It has been more than five years since the first and so far only model of the reborn Alpine brand appeared at the Geneva Motor Show. The A110, developed under the baton of Renault, not only refers in its design to the original A110 from the 1960s and 1970s. Until now, however, the French manufacturer is coming to the Czech Republic and has little ambition: it would like to sell up to dozens of cars a year.
“One of the reasons why we are introducing Alpine right now is the visibility of the brand name. Zdeněk Grunt. According to him, the Czech representation of the French carmaker has been trying to launch Alpine for two years, it has only succeeded now.
So far, Alpine has only one pure petrol model A110 and two of its derivatives: the luxury version GT and the sportier version S. It is also the latest model of the brand with an internal combustion engine, and only electric cars will be available. Alpine still has the only dealership in the Czech Republic, in Průhonice in Prague, where Renaults and Dacies are also sold. The third brand in the French portfolio therefore seems like a logical choice.
The representatives of the brand do not specifically talk about other showrooms, although they have ambitions to expand Alpine to other cities. “The number of dealers depends on the potential of each country and may change gradually,” added Alpine Sales Director Régis Fricotté. When launching the brand in the Czech Republic, he also emphasized that the expansion to other countries is important for Alpine also with regard to the future strategy. Since 2024, it expects to introduce clean electric cars and probably a further increase in sales. Recently, the French also entered Hungary or Slovenia.
The brand does not have quotas for the Czech market, whoever orders the car should get it. The order calendar for February next year is currently being met. In any case, the brand sold 2,659 cars worldwide last year, over half outside France. Even this year, compared to last year, it records a significant increase in orders.
The Alpine A110 is a two-seater, 4181 mm long coupe with a lightweight aluminum frame, engine in the middle and rear-wheel drive. It is a supercharged four-cylinder 18-cylinder in combination with a seven-speed two-clutch automatic. But his mood is different.
The basic version of the A110 has 185 kW and 320 Nm, while at a curb weight of 1102 kilograms it travels a maximum of 250 km / h and accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 4.5 seconds. It is also the cheapest on offer, costing from 1.49 million crowns.
Derived versions of the GT and S have 221 kW and 340 Nm, but they differ in their focus. The A110 GT, priced at CZK 1.74 million, is aimed at those interested in a more luxurious model, while the A110 S, priced at CZK 1.815 million, is more attractive to those who want a sportier car.
After all, this version can have lightweight Sabelt shell seats for 18,000 crowns or an aerodynamic package with a carbon front spoiler and rear wing for 138,000 crowns. Also, the maximum speed is not mandatory for the GT 250 km / h, but 260 km / h, or even 15 km / h more in the case of the surcharge aerodynamic package. From 0 to 100 km / h, both stronger versions accelerate in 4.2 seconds, despite the fact that the GT weighs 1119 kg and the S by ten kilos less. Both models can also get a carbon roof for 62 thousand crowns from surcharges.
Prices of selected competitors
| Model | Performance | Cena |
| Alpine A110 | 185 kW | CZK 1,490,000 |
| Audi TT Coupe 45 TFSI | 180 kW | CZK 1,210,900 |
| BMW Z4 sDrive30i | 190 kW | CZK 1,316,900 |
| BMW 230i Coupe | 180 kW | CZK 1,180,400 |
| Toyota GR Supra 2.0 Turbo | 190 kW | CZK 1,250,000 |
| Alpine A110 S | 221 kW | CZK 1,815,000 |
| Jaguar F-Type P300 | 220 kW | CZK 1,775,628 |
| Porsche 718 Cayman | 220 kW | 1 561 466 CZK |
All three variants of the Alpine A110 are entering the market today, and they are not the last French cars with this name. As mentioned in the introduction, some standard Renaults will receive a sportier Esprit Alpine trim level (first appeared at SUV Austral). It will replace the current standard RS Line equipment. However, the replacement of “full-fat” sports models RS, ie Clia and Mégan RS, even the name Alpine, is not expected.
The A110 will last on the market until about the middle of the current decade, then it will gradually be replaced by the completely electric Alpine portfolio. It will consist of a small hatchback, a GT X-Over SUV and a coupe, which will be created in cooperation with Lotus. This will become the primary successor of the current A110.
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