Monday 13th February 2017

Latest Alpine sports car info

Are you sitting comfortably? Alpine hopes you will be

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The finished car better be good, that's all we'll say. Because, quite frankly, this Alpine pre-reveal series of teasers is getting a bit silly now. They have to be carefully managed at the best of times, and even the best can struggle with it, yet here we are looking at a seat.

This is not an ejector seat, it's not a seat in a completed cabin, it's not a seat next to a fully representative styling mule. It's just the seat that will be in the new Alpine sports car. Officially these chairs "have achieved excellent lateral support and comfort despite a total seat weight of only 13.1kg." Bravo. The quilting is intended to evoke that of the classic Alpines, with the seats said to provide "excellent lateral support for thighs, hips and shoulders."

And that's it. Rest easy PH, the new Alpine sports car will have seats. Hopefully it will get one of those steering wheel things too. Thanks goodness the Geneva show isn't actually that far off, although expect one or two additional 'insights' before then.

[MustardCutter]

When will they reveal what we've all been waiting to know for so long; what colour will the coolant be?

[V8 FOU]

MustardCutter said:

When will they reveal what we've all been waiting to know for so long; what colour will the coolant be?

And the colour and spec of the grease in the front hub bearings?

[nickfrog]

I wonder if those seats are standard or an option - quite impressive if they are std as at that weight I can see the ethos and focus of the car, should the same be applied to non-touch points.

[kambites]

nickfrog said:

I wonder if those seats are standard or an option - quite impressive if they are std as at that weight I can see the ethos and focus of the car, should the same be applied to non-touch points.

13kg isn't particularly light for a fixed back bucket seat.

ETA: Nice looking seat, though.

Edited by kambites on Monday 13th February 11:12

[nickfrog]

kambites said:

13kg isn't particularly light for a fixed back bucket seat.

Depends it that includes the sliders, subframe etc... If it does, it's pretty light, particularly for OE stuff that needs to have some comfort and width, all within tight budget.

[Oddball RS]

Look its a seat, what can you write about that......

WELL...

One thing, these types of seat are great in sports cars, but they are nearly always mounted too high up, and looking at this and the brackets, guilty as charged.

[kambites]

nickfrog said:

kambites said:

13kg isn't particularly light for a fixed back bucket seat.

Depends it that includes the sliders, subframe etc... If it does, it's pretty light, particularly for OE stuff that needs to have some comfort and width, all within tight budget.

I guess it'll be interesting to see how well the cope with... wider people. They're quite a lot heavier than the standard seats in an Elise/Exige but hopefully they'll also support a greater range of people.

[nickfrog]

Oddball RS said:

Look its a seat, what can you write about that......

WELL...

One thing, these types of seat are great in sports cars, but they are nearly always mounted too high up, and looking at this and the brackets, guilty as charged.

Really difficult to say. The Recaro Sporster CS in my humble Megane are surprisingly low (as in any lower and visibility becomes the issue) so I can't really see Alpine cocking that one up Ford Focus RS style.

[RBH58]

The longest gestation in automotive history...well certainly since the Veyron. Just release the damn thing already!

[ian2144]

RBH58 said:

The longest gestation in automotive history...well certainly since the Veyron. Just release the damn thing already!

If memory serves. This started out as a joint venture with Caterham & Renault , if this had continued the car would have been on the road by now........or maybe not !

[anonymous-user]

Looks like a fixed backrest angle! That'll be a right PITA in a road car..........

[kambites]

Max_Torque said:

Looks like a fixed backrest angle! That'll be a right PITA in a road car..........

In what way? I've had one for the last ten years and it hasn't really been a problem.

[jonby]

We already know that the production car on the outside should look very similar to the 'concept', wing mirrors aside

The main relevance for me of today''s release of the seat pics is that the interior may also carry over largely unchanged from the concept, which I think looks stunning

http://cdn2.autoexpress.co.uk/sites/autoexpressuk/...

[leglessAlex]

Drip feeding and sarcastic articles aside... That's a mighty fine looking seat.

[kayzee]

Does look like a nice seat though to be fair.

[anonymous-user]

Max_Torque said:

Looks like a fixed backrest angle! That'll be a right PITA in a road car..........

......after you've managed to clamber in over those ridiculously high side bolsters. Another right PITA in a road car.

[kambites]

jonby said:

http://cdn2.autoexpress.co.uk/sites/autoexpressuk/...

I can't believe they'll release it with only a four-point harness.

[99dndd]

The article and comment go on about seats this and seats that.

I only see 1 seat. I imagine there'll be another but couldn't say for sure.

[Kawasicki]

Saw it on the road today and I think it looks very promising. It was followed by a Megane which made the Alpine really seem small.

[Track_Cit]

rockin said:

Max_Torque said:

Looks like a fixed backrest angle! That'll be a right PITA in a road car..........

......after you've managed to clamber in over those ridiculously high side bolsters. Another right PITA in a road car.

I never understand why people cry about sports seats in sports cars. It's a high performance vehicle and is fitted with appropriately awesome seats. If you want something that's easy to get in and out of buy a prius, it's such a tedious gripe.