Alpine is now regarded as a sporty brand, capable of competing with Porsche’s. The range has received a well deserved update. The entry model to the A110 range has been renamed simply as the A110. Its agility and acceleration are unparalleled thanks to a combination of a lightweight and balanced chassis.
Its mass has been optimally spread out – 44 per cent at the front, 56 per cent at the rear with the engine in a central-back position – and it is lighter at 1,102kg unladen. It comes with the Alpine chassis and Sport seats, and its communicative dynamics and efficiency in all circumstances provide uncompromised driving pleasure.
To maximise driving pleasure, each version of the Alpine A110 comes with three driver-selectable modes: Normal, Sport and Track.
Normal mode is geared more towards comfort, while Sport mode is optimised for more dynamic driving and gear shifting – including the capability of shifting gears down and increasing engine revs (for the kind of smart boost you get from double clutching) between shifting up through the transmission.
The throttle and engine response, power steering’s sensitivity, gear-shifting rules, and exhaust valve activation all change according to the mode the driver selects. This also applies to the ESC system, which can also be deactivated at the touch of a button.
The New A110 GT and New A110 S engine’s calibration has been improved to push maximum power to 300hp at higher engine speeds (6,300rpm), add 20Nm (340Nm torque as low as 2,400rpm) and reach the enhanced top speed in seventh gear, while the automatic gearbox is also engineered to boost performance.
Another all-new feature is found when initialising the Launch Control procedure, with one of the cylinders temporarily disabled to produce a more engaging engine note.
Alpine is fitting its new A110 range with a new multimedia system including a seven-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth connectivity and two USB outlets. It is smartphone-inspired, intuitive with customisable widgets, and compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
The controls behind the steering wheel activate voice recognition so that you can control your smartphone’s operating system or run Google Online Search for addresses. The onboard navigation system provides a wealth of information in real time, including traffic updates and upcoming service stations including fuel prices.
The Alpine Telematics menu (standard on the New A110 S) includes real-time readings or bar charts displaying key metrics such as turbo pressure, gearbox temperature, torque, power, steering wheel angle and acceleration, while the built-in chronograph keeps track of performance on circuits.
The Alpine multimedia system is available, depending on the version, with a standard audio system, Focal audio system (two speakers + two tweeters) and Focal Premium audio system (two speakers + two tweeters + one subwoofer).
The new Alpine multimedia system is compatible with FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) remote updates. This connectivity ensures the system is always operating in as up-to-date format as possible and will make it possible to add a Wi-Fi connection in the near future.
