Considering a Premier edition A110
Discussion
Bought one this week and I love it. Not that knowledgeable but 22 models have an infotainment system that give you Apple Car Play and Android. The My Spin mirroring of iPhones on the PE edition is absolutely useless.
The PE came with every option available at the time including the surprisingly comfortable bucket seats. I think you have to spec most of the options on other models. I believe the PE exhaust note is also louder than later models
Someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.
I am in love with my PE and accepting of the flakey but workable infotainment system and ridiculous lack of interior storage.
The PE came with every option available at the time including the surprisingly comfortable bucket seats. I think you have to spec most of the options on other models. I believe the PE exhaust note is also louder than later models
Someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.
I am in love with my PE and accepting of the flakey but workable infotainment system and ridiculous lack of interior storage.
Edited by Albionmuz on Sunday 4th February 15:20
The only things missing on the PE are a reversing camera (which I would have liked - and have fitted one myself ), and front parking sensors . It comes with Focal audio, but not the subwoofer (opinions differ as to whether it an improvement or spoils the sound). As said, Android Auto and Carplay only come with later models. On later models you can get a more alcantara as an option, and, of course, the 300hp engine. "Comfort" seats weren't an option, all PEs have buckets.
PE's seem to be pretty reliable, there was a spate duff alternators, and the PE doesn't have a GPF which all the later cars have.
The only other issue I would check for bubbling around the wheel arches , this is covered under warranty, but worth checking for.
I have owned my PE since new and there not enough of a difference to tempt me to replace it with a newer one.
The only other issue I would check for bubbling around the wheel arches , this is covered under warranty, but worth checking for.
I have owned my PE since new and there not enough of a difference to tempt me to replace it with a newer one.
springfan62 said:
PE's seem to be pretty reliable, there was a spate duff alternators, and the PE doesn't have a GPF which all the later cars have.
The only other issue I would check for bubbling around the wheel arches , this is covered under warranty, but worth checking for.
I have owned my PE since new and there not enough of a difference to tempt me to replace it with a newer one.
Thanks, my mind is made up, I just need to get a test drive sorted, there is a dealer in Winchester which is fairly close to me.The only other issue I would check for bubbling around the wheel arches , this is covered under warranty, but worth checking for.
I have owned my PE since new and there not enough of a difference to tempt me to replace it with a newer one.
springfan62 said:
PE's seem to be pretty reliable, there was a spate duff alternators, and the PE doesn't have a GPF which all the later cars have.
The only other issue I would check for bubbling around the wheel arches , this is covered under warranty, but worth checking for.
I have owned my PE since new and there not enough of a difference to tempt me to replace it with a newer one.
+1 particularly the GPF point. I’ve not done a back to back test but having one is not going to improve the sound...The only other issue I would check for bubbling around the wheel arches , this is covered under warranty, but worth checking for.
I have owned my PE since new and there not enough of a difference to tempt me to replace it with a newer one.
Miserablegit said:
+1 particularly the GPF point. I’ve not done a back to back test but having one is not going to improve the sound...
Very circumstantial but the 23MY GT courtesy car I drove today (on 400 miles) was significantly louder than my 21MY Pure (on 30k) - and both with GPFs!Nick
BIRMA said:
I'm giving some thought to buying a blue Premier edition. I've owned an A610 Alpine so know that I like the marque. I'm currently thinking of replacing my Lexus RCF with one.
My question is has there been any noticeable difference in the older Premier and the later cars?
Heh, I've also made the move from RCF to A110 (as you might remember from the LOC forum).My question is has there been any noticeable difference in the older Premier and the later cars?
For me the truly noticeable difference was when I went between the GT and the older cars (both base and S). The 300PS engine certainly feels like it has some extra punch which I really enjoyed during the test drives, so I'd recommend trying one to see if you feel it's worth it.
But I don't think the extra power and torque are due to any mechanical differences, it's all in the mapping, except maybe for the sports exhaust which comes as standard on all the higher performance cars (and also includes the all-important sound tube).
They are around 650KG lighter than an RCF, so despite the lower power I do think they feel a bit quicker, at least the 300PS versions do. The gearing is also MUCH shorter so you can actually work through a few gears without breaking the speed limit.
Btw a new Alpine dealership has recently opened in Eastleigh which might be the closest one to you? I believe Adam is running it, he's the Alpine specialist who previously worked in Winchester and he's very good to deal with.
Rob_RCF said:
BIRMA said:
I'm giving some thought to buying a blue Premier edition. I've owned an A610 Alpine so know that I like the marque. I'm currently thinking of replacing my Lexus RCF with one.
My question is has there been any noticeable difference in the older Premier and the later cars?
Heh, I've also made the move from RCF to A110 (as you might remember from the LOC forum).My question is has there been any noticeable difference in the older Premier and the later cars?
For me the truly noticeable difference was when I went between the GT and the older cars (both base and S). The 300PS engine certainly feels like it has some extra punch which I really enjoyed during the test drives, so I'd recommend trying one to see if you feel it's worth it.
But I don't think the extra power and torque are due to any mechanical differences, it's all in the mapping, except maybe for the sports exhaust which comes as standard on all the higher performance cars (and also includes the all-important sound tube).
They are around 650KG lighter than an RCF, so despite the lower power I do think they feel a bit quicker, at least the 300PS versions do. The gearing is also MUCH shorter so you can actually work through a few gears without breaking the speed limit.
Btw a new Alpine dealership has recently opened in Eastleigh which might be the closest one to you? I believe Adam is running it, he's the Alpine specialist who previously worked in Winchester and he's very good to deal with.
Apparently Alpine also tweaked the chassis of the GT - what exactly they did, no idea. It seems the chassis may now differ slightly from the set-up used for the Pure model- again not sure if this is correct or not. Alpine are not great in communications / PR.
Regarding the driving and performance differences between the 252 PS and 300 PS models; I can't say I really noticed it TBH. Certainly not at legal speed levels. Last summer I was considering trading in my LGT for a new GT; hence I test drove a GT for a good 90 minutes or more. Both cars were fully spec'd including the sports exhaust; and at speeds up to 120 KPH on public roads and the motorway I really couldn't say that the GT handled any better or felt any quicker or more responsive. Perhaps at higher speeds and on tracks you'd start to notice the difference - which would make sense. I also checked the RPM levels at 50, 70, 90, and 100 KPH for both cars; and the RPMs were virtually identical. Somewhere on the main forum thread (around June 2023) I gave an update on my test drive. The one thing I did notice however was a difference in sound. The 300 PS GT exhaust note sounded a bit more 'strained' to my ears; not so rounded as with the LGT. It could be an individual car thing, but that was the only real difference I could detect. (Given all that, the nicer LGT interior, and the 27K Euro extra to stump up; I really couldn't make the man maths work - and believe me, I really tried!!)
Perhaps others on this forum could make their own enquiries on the above points with those dealers / reps who appear to be more switched on. It would be great if we could get some kind of definitive / uniform answer on the actual changes made to create the 300 PS GT model.
Getting back to what others have said about the A110, it really is a special car. As other cars pass you on the motorway, you often see folks slowing down to take a look and often with the thumbs up. And it's true, the ladies love this car - it looks cute, has the hips, sporty but not aggressive, is comfortable, and can be easily driven. It's a big plus that SWMBO also enjoys the car both as a passenger and as a driver - it makes those roadtrips a lot more pleasurable all round...
Edited by Meonstoke on Tuesday 6th February 22:28
jont- said:
One minor difference is I think they changed the front wheel arch linings between PE and later cars to allow better ventilation. IIRC there are some pics on one of the other forums. Probably doesn't matter unless you plan to do track work.
Yes - but retrofit isn't a big deal - a diy job if you are inclined.Meonstoke said:
Ref: 300 PS models - my understanding via 2 sources; one from a Luxembourg dealer who appeared knowledgeable and well informed is that Alpine worked with Getrag to strengthen / tweak some of the internals of the DCT transmission - I think on 2 of the gears if I recall correctly. What precisely was done he didn't know. Another source said something similar to me. Makes sense given the torque limitation of the DCT used. Even in slightly raising the torque level to 340Nm, Alpine need to factor in the possibility of the limits being pushed to the extreme. (What is not known is whether these DCT tweaks were universally applied to all of the DCT's being shipped out from MY 22 onwards, to be used also for the Pure model....)
Apparently Alpine also tweaked the chassis of the GT - what exactly they did, no idea. It seems the chassis may now differ slightly from the set-up used for the Pure model- again not sure if this is correct or not. Alpine are not great in communications / PR.
Regarding the driving and performance differences between the 252 PS and 300 PS models; I can't say I really noticed it TBH. Certainly not at legal speed levels. Last summer I was considering trading in my LGT for a new GT; hence I test drove a GT for a good 90 minutes or more. Both cars were fully spec'd including the sports exhaust; and at speeds up to 120 KPH on public roads and the motorway I really couldn't say that the GT handled any better or felt any quicker or more responsive. Perhaps at higher speeds and on tracks you'd start to notice the difference - which would make sense. I also checked the RPM levels at 50, 70, 90, and 100 KPH for both cars; and the RPMs were virtually identical. Somewhere on the main forum thread (around June 2023) I gave an update on my test drive. The one thing I did notice however was a difference in sound. The 300 PS GT exhaust note sounded a bit more 'strained' to my ears; not so rounded as with the LGT. It could be an individual car thing, but that was the only real difference I could detect. (Given all that, the nicer LGT interior, and the 27K Euro extra to stump up; I really couldn't make the man maths work - and believe me, I really tried!!)
Perhaps others on this forum could make their own enquiries on the above points with those dealers / reps who appear to be more switched on. It would be great if we could get some kind of definitive / uniform answer on the actual changes made to create the 300 PS GT model.
Interesting info about the transmission being tweaked for the higher torque, I had no idea about this. The chassis differences do seem to be a thing that people report, although it's very hard to find solid info. You can look in the configurator and other places and find different naming such as "Sport chassis", "Cup chassis", "Alpine chassis", "Sport chassis with stiffened anti-roll bars". With the R chassis as well there could be at least 5 different setups.Apparently Alpine also tweaked the chassis of the GT - what exactly they did, no idea. It seems the chassis may now differ slightly from the set-up used for the Pure model- again not sure if this is correct or not. Alpine are not great in communications / PR.
Regarding the driving and performance differences between the 252 PS and 300 PS models; I can't say I really noticed it TBH. Certainly not at legal speed levels. Last summer I was considering trading in my LGT for a new GT; hence I test drove a GT for a good 90 minutes or more. Both cars were fully spec'd including the sports exhaust; and at speeds up to 120 KPH on public roads and the motorway I really couldn't say that the GT handled any better or felt any quicker or more responsive. Perhaps at higher speeds and on tracks you'd start to notice the difference - which would make sense. I also checked the RPM levels at 50, 70, 90, and 100 KPH for both cars; and the RPMs were virtually identical. Somewhere on the main forum thread (around June 2023) I gave an update on my test drive. The one thing I did notice however was a difference in sound. The 300 PS GT exhaust note sounded a bit more 'strained' to my ears; not so rounded as with the LGT. It could be an individual car thing, but that was the only real difference I could detect. (Given all that, the nicer LGT interior, and the 27K Euro extra to stump up; I really couldn't make the man maths work - and believe me, I really tried!!)
Perhaps others on this forum could make their own enquiries on the above points with those dealers / reps who appear to be more switched on. It would be great if we could get some kind of definitive / uniform answer on the actual changes made to create the 300 PS GT model.
For me the difference with the 300PS engine was basically when you put your foot down in say 2nd gear, the midrange torque "shove" seems to come in more quickly and with more force, it also seems to pull a bit harder towards redline. I've had quite a few people tell me you can't feel the difference - all I can say is that every time I got back into the GT during test drives I was surprised at how quick it felt, while the other models didn't quite give me that reaction. I see why people say this about the 252 and 292 PS engines because I couldn't feel much difference there until the higher revs, but the 300 just felt more urgent.
Obviously this is all very subjective and with a low sample size, but for what it's worth I drove 2 GTs at different dealerships and had the same feelings both times, and now my own car (also a GT) which is fully broken in feels just as quick as I remember. I don't think this is placebo or me just trying to justify the extra cost either, because I actually wanted a base model at first, then I wanted an S, but the GT kept wowing me until it eventually won me over.
Either way, the main takeaway here should be that people should thoroughly test drive the cars and feel the differences (or lack thereof) for themselves.
Rob_RCF said:
BIRMA said:
I'm giving some thought to buying a blue Premier edition. I've owned an A610 Alpine so know that I like the marque. I'm currently thinking of replacing my Lexus RCF with one.
My question is has there been any noticeable difference in the older Premier and the later cars?
Heh, I've also made the move from RCF to A110 (as you might remember from the LOC forum).My question is has there been any noticeable difference in the older Premier and the later cars?
For me the truly noticeable difference was when I went between the GT and the older cars (both base and S). The 300PS engine certainly feels like it has some extra punch which I really enjoyed during the test drives, so I'd recommend trying one to see if you feel it's worth it.
But I don't think the extra power and torque are due to any mechanical differences, it's all in the mapping, except maybe for the sports exhaust which comes as standard on all the higher performance cars (and also includes the all-important sound tube).
They are around 650KG lighter than an RCF, so despite the lower power I do think they feel a bit quicker, at least the 300PS versions do. The gearing is also MUCH shorter so you can actually work through a few gears without breaking the speed limit.
Btw a new Alpine dealership has recently opened in Eastleigh which might be the closest one to you? I believe Adam is running it, he's the Alpine specialist who previously worked in Winchester and he's very good to deal with.
I loved my A610 and I've got a soft spot for these quirky French cars and the Premier Edition in blue just appeals to me.
BIRMA said:
Yes I do remember you from the forum, hope you are enjoying the new car. I'm at the point again where I'm considering changing the RCF. I've yet to try the A110 and hope that it's not too similar to the Yaris GR only a test drive will answer that.
I loved my A610 and I've got a soft spot for these quirky French cars and the Premier Edition in blue just appeals to me.
I expect you'll find it's a very different car to the GR Yaris. All-aluminium mid-engined sports car vs hot hatch.I loved my A610 and I've got a soft spot for these quirky French cars and the Premier Edition in blue just appeals to me.
Just pop in to your nearest Alpine dealership, they have demonstrators and tend to be very accommodating when it comes to test drives. Try to get out in one on your own.
And yes I am really enjoying my GT. It's a fun and very special car to drive.
springfan62 said:
I have owned my PE since new and there not enough of a difference to tempt me to replace it with a newer one.
I've had my Legende for 18 months now and feel the same way; I recently received an 'exclusive' invitation to test drive new models, but can't justify losing the depreciation a second time on a car that would be substantially the same. Even though my car was dealer-specced (or a cancelled order?) the only additions I'd make are to add wing badges (which I could do now via the Parts Dept if it was really important) and a blue badge on the steering wheel boss; and maybe Legende wheels instead of Seracs.Gassing Station | Alpine | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff