I test drove an Alpine today
Discussion
I've been getting interested in buying an Alpine for a few weeks, the current 0% PCP offers on GT and S models or 2.9% on the base model make them quite affordable, at least to my Man Maths!
As a current Boxster owner the lesser storage, both boots and within the cabin, seems a bit severe and to not even have a cupholder is bizarre although I've seen on another thread there are solutions to this.
So I test drove a GT demonstrator from my local dealer, a good route on local roads that I know well and have driven many times in other cars.
The Alpine sounded good in Sport, as good as a 4 cylinder turbo can I guess, although it can't match a flat six Porsche or a V6 or V8.
I was expecting to be blown away by it's straight line speed, 0-60 in 4.2 secs is way ahead of anything else I have owned and it was quick but not "OMG I can't believe this is legal quick" if you know what I mean. I have owned a couple of 300hp hot hatches which from memory seemed similar.
The ride comfort was great, well ahead of my Boxster and previous hot hatches, and allowed me to maintain good speed over the usual bumpy local roads.
The other side of the soft ride was when accelerating hard through a couple of sweeping corners it was as if the rear of the car squatted down and the front went a bit light and floaty to the extent it felt a bit insecure, it is more powerful than my Boxster but that feels more stable in similar situations.
Possibly an Alpine S would solve this.
Maybe the above sounds a bit negative but I love a lot of things about the Alpine, the rarity, the image, the sensible running costs and the 3 year warranty if I buy a new one.
So I'm putting the Boxster up for sale and giving myself a couple of weeks to reflect before committing.
One question - is there much of an owners club scene?
If I buy an Alpine I would love to get involved in drive outs, meetings etc
As a current Boxster owner the lesser storage, both boots and within the cabin, seems a bit severe and to not even have a cupholder is bizarre although I've seen on another thread there are solutions to this.
So I test drove a GT demonstrator from my local dealer, a good route on local roads that I know well and have driven many times in other cars.
The Alpine sounded good in Sport, as good as a 4 cylinder turbo can I guess, although it can't match a flat six Porsche or a V6 or V8.
I was expecting to be blown away by it's straight line speed, 0-60 in 4.2 secs is way ahead of anything else I have owned and it was quick but not "OMG I can't believe this is legal quick" if you know what I mean. I have owned a couple of 300hp hot hatches which from memory seemed similar.
The ride comfort was great, well ahead of my Boxster and previous hot hatches, and allowed me to maintain good speed over the usual bumpy local roads.
The other side of the soft ride was when accelerating hard through a couple of sweeping corners it was as if the rear of the car squatted down and the front went a bit light and floaty to the extent it felt a bit insecure, it is more powerful than my Boxster but that feels more stable in similar situations.
Possibly an Alpine S would solve this.
Maybe the above sounds a bit negative but I love a lot of things about the Alpine, the rarity, the image, the sensible running costs and the 3 year warranty if I buy a new one.
So I'm putting the Boxster up for sale and giving myself a couple of weeks to reflect before committing.
One question - is there much of an owners club scene?
If I buy an Alpine I would love to get involved in drive outs, meetings etc
F/Book page for owners, plenty of meets on there.
I went to the Peak District one which was 3hrs drive each way for me!
As has been said by others the Alpine sits between the Cayman (not so plush albeit not so lardy) and Caterhams etc (not so extreme albeit good as not such a faff every drive out).
TX.
PS there is track mode too which sits above sport mode.
I went to the Peak District one which was 3hrs drive each way for me!
As has been said by others the Alpine sits between the Cayman (not so plush albeit not so lardy) and Caterhams etc (not so extreme albeit good as not such a faff every drive out).
TX.
PS there is track mode too which sits above sport mode.
Edited by Terminator X on Friday 2nd February 01:06
The Alpine is not about straight line speed. It’s about usable agility and performance on real, narrow and bumpy, roads. The suspension combined with its relatively lightweight philosophy, combined with usable comfort make it utterly special, and unique.
It’s also well discussed on these pages that the suspension geometry out of the factory is not necessarily the best, nor necessarily that consistent - because, umm French!
Consequently, many owners have had the car set to Life110 geometry, of which there are a couple of options. Personally I’ve had the Sports Road settings applied and it makes a big difference to basic stability and overall feel.
The A110 scene does exist, but remember you’re likely to go weeks (or months) without seeing another on the road, so it’s not going to be like Porsche with any number of local owner’s groups. However, you’ll likely find yourself plenty of folk to speak to about the car - it draws a lot of positive attention.
FWIW my previous sports car was a rather lovely 987.2S Cayman. I sold it as I felt it was somewhat pointless on real roads with real driving licence losing potential. I actually decided to just do track days instead. One of these track days was at Thruxton in an Alpine. Within months I was placing a deposit for my A110 (base model - don’t overlook this option) at Winchester. I couldn’t be happier, and hope to keep it until it’s a family classic heirloom!
It’s also well discussed on these pages that the suspension geometry out of the factory is not necessarily the best, nor necessarily that consistent - because, umm French!
Consequently, many owners have had the car set to Life110 geometry, of which there are a couple of options. Personally I’ve had the Sports Road settings applied and it makes a big difference to basic stability and overall feel.
The A110 scene does exist, but remember you’re likely to go weeks (or months) without seeing another on the road, so it’s not going to be like Porsche with any number of local owner’s groups. However, you’ll likely find yourself plenty of folk to speak to about the car - it draws a lot of positive attention.
FWIW my previous sports car was a rather lovely 987.2S Cayman. I sold it as I felt it was somewhat pointless on real roads with real driving licence losing potential. I actually decided to just do track days instead. One of these track days was at Thruxton in an Alpine. Within months I was placing a deposit for my A110 (base model - don’t overlook this option) at Winchester. I couldn’t be happier, and hope to keep it until it’s a family classic heirloom!
One of the reviews said something along the lines of 'you need to adopt Alpine's lightweight philosophy', so if you can grin at the prospect of no cupholders, door pockets or ashtray then you've passed the first hurdle. Performance, ride etc are more personal, perhaps, with the different models providing options on this. We've been away in the car several times and have now booked a road trip from Bilbao back to the UK for May, including accommodation with a washing machine halfway! We smiled when doing so, realising that it's all part of the lightweight lifestyle...
Miserablegit said:
I wouldn’t try too hard to like the car. It should be an instant hit rather than a laboured enthusiasm.
Try an S and if that doesn’t work then it’s not for you. No harm done and you’ve saved yourself some money.
This has been true for most of my car buying experience, but with the Alpine it has been more of an aquired taste. When I test drove it, I liked it. It ticked a lot of boxes for me in my head, but since buying one and owning it, its ticked all the heart boxes. It grows on me every time I drive it. Ive never had a car where I'd be driving on an ordinary road, and going to, say Tescos, and thinking wow this car is something else. Normally great drivers cars only really reveal themselves on empty good roads and driving with enthusiasm.Try an S and if that doesn’t work then it’s not for you. No harm done and you’ve saved yourself some money.
Reggid85 said:
This has been true for most of my car buying experience, but with the Alpine it has been more of an aquired taste. When I test drove it, I liked it. It ticked a lot of boxes for me in my head, but since buying one and owning it, its ticked all the heart boxes. It grows on me every time I drive it. Ive never had a car where I'd be driving on an ordinary road, and going to, say Tescos, and thinking wow this car is something else. Normally great drivers cars only really reveal themselves on empty good roads and driving with enthusiasm.
My feelings exactly. Especially so since *discovering* manual gearbox mode… Even when just pootling around it’s so nice to feel completely in control of the gearbox and engine revs.domrusty said:
Reggid85 said:
This has been true for most of my car buying experience, but with the Alpine it has been more of an aquired taste. When I test drove it, I liked it. It ticked a lot of boxes for me in my head, but since buying one and owning it, its ticked all the heart boxes. It grows on me every time I drive it. Ive never had a car where I'd be driving on an ordinary road, and going to, say Tescos, and thinking wow this car is something else. Normally great drivers cars only really reveal themselves on empty good roads and driving with enthusiasm.
My feelings exactly. Especially so since *discovering* manual gearbox mode… Even when just pootling around it’s so nice to feel completely in control of the gearbox and engine revs.Derek182 said:
The other side of the soft ride was when accelerating hard through a couple of sweeping corners it was as if the rear of the car squatted down and the front went a bit light and floaty to the extent it felt a bit insecure, it is more powerful than my Boxster but that feels more stable in similar situations.
Possibly an Alpine S would solve this.
I agree with this, it feels like the car is drifting wide. I come from 10 years in Lotus Evoras and I regularly visit the IOM with my Lotus friends (they still let me come still as I did organise it for 5 or 6 years!!). The handling on the non S suspension is, lets face it, nothing like as good as a Lotus even with the Life 110 geometry and I 100% get the description that you have stated above. The other thing I have found is the diagonal pitching in high speed corners is a concern (I don't push things, but I could take Windy corner on the IOM at a good 20mph faster in my Evoras than felt comfortable in the Alpine) In fact I could take it faster in my wifes JCW. I could not go for an "S" because of the seats, so try one you may prefer it and coming from Porsche the harsher ride shouldn't upset you. Possibly an Alpine S would solve this.
For me, I am confident that the Life 110 suspension should resolve my handling concerns and I actually have a set of the Life 110 Bilsteins and springs in my basket as we speak and am getting emails reminding me that they are there. Due back on the IOM in August so I am pretty certain at some point not too far from now I will hit the checkout button. I've even mentioned it to SWMBO who didn't object other than a dirty look.
You mention the licence losing capabilities of the Porsche and this was one of my reasons for going Alpine over the Evoras - you can have a lot more fun in the little Alpine on single lane roads at lower speeds. Your thought process is sounding very familiar to me.
Where the Alpine will beat the Porsche/Lotus in no particular order:
- Running costs and fuel
- Comfort and ease whilst pootling around
- Single lane roads
- In the wet
- My wife will actually drive it (OK I am sure some of you will find this debatable as a positive)
Edited by Colin P on Friday 2nd February 14:25
Derek182 said:
I've been getting interested in buying an Alpine for a few weeks, the current 0% PCP offers on GT and S models or 2.9% on the base model make them quite affordable, at least to my Man Maths!
As a current Boxster owner the lesser storage, both boots and within the cabin, seems a bit severe and to not even have a cupholder is bizarre although I've seen on another thread there are solutions to this.
So I test drove a GT demonstrator from my local dealer, a good route on local roads that I know well and have driven many times in other cars.
The Alpine sounded good in Sport, as good as a 4 cylinder turbo can I guess, although it can't match a flat six Porsche or a V6 or V8.
I was expecting to be blown away by it's straight line speed, 0-60 in 4.2 secs is way ahead of anything else I have owned and it was quick but not "OMG I can't believe this is legal quick" if you know what I mean. I have owned a couple of 300hp hot hatches which from memory seemed similar.
The ride comfort was great, well ahead of my Boxster and previous hot hatches, and allowed me to maintain good speed over the usual bumpy local roads.
The other side of the soft ride was when accelerating hard through a couple of sweeping corners it was as if the rear of the car squatted down and the front went a bit light and floaty to the extent it felt a bit insecure, it is more powerful than my Boxster but that feels more stable in similar situations.
Possibly an Alpine S would solve this.
Maybe the above sounds a bit negative but I love a lot of things about the Alpine, the rarity, the image, the sensible running costs and the 3 year warranty if I buy a new one.
So I'm putting the Boxster up for sale and giving myself a couple of weeks to reflect before committing.
One question - is there much of an owners club scene?
If I buy an Alpine I would love to get involved in drive outs, meetings etc
The non S A110 offers quite a unique driving experience, i.e. a bit softer, with a bit more roll and movement than how virtually every other manufacturer approaches sports cars. Not a bad thing, in fact a very good thing, just very much personal preference as to whether you like it or not. It works well on the road and with the low weight can feel like a revelation !! I liked it to begin with, and still do but after a couple of years in decided to try a firmer, more controlled set up. Arguably the non S set up allows you to have more fun at slower speeds, which can be a good thing on the road. That said the added precision and control that comes with the slightly firmer set ups is also a revelation, particularly if you start to increase the pace a bit.As a current Boxster owner the lesser storage, both boots and within the cabin, seems a bit severe and to not even have a cupholder is bizarre although I've seen on another thread there are solutions to this.
So I test drove a GT demonstrator from my local dealer, a good route on local roads that I know well and have driven many times in other cars.
The Alpine sounded good in Sport, as good as a 4 cylinder turbo can I guess, although it can't match a flat six Porsche or a V6 or V8.
I was expecting to be blown away by it's straight line speed, 0-60 in 4.2 secs is way ahead of anything else I have owned and it was quick but not "OMG I can't believe this is legal quick" if you know what I mean. I have owned a couple of 300hp hot hatches which from memory seemed similar.
The ride comfort was great, well ahead of my Boxster and previous hot hatches, and allowed me to maintain good speed over the usual bumpy local roads.
The other side of the soft ride was when accelerating hard through a couple of sweeping corners it was as if the rear of the car squatted down and the front went a bit light and floaty to the extent it felt a bit insecure, it is more powerful than my Boxster but that feels more stable in similar situations.
Possibly an Alpine S would solve this.
Maybe the above sounds a bit negative but I love a lot of things about the Alpine, the rarity, the image, the sensible running costs and the 3 year warranty if I buy a new one.
So I'm putting the Boxster up for sale and giving myself a couple of weeks to reflect before committing.
One question - is there much of an owners club scene?
If I buy an Alpine I would love to get involved in drive outs, meetings etc
My advice would be try the S before you decide, and finally note Life110 geo will improve both !! There is arguably a sweet spot between the two but that opens up another can of worms
I will probably get crucified for this but here goes
Bought my A110S in September - mid-September had the Life110 geo and Eibach springs fitted, definitely improved things and it lost most of the brittleness that the S introduces with no loss of sharpness
I found the engine / gearbox almost too progressive - was lacking some fizz. I liked the car but did not love it
My car was being used by a company for 3d scanning for aftermarket parts development and they offered me an engine / TCU remap - told them what I was looking for and a day later the car was ready for collecting after being left with them
It now has the "edge" that I was looking for, a slug more torque coming in earlier
Auto and Normal mode its still docile
Auto and Sport - does not work particularly well, holding on to lower gears a bit longer than I would like
Manual and Sport - big difference, snappier and power / torque comes in with a bit more of a bang
Will it suit everyone - probably not
Someone said I have taken a well rounded car and made it a bit more square - yes I probaly have but its now the car I wanted it to be
Bought my A110S in September - mid-September had the Life110 geo and Eibach springs fitted, definitely improved things and it lost most of the brittleness that the S introduces with no loss of sharpness
I found the engine / gearbox almost too progressive - was lacking some fizz. I liked the car but did not love it
My car was being used by a company for 3d scanning for aftermarket parts development and they offered me an engine / TCU remap - told them what I was looking for and a day later the car was ready for collecting after being left with them
It now has the "edge" that I was looking for, a slug more torque coming in earlier
Auto and Normal mode its still docile
Auto and Sport - does not work particularly well, holding on to lower gears a bit longer than I would like
Manual and Sport - big difference, snappier and power / torque comes in with a bit more of a bang
Will it suit everyone - probably not
Someone said I have taken a well rounded car and made it a bit more square - yes I probaly have but its now the car I wanted it to be
Hmm,
I have an Elise, 110 and Boxster, and I’d say that they are all quite different.
The Elise obviously is the most direct and scalpel like driving instrument this side of a GM Rocket but is hard and uncompromising.
The 110 stays extremely nimble, but adds genuine space and comfort along with that wonderful ride that allows you to attack a road in a way that you just dare not in almost any other car.
The Boxster is a marvel too, great on track (in fairness mine has an absolute slew of modifications but it was good even as standard) and wonderful for touring (I’ve done Le Mans in it etc) - but on the road it’s not as biddable as the 110 - that weight is there and can be felt.
In actual fact, a few of us in here also have 3.2 Carrera’s and it has been remarked several times that the 110 is actually closest to that car in spirit. I’d absolutely agree, especially as my 3.2 is bone stock and on “balloon” 15 inch wheels!
In the end there honestly is no winner between any of these amazing cars - it’s only a winner for you for your purpose. Go with your gut instinct!
I have an Elise, 110 and Boxster, and I’d say that they are all quite different.
The Elise obviously is the most direct and scalpel like driving instrument this side of a GM Rocket but is hard and uncompromising.
The 110 stays extremely nimble, but adds genuine space and comfort along with that wonderful ride that allows you to attack a road in a way that you just dare not in almost any other car.
The Boxster is a marvel too, great on track (in fairness mine has an absolute slew of modifications but it was good even as standard) and wonderful for touring (I’ve done Le Mans in it etc) - but on the road it’s not as biddable as the 110 - that weight is there and can be felt.
In actual fact, a few of us in here also have 3.2 Carrera’s and it has been remarked several times that the 110 is actually closest to that car in spirit. I’d absolutely agree, especially as my 3.2 is bone stock and on “balloon” 15 inch wheels!
In the end there honestly is no winner between any of these amazing cars - it’s only a winner for you for your purpose. Go with your gut instinct!
Thanks for all the replies, some interesting things to think about.
Particularly the Life 110 geometry, I can't see me changing springs and dampers on a brand new car but certainly an adjustment/improvement to the set up with the standard components sounds like a great idea.
And in reality, I'm unlikely to be so on the limit on the road that a slight lack of stability compared to a Porsche is going to be an issue.
Someone said don't discount the standard A110 and I certainly haven't, there are some nicely specced ones about and a bit cheaper than a GT although I think my wife would prefer the GT seats.
So a serious effort to sell my Boxster in the next couple of weeks and an intention to have an Alpine on the drive with the new reg from 1st March!
Particularly the Life 110 geometry, I can't see me changing springs and dampers on a brand new car but certainly an adjustment/improvement to the set up with the standard components sounds like a great idea.
And in reality, I'm unlikely to be so on the limit on the road that a slight lack of stability compared to a Porsche is going to be an issue.
Someone said don't discount the standard A110 and I certainly haven't, there are some nicely specced ones about and a bit cheaper than a GT although I think my wife would prefer the GT seats.
So a serious effort to sell my Boxster in the next couple of weeks and an intention to have an Alpine on the drive with the new reg from 1st March!
Derek182 said:
…
Someone said don't discount the standard A110 and I certainly haven't, there are some nicely specced ones about and a bit cheaper than a GT although I think my wife would prefer the GT seats.
…
You/your wife must try the bucket seats against the Comfort seats. It’s a very personal thing, but some find the buckets more comfortable than the Comfort seats. I certainly do.Someone said don't discount the standard A110 and I certainly haven't, there are some nicely specced ones about and a bit cheaper than a GT although I think my wife would prefer the GT seats.
…
Edited by Whaleblue on Friday 2nd February 23:29
Whaleblue said:
You/your wife must try the bucket seats against the Comfort seats. It’s a very personal thing, but some find the buckets more comfortable than the Comfort seats. I certainly do.
I'd second that - the buckets are definitely softer on the derriere. If they fit you and you don't need the extra adjustment that comes with the "comfort" seats, then the buckets are a good choice. Note that you can only get the GT with the leather seats, the S with the buckets. If you are going new (your March comment suggests you are) then you can get a Pure with either seats, but comfort seats haven't been an option on the Pure for much of its life. Edited by Whaleblue on Friday 2nd February 23:29
Try a few and for longer.
I’ve driven four; the first, a new GT was really impressive after a while of driving it; a Legende 21 which I didn’t gel with at all, a 21 pure that I liked the seats on but lacked drama (no sports exhaust/ felt flat?) and finally a 22 pure, which I now own. All seemingly very different, and in truth I still want the firepower of the GT, but this will happen in time. The 22 pure feels different to the earlier cars me; not sure what changed in the calibration. I also had to have the sports exhaust, and yes, I prefer the buckets too. Familiarity is just increasing the bond; the car has an astonishing duality to me ams the more I learn the chassis the more I feel like it’s a little rally car. Drive it in normal with CarPlay and it is surprisingly comfortable with the mundane stuff, but two buttons (manual, then sport or track) a flick of the wrist to knock it down a gear or two and the cruiser becomes missile. Love it!
I’ve driven four; the first, a new GT was really impressive after a while of driving it; a Legende 21 which I didn’t gel with at all, a 21 pure that I liked the seats on but lacked drama (no sports exhaust/ felt flat?) and finally a 22 pure, which I now own. All seemingly very different, and in truth I still want the firepower of the GT, but this will happen in time. The 22 pure feels different to the earlier cars me; not sure what changed in the calibration. I also had to have the sports exhaust, and yes, I prefer the buckets too. Familiarity is just increasing the bond; the car has an astonishing duality to me ams the more I learn the chassis the more I feel like it’s a little rally car. Drive it in normal with CarPlay and it is surprisingly comfortable with the mundane stuff, but two buttons (manual, then sport or track) a flick of the wrist to knock it down a gear or two and the cruiser becomes missile. Love it!
Edited by BCA on Saturday 3rd February 10:27
Derek182 said:
Thanks for all the replies, some interesting things to think about.
Particularly the Life 110 geometry, I can't see me changing springs and dampers on a brand new car but certainly an adjustment/improvement to the set up with the standard components sounds like a great idea.
And in reality, I'm unlikely to be so on the limit on the road that a slight lack of stability compared to a Porsche is going to be an issue.
Someone said don't discount the standard A110 and I certainly haven't, there are some nicely specced ones about and a bit cheaper than a GT although I think my wife would prefer the GT seats.
So a serious effort to sell my Boxster in the next couple of weeks and an intention to have an Alpine on the drive with the new reg from 1st March!
Throwing springs and dampers at a brand new car is indeed a bit frustrating, just bear in mind the magic carpet ride described by the press is not entirely true. The spring rate is quite soft and there is much suspension travel which gives quite a unique and refreshing feel amongst rivals. The damping though is compromised (Alpine had a budget to work to !!) and with familiarity this becomes more noticeable, yes it works OK and don’t get me wrong it’s not terrible but the secondary ride isn’t quite as good as all the press make out in my view. Lot’s has been written about the damper unit being cheap, and the A110 gets away with it but there is significant room for improvement without ruining the attributes of the car. We are very lucky aren’t we in that we have very experienced engineers like Life110 finessing our product, thus the Life110 ‘aftermarket’ products do feel very OEM and well thought out.Particularly the Life 110 geometry, I can't see me changing springs and dampers on a brand new car but certainly an adjustment/improvement to the set up with the standard components sounds like a great idea.
And in reality, I'm unlikely to be so on the limit on the road that a slight lack of stability compared to a Porsche is going to be an issue.
Someone said don't discount the standard A110 and I certainly haven't, there are some nicely specced ones about and a bit cheaper than a GT although I think my wife would prefer the GT seats.
So a serious effort to sell my Boxster in the next couple of weeks and an intention to have an Alpine on the drive with the new reg from 1st March!
Renaultsport offered the 275Trophy Megane with an OEM Ohlins option, I always wondered why Alpine didn’t do this with the A110, as it could have worked really well on the A110 platform.
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