New Alpine A110 R range-topper gets motorsport aerodynamics and reduced weight
Most track-focused version yet
Alpine has unveiled the A110 R, a car that takes the already-featherweight A110 and strips out further kilos but also reduces aerodynamic drag and adds downforce to result in the most track-focused version of the sports coupé yet.
The A110 R is leaner and meaner-looking than its A110 S sibling, with a lower ride height and visual changes that see the carbon-fibre roof panel left exposed, a new bonnet (in contrasting black), new rear window and diffuser, as well as more aero-efficient mounts on the rear wing.
Drag has been reduced by 5% overall (slightly increasing the top speed to 177mph) with rear-end downforce up by 29%, which Alpine says makes the A110 R feel more planted under cornering.
That rear diffuser is made from carbon fibre and fibreglass and its construction and design further help bring down the A110 R’s weight, as well as reducing aerodynamic turbulence and improving the flow of air underneath the car — something also aided by the new, larger side skirts.
Although the rear spoiler is of the same design as that found on the A110 S, its positioning on the mounts, shallower incline and more rearward position all improve performance.
The use of carbon fibre for the bonnet, wheels, rear ‘window’ and seats has reduced the overall mass to 1,082kg, some 34kg less than the A110 S, with the new wheels alone counting for 12.5kg of that weight-saving.
Inside, the Sabelt bucket seats, equipped with six-point harnesses, are 5kg lighter than those in the A110 S and, like the rest of the interior, are clad in sporty-looking microfibre upholstery, while red straps rather than handles serve as the interior door pulls.
The A110 R remains powered by a 296bhp 1.8-litre four-cylinder turbocharged engine that sends its power to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. That engine and the engineering work that has gone into lightening and streamlining the A110 R mean that the fastest road-going version of the Alpine A110 so far can propel itself from 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds.
That 0-62 dash will likely sound more urgent than the same sprint in the A110 S, too, due to the removal of some interior soundproofing, a redesigned exhaust system that has a new double-wall design and the deletion of the exhaust valve for a louder, more resonant tone.
Allowing drivers to better exploit the uprated performance is an uprated chassis and suspension.
The adjustable shock absorbers can be lowered by an additional 10mm for track use compared to the car’s standard ride height, the anti-roll bars are 10% stiffer up front and 25% stiffer at the rear compared to the A110 S, and the springs are 10% stiffer front and rear.
Meanwhile the A110 R comes as standard with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres, which are suitable for both road and track use.
A new set of meaty Brembo brakes gives the A110 R its stopping power, with a cooling system devised to better channel air towards the brake discs to reduce fade under heavy use.
Orders for the Alpine A110 R open later in October and, though pricing has yet to be announced, given its position relative to the A110 S expect something north of £70,000.
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