ALPINE A110 II R - 2023

How the A110 R happened — When Alpine revealed the lightweight A110 in 2017, fans loved its purity but the brand’s engineers clearly had one more card to play. In late 2022 they launched the A110 R, a road‑legal, track‑leaning distillation of the recipe: same compact aluminium chassis and 1.8‑litre turbo, but less mass, more aero discipline and a chassis set‑up honed for serious lapping. Built at Alpine’s historic Dieppe plant, the R effectively became the modern line’s flagship until the end of production in the first half of the decade.

What makes it different — Alpine shaved roughly 34 kg versus an A110 S with Aero Pack, bringing the R to around 1,082 kg DIN. The diet is hardcore: full carbon wheels, carbon bonnet and rear deck (the rear window is deleted), a carbon diffuser and swan‑neck rear wing, plus one‑piece Sabelt carbon seats with six‑point harnesses. Springs and anti‑roll bars are stiffer, ride height is dropped 10 mm (with a further −5 mm track setting), and the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres tell you everything about intent. Power remains at 300 PS and 340 Nm through the 7‑speed DCT, but performance jumps thanks to shorter gearing and aero: 0–100 km/h in 3.9 s and 285 km/h flat out. Alpine also claimed the R generates more rear downforce (+29 kg) while trimming drag by about 5% versus an A110 S with Aero Pack.

Competition and character — On paper it stares down the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS/GT4 and Lotus Emira; on road and track it wins hearts with delicacy. No limited‑slip diff and no huge tyres means the chassis stays playful and adjustable on modest speeds. British and French media lauded the steering feel and balance; some noted the price premium but few doubted its focus. In group tests it routinely punched above its power, its lightness defining the experience.

Impact and curios — The A110 R reinforced Alpine’s brand ethos—lightness over brute force—just as Alpine’s Formula 1 presence raised its profile. A neat crossover was the Fernando Alonso Edition (32 cars worldwide), finished in Racing Matte Blue with black carbon, a numbered plaque and specific chassis settings—a nod to the double F1 champion who raced for Alpine in 2021–22. Another curiosity: among sub‑supercar machines, the A110 R is one of the very few to wear full carbon wheels as standard equipment. And yes, that rear deck’s lack of a window means you don’t see the engine at all—pure function over theatre.

Reception and legacy — Period reviews from titles like evo, Autocar and Car magazine described it as the most intense modern Alpine, an “A110 turned up to 11” without losing the civility that makes the platform usable on real roads. As the petrol A110 era winds down, the R stands as the sharpest expression of the reborn brand’s philosophy—an enthusiast’s car that proves grams matter more than gimmicks.