Fiat Coupe Club UK

Alpine A110

Posted By: clanger

Alpine A110 - 31/05/2019 15:24

Took a visit to a motor museum near us yesterday and saw 2 of these up close. Both in met blue and the top spec, one in the museum next to all the other old Alpines and one in the car park. No camera with me (I've been a few times before) so used this stock google image.

I was not all that struck by the pictures in the press but up close I really liked it (apart from the wheels) and especially the ethos behind it - small and light weight at just over 1000 kgs and a relatively modest 250 bhp. Bucks the trend of 500hp, 1.8 ton "land barges". Some good reviews too. Maybe in 20 years time... there again first initial run of 1950 units all ready sold and already a collectors model not to mention a 55k price tag, perhaps not.

Attached picture AlpineA110.jpg
Posted By: pinin_prestatyn

Re: Alpine A110 - 31/05/2019 17:43

I like it! I was racing the one on the right last night, sadly on Forza!
Posted By: magooagain

Re: Alpine A110 - 31/05/2019 20:36

I've been up close to both models and love them both. The modern one,for me,needs more power.
Posted By: Submariner

Re: Alpine A110 - 31/05/2019 21:40

There's one near me, been behind it a few times on the twisties, very nice nimble car, nice in the blue not but in the white, prefer the older model for looks. Weight is debatable some reviews have it up to around 1130kg still 'light' and good performance apparently, but to me possibly jaded by having a paddle shifted box, prefer an old fashioned manual in a sports car. The horrid 'false' pops and bangs from paddle shift VAGs are not my cuppa either.
Posted By: Mark_S

Re: Alpine A110 - 01/06/2019 09:57

Agree entirely, won't ever purchase an auto sports car and also hate VAG pops & bangs and the idea of engine noise through speakers.
Aline would have been an interesting option with a manual transmission
Posted By: MeanRedSpider

Re: Alpine A110 - 01/06/2019 10:55

I’d definitely look hard at one of these if I was in the market. Not having a Porsche badge on it is a good start.

I couldn’t agree more about the absurd power in stupidly heavy cars. There’s absolutely nowhere to use it. We’ve lost all sense. Paddle shift doesn’t bother me either: provided I’m choosing the gear and when it’s selected, a 100 year old way of selecting the cogs isn’t something I need.
Posted By: Barmybob

Re: Alpine A110 - 03/06/2019 20:04

I did take one of these for a test drive. It all sounds perfect, a small light well balanced car that should be an epic buy and it looks fantastic too.

Unfortunately, for the purists here, the car does have a poopy bangy engine / exhaust. The engine sounds ok, to me but I do think the little Abarth 124 sounds better. The gear changes in the Alpine were horrible, I actually thought there was something wrong with the car! I am used to the snappy DSG changes and the little Renault feels like the clutch packs are slipping a bit, it feels odd. The real positive parts of the car were access, it's far easier to get in and out of than an Elise, and the handling. The car was so nimble on the little B roads I tested it on and you could be forgiven for thinking you were in a Lotus, just one with a horribly high seating position. The boot and storage space is terrible too, even worse than a Lotus.

But if you want a weekend car or track day toy then this is a great little car. Weighing in at 1100kg it is like a little go kart and is so much fun to drive. But, for me, the impracticality and the fact it is cheaply finished, put me off.

The 1300kg Fiat Coupé offered much more in the way of a tiny GT car and the 1450kg the TTRS is, for me, the perfect Coupé replacement.

Posted By: MeanRedSpider

Re: Alpine A110 - 03/06/2019 20:27

That’s disappointing to hear about the gear change, the poppy/bangy malarkey and the high seating position. It’s making the Alfa 4C sound good (apart from the Alfa’s terminal power-on understeer).
Posted By: Submariner

Re: Alpine A110 - 03/06/2019 20:51

Originally Posted by MeanRedSpider
That’s disappointing to hear about the gear change, the poppy/bangy malarkey and the high seating position. It’s making the Alfa 4C sound good (apart from the Alfa’s terminal power-on understeer).


It must be bad......I found the 4C absolutely awful, on/off non-linear power delivery, jumpy (literally) and twitchy handling on anything but smooth carriageway: B roads were almost undriveable, the steering wheel was being wrenched out of my hands and I did not feel 'connected' to where the car was even going to go,,,,,beautiful to look at but flawed and I like cars with foibles, oh and had the pops and bangs 'programmed' in as well.
Posted By: MeanRedSpider

Re: Alpine A110 - 04/06/2019 16:06

I’ve got to be honest, I lost interest in the 4C after the first roundabout....
Posted By: Gripped

Re: Alpine A110 - 04/06/2019 16:41

So glad to hear that the Fiat Coupe still seems to tick most of the boxes against modern competition !
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