminum midship sportscar without it being uncomfortable. The S is a great car but its harsher suspension and the higher price tag makes the regular one an even better bargain. Conclusion, buy the S if you track your car on a regular basis, invest in the Pure version if you want one of the best sport cars on the market.