RE: Alpine Premiere Edition open for orders

RE: Alpine Premiere Edition open for orders

Saturday 10th December 2016

Alpine Premiere Edition open for orders

Want one of the first new Alpines? Put your money where your mouth is now (but expect a wait)



On one hand we're gutted the concentration of effort into the rebirth of Alpine has apparently cost us the chance of a production version of the Clio R.S.16. On the other the pending arrival of a new and (relatively) affordable mid-engined sports car with the emphasis on weight saving and driver feedback more than spec sheet willy waving has to be a good thing.

Watch and wait...
Watch and wait...
And if you want one Alpine is now taking orders, the website announcing a limited run of 1,955 Premiere Edition cars offered in a choice of three colours (Bleu Alpine, Blanc Solaire and Noir Profond) and priced 'between 55,000 and 60,000 euros' in France including local taxes. In case you hadn't guessed that production number refers to the year of Alpine's founding. Lay down your initial 2,000 euros via the dedicated app and you can even specify your build number, this being included on a plaque mounted to the dash to prove your credentials as an early adopter and true fan.

There's also confirmation of a 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds and first deliveries at the end of 2017 in Europe and early 2018 for the UK and Japan, suggesting right-hand drive production won't start until later in the cycle. We're promised a full tech spec in early 2017, the current assumption being it'll be powered by a version of the Clio Renaultsport's 1.6-litre turbo engine with over 200hp, some reports suggesting 250hp or so with a capacity bump to 1.8 litres.

Looking at French pricing for competitor products a 718 Cayman starts at 53,960 euros while the S is 66,710 euros; the former does 0-62 in 4.7 seconds with PDK and Sport Chrono, by which point it's a 59,040 euros car. If, as feared, the Alpine is a dual-clutch only it's clear the PDK 718 Cayman has been pretty thoroughly benchmarked against it. In lightweight spirit, looks and the heritage leanings you'd have to consider the Alfa Romeo 4C another very obvious rival; in France this starts at 62,300 euros, again underlining where the Alpine is being pitched. At a more mainstream level a TT S would cost you 56,490 euros in France. Pricing will obviously be different for the UK but there's some context there at least.

We're expecting to see the production car early next year; for now we've got a moody teaser vid of disguised prototypes doing arty slides amid smoke and spray on a test track. More info when we have it.

Watch the video here.

 

 

 

Author
Discussion

V8 FOU

Original Poster:

2,970 posts

146 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
OK. Looks fairly good - RWD, mid engine etc.
But what engine etc?
Like the A110 styling cues at the front...

Ex Boy Racer

1,151 posts

191 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Is it just me that worries that we don't seem to be able to produce attractive original designs any more?

rampageturke

2,622 posts

161 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Ex Boy Racer said:
Is it just me that worries that we don't seem to be able to produce attractive original designs any more?
yep

gweaver

906 posts

157 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Ex Boy Racer said:
Is it just me that worries that we don't seem to be able to produce attractive original designs any more?
I like it.

griffdude

1,819 posts

247 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Really like the front end but the rear looks like an A7?

Yipper

5,964 posts

89 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Looks like the lovechild of a Toyota Celica and Audi A7. Seems a bit on the slow side. That 60mph time needs to be in the 3s for a 2018 launch.

lostmotel

156 posts

134 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
V8 FOU said:
But what engine etc?
0-60 in 4.5 seconds is about the same as the Alfa 4C, which is 237bhp and 1.1 tons. If they hit that weight target then it could be a development of the 1.6T in the Clio RS, which is not outside the realms of possibility given Peugeot get 266bhp out of their 1.6.

Alternatively it could be the engine which will appear in the new Megane RS which would give them a bit of leeway when it comes to weight.

Basically, then, a highly boosted four banger. One can only dream it'd be an NA V6 a la Clio V6.

alfabeat

1,103 posts

111 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
4C looks much better, but hasn't really sold very well, so have to question if this is a wise move to channel money, time and resource into what is a very small market.

dpop

205 posts

131 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Just tried to go through the ordering process and it involves downloading a phone app (why???) which is apparently "not available for download in your country" - i.e. the UK.

JDansey

83 posts

212 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
From Autocar (http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/alpine-a120-sports-car-leaked-video)

"Autocar understands the engine will be a 1.8-litre unit derived from the turbocharged 1.6-litre used in the Renault Clio RS, although this is also yet to be confirmed. 250bhp is expected, but a 300bhp performance variant is also on the cards, as is a convertible. What we do know is that the car reaches 62mph from a standstill in 4.5sec."

I'm too poor for either, which is a shame as I love the old A110. Worth waiting for the fast one though?


Quickmoose

4,482 posts

122 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Ex Boy Racer said:
Is it just me that worries that we don't seem to be able to produce attractive original designs any more?
who is 'we'

I'm not worried
retro referencing against an idea or some details I don't think make the car as a whole unoriginal.
The TT, RCZ, Cayman, 4C, GT86 all look pretty original to me, whilst also making it obvious that they link to a common marque aesthetic.

The point you make and has ever been thus is in the generic white-goods sector... where VAG goods borrow heavily from each other in the design department, Koreans copy the Europeans who in turn copy the Koreans (that AWFUL new Insignia thing?!), that naff trend of blacking out an angular section of the C pillar...

but in the mid range coupe...and upper reaches of sports cars and supercars...I think it's still pretty good. Nothing wrong with taking a brand icon and 'using' bits of it to get it off the ground..

Cacatous

3,157 posts

272 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Yipper said:
That 60mph time needs to be in the 3s for a 2018 launch.
That's a ridiculous statement. I'm glad manufacturers are focusing more on the experience than 0-60 times which are largely irrelevant.

JMF894

5,477 posts

154 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
rampageturke said:
Ex Boy Racer said:
Is it just me that worries that we don't seem to be able to produce attractive original designs any more?
yep
No

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Looks cracking to me, want! Love the design cues back to the A110 etc, while retaining the modern elements. Can't wait to see it undisguised now.

JohnGoodridge

529 posts

194 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
JDansey said:
From Autocar (http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/alpine-a120-sports-car-leaked-video)

"Autocar understands the engine will be a 1.8-litre unit derived from the turbocharged 1.6-litre used in the Renault Clio RS, although this is also yet to be confirmed. 250bhp is expected, but a 300bhp performance variant is also on the cards, as is a convertible. What we do know is that the car reaches 62mph from a standstill in 4.5sec."

I'm too poor for either, which is a shame as I love the old A110. Worth waiting for the fast one though?
a small l4 is at least in keeping with the A110, although it won't be quite the same screamer as the original of course. Issue for me (were I to be in the market) would be the quality of the DCT box which seems to have plagued enjoyment of the current clio. Personally I like the looks, yes it's derivative, but it is a good riff on the theme.

Fetchez la vache

5,568 posts

213 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
alfabeat said:
4C looks much better, but hasn't really sold very well, so have to question if this is a wise move to channel money, time and resource into what is a very small market.
It could be the halo model before being hit by raft of money making niche-filling Alpine SUV's...

HighwayStar

4,216 posts

143 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
Yipper said:
Looks like the lovechild of a Toyota Celica and Audi A7. Seems a bit on the slow side. That 60mph time needs to be in the 3s for a 2018 launch.
3s!!! Why?

griffdude

1,819 posts

247 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
lostmotel said:
V8 FOU said:
But what engine etc?
One can only dream it'd be an NA V6 a la Clio V6.
Or A310
Or A610

jonby

5,357 posts

156 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
dpop said:
Just tried to go through the ordering process and it involves downloading a phone app (why???) which is apparently "not available for download in your country" - i.e. the UK.
I managed fine on my iPhone................deposit paid.......it is refundable after all

gianlu

215 posts

178 months

Thursday 8th December 2016
quotequote all
jonby said:
I managed fine on my iPhone................deposit paid.......it is refundable after all
I'm having problems too...but I'm on Android. Might be just an android issue. Do I need to go and buy an iphone to put a deposit???