Australian fans of niche French car-maker Alpine won’t be able to buy the track-focused A110 R, after the A110 range was axed last year due to failing to meet new safety regulations.
The 2023 Alpine A110 R has been revealed as what’s likely to be the Renault-owned sports car maker’s final petrol-powered sports car, before the company turns its attention to electric cars.
French car-maker Alpine has fitted what could be the last iteration of its petrol-powered A110 with an assortment of track-focused parts, but Australian customers will miss out on the sports car.
After arriving in Australia in 2018, the Alpine A110 was withdrawn from local showrooms in November 2021, as the sports car was unable to meet more stringent side-impact crash protection regulations, known as ADR 85.
As previously reported, Alpine plans to return to Australia in the future, with the company taking over from Renault Sport as Renault’s performance car off-shoot – but with electric power.
The Alpine A110 R’s upgrades start with its 18-inch carbon-fibre wheels, wrapped in Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 track tyres – reducing the car’s weight by 12.5kg.
It’s unclear if the new wheels were produced by carbon-fibre specialist Carbon Revolution in Victoria, which has supplied high-end carbon wheels for Ford, General Motors and Renault, for its Megane RS Trophy-R hot hatch in 2019.
A carbon fibre bonnet with dual intakes has saved an additional 2.9kg and aided the A110 R’s cooling capabilities, channelling more air towards the radiator.
The rear glass window has been replaced with a carbon fibre panel, fitted with two ducts which act as ventilation for the mid-mounted engine.
According to Alpine, this is the first variant in the A110’s five-year production run fitted with a completely new rear wing and diffuser, complemented by a front splitter and side skirts to generate downforce.
The Alpine A110 R is equipped with adjustable springs and dampers, stiffer front and rear anti-roll bars, and 320mm brake discs behind all four wheels.
Interior enhancements include a pair of carbon-fibre monocoque seats – shaving a further 5kg from the car’s weight – and six-point racing harnesses.
Changes made to the Alpine A110 R have resulted in 34kg being trimmed from the A110 S variant’s 1116kg kerb weight, now tipping the scales at 1082kg.
The Alpine A110’s turbocharged 1.8-litre four-cylinder Renault engine is unchanged, developing 221kW and 340Nm – delivered to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Alpine claims the A110 R can accelerate from zero to 100km/h in 3.9 seconds, achieving a top speed of 285km/h.
In France, order books for the Alpine A110 R are due to open in November, although pricing for the flagship sports car is yet to be confirmed.
The existing Alpine A110 range is priced from €59,900 ($AU92,000) to €71,500 ($AU110,000) in France, depending on which variant is purchased.
In Australia, the Alpine A110 was priced from $100,372 to $144,372 plus on-road costs before it was taken off sale at the end of October 2021.
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