Alpine A110 test: light and very sporty | TopGear.com

WHAT ELSE DO I NEED TO KNOW FIRST?

The engine is mounted behind the seats and drives the rear wheels through a seven-speed Getrag dual-clutch gearbox, perhaps the only thing about the car that isn't the lightest possible option. "We've tried to follow Colin Chapman's principle, which is still valid, so if we have low mass we can have moderate power, so we don't need super wide tires or big heavy brakes etc," says the leader. Alpine coach Thierry Annequin. "We've gone through every gram everywhere on every component and every system to achieve this weight."

Everywhere you look, you see this attention to detail. Look at the rear wheel: there is no secondary brake caliper for the electric parking brake (EPB), it is integrated into the primary brake. That saves 2.5kg. And getting Brembo to integrate its software into the Bosch ECU instead of bolting on a separate control unit and wiring has saved another pound. And the brackets that hold the EPB cables are also aluminum, "this is unusual," says Annequin, "but save seven grams here, 12 grams there and it adds up."

The Sabelt seat weighs just 13.1kg, half the weight of the Recaro seat in the current Megane RS; integrating the ball joint into the upper control arm instead of putting it in a separate housing saves 300g per corner. So it goes on. The message from Alpine, which has built its first car since the last A610 rolled out the doors of Dieppe 22 years ago, is that light weight matters. Jean Redele, the man who founded Alpine in 1955 and named it after the kind of driving he wanted its cars to excel at, would be proud.

WHAT IS THE VERDICT?

"A great car, a true example of lightness and something pleasantly different to drive." The Alpine A110 does things differently. Whether that makes it better or worse than a Porsche Cayman depends on your priorities and perspective. But fundamentally it is a fantastic car, a true example of lightweight that makes you question the claims of almost every company that they make lightweight cars.

Tackling rough roads with unflappable balance and agility, it's a non-threatening sports car that proves you can reverse the trend towards bigger wheels, bigger brakes, more power and more weight and still have something capable and exciting. There is not much that flows through the country with so little effort and so little energy expended.

Will it be a success? I sincerely hope so, but on top of that I hope it will be influential, showing other brands that nothing has changed and that saving weight is still important and can be achieved. As we embark on the age of electric cars with their heavy batteries, that seems curiously important.

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO DRIVE?

The Alpine's weight defines the entire riding experience. Overall, this is good news, but there are downsides to driving a lightweight car that still wants to be comfortable and easy enough for everyday use. In other words, not as tough as a Lotus or as committed as an Alfa 4C.

Let's start with the drawbacks, as there are some interesting points here. Because it is light, noises are heard. It is noticeable on highways, not just from crosswinds, but from the surface itself. A car that weighs only 1,100kg and has most of it in the rear (weight distribution is 44:56), dances a bit in truck ruts (it's tight, don't forget) and occasionally needs a helping hand. drive it on a windy day.

The engine isn't particularly charismatic either. It starts in Normal mode, the A110's greenest setting, so early upshifts and an easy exhaust note are the theme. Switch to Sport (or Track, which is generally the same thing but loosens up the stability control even more) and the 1.8-liter turbo four-cylinder will show you a much more defined personality.

It's shared with the new Renault Sport Mégane (albeit with its own specific air intake, turbo, exhaust system and engine tuning), and because it doesn't have much weight to shift, there's surprising acceleration. Normal can be a bit slow, but once in a sportier mode and using higher revs, the 1.8 is much more enthusiastic and encouraging. It also avoids the trap the four-cylinder Porsche Cayman has fallen into by mistaking volume for character. There is enough noise without it being intrusive or unpleasant. The A110S ups all of this, a little more speed and a lot more intensity at high revs.

It also doesn't fall into the same trap as the Audi TT and confuse grip with handling. The Alpine (pronounce it Al-peen, not Al-pine, it's French after all) is a car that treads lighter than its German opposition, and pushes back against current trends. You'll search in vain for an adaptive sleep button, for example. Underneath, it uses double-wishbone suspension at both ends due to the greater camber angle control it offers as the wheel moves through its vertical range. The more upright the wheel is held, the better the contact patch on the road. Double wishbones are not easy to pack when you have a transverse engine and want to stay compact.

NOW I AM INTERESTED, TELL ME MORE

Do yourself a favor and switch straight from Normal once you get going. I didn't, and for a few miles I wondered what all the fuss was about as the seven-speed transmission kicked up gear and throttle response turned timid. The only thing that surprised me was the economy. Even taking it out on the super twisty roads of the Monte Carlo rally failed to reduce overall economy. Still, if you were to buy one, once the initial excitement wears off, I guarantee you'll come to admire its efficiency (and probably leave it in Normal mode, too).

Sport sharpens the engine and gearbox, steering, stability, exhaust, and even the dash display. It's where the Alpine A110 shows its true colors. It flows beautifully. This is a sports car done differently. He's not tough, tough, aggressive, or intimidating. Instead, it's just wonderfully fluid. No matter how uncomfortable the road surface, the Alpine, with little weight to compress its soft springs, slides through ruts and potholes. Ride quality and control are fascinating, like a Lotus, but with longer suspension travel and greater refinement.

Upgrading to the A110S brings extra stamina and a firmer setup. It still won't scramble on rough roads, but it will shake you up a bit more at low speeds and body roll will be kept to a minimum. It's worth trying both in a row before committing, if possible; the standard model is judged so beautifully as a road car, that the markup is probably unnecessary. But if you ever hit the track, you'll appreciate the S's greater focus and sharper precision.

Is it a pity that there is no manual gearbox? Not totally. The dual-clutch is much better here than in the Mégane, but it's not the quickest shifter: upshifts are fine, but downshifts are occasionally delayed and feel too soft. It's worth mentioning that the ratios are well-spaced and not too long (are you listening, Porsche?), so you can rev a good handful of them to modest speeds. Live!

AS IT IS INSIDE?

The first is the first. The A110 is small. At less than 4.2 meters long and 1.8 meters wide, it's a strict and not-so-practical two-seater. Like a Cayman, it has a boot at the front and rear, but the 100-litre front is shallow (it might fit a couple of airline carry-ons side by side) and the 96-litre rear , accessed via a flip-top container-sized lid, isn't going to carry golf clubs (that can be a good thing).

It's not small on the inside though, because Alpine's managing director is quite tall, and when the A110 was being developed, Michael van der Sande made sure it could fit. Design-wise, the cabin comes close to being as attractive as the Cayman or TT. The design is lovely, bringing the 'base spec' A110 Pure down, but only slightly, in quality and materials. They're not bad, but the infotainment screen is poor with graphics that should be more vivid. The touchscreen system is shared with the Suzuki Jimny, which perhaps makes the prices, which range from the late 40s to late 50s, seem a bit steep.

But as a driving car, the interior of the A110 is correct. Fixed Sabelt seats (optional on A110, standard on S) don't just look great, they're superbly shaped. You sit crouched down and rear visibility through the narrow slot isn't great. But because the car is small, the driving position is good, the controls close and precise, you're confident on tight roads.

The center console bridge features a recess for your phone, as well as the gear shift buttons and USB socket, there's low-level storage (not as easy to access over the side of the seat, of course), plus of a reinforcement plate for the passenger.

WHAT SHOULD I PAY?

The first batch of cars from 1955 (that's the year Alpine was founded) were the Premiere Editions, priced at £51,805. They came only in blue, black, or white, with 18-inch Fuchs forged aluminum wheels, an active sports exhaust, a Focal audio system (that's awesome), padded leather seats, and a plaque on the console.

Since then, cheaper versions have followed, with the Pure being the cheapest way to get into an A110, at €60,700 budget. Take a look at the 22 different optional historic paint colors, you'll immediately want something like Heather Pink, Garden Green or Saffron Yellow. Are you worried about fuel economy and CO2? Against those two, the A110 makes a compelling proposition. The Cayman (168g/km CO2) and the TTS (159g/km) are well above the 138g/km that the A110 achieves.

It's a car that will turn some buyers on and turn off others just as effectively. To some it won't wear the right badge or convey the right impression, others will reject it because the power and torque figures seem modest. They just don't get it and they never will. My advice? Make sure what you want is what the Alpine offers, and not just an offer to own something other than a TT or Cayman. Some potential homeowners will find a lack of space a problem, but I honestly think that's the only problem they'll have.