2022 Alpine A110 Tour de Corse Limited Edition

Highlights

• Ultra-rare limited edition - 1 of 5 RHD, UK-market vehicles made
• 1 of 150 worldwide
• Just 4,731 miles from new
• Still under manufacturer’s warranty (to November 2025)
• Some choice upgrades by Life A110

Overview

Corsica, land of Napoleon, sapphire blue seas, endless Mediterranean sun and abundant wildlife. None of which is as important to us petrolheads as the fact that, from 1956 to 2008, the French leg of the World Rally Championship was held here – the legendarily fearsome Tour de Corse.

Renowned as the race of “10,000 corners”, this brutal rally was a true car-ender, with only the most nimble, reliable and robust machines having a chance of finishing well. It was here in 1975 that Alpine’s A110 Berlinetta, hugely under-powered and not given a chance of a podium, managed to get within a whisker of snatching victory from Lancia’s iconic Stratos. It remains one of the most impressive drives of the era.

And so we come to this delightful special edition, designed to pay homage to the 1975 rally car by wearing a modern interpretation of the livery (notably also used on the Le Mans winning Alpine A442B in 1978). We think it works incredibly well on the shape of the modern A110, giving a true motorsport aesthetic without looking ‘try hard’. Alpine loaded the car with extras and sporting touches, as well as the more powerful ‘S’ engine, offering a whopping 296bhp (300PS). All together it makes for a truly desirable special edition that offers an incredibly satisfying drive as well as being truly rare and collectible.

Ah yes, the rarity. One of five. Yes, you read that correctly, this is one of five cars sold in UK market specification, one of just 150 sold worldwide. Very few cars are this rare, desirable and capable. It’s also presented in superb condition, with fewer than 5,000 miles on the clock and barely any evidence of use that we could see (and we looked really, really hard). The owner has also had a few key upgrades made by Life A110 (marque specialists), which are all easily reversible (with the original parts provided), should the new owner wish to return it to full factory specification.

For anyone wanting a brilliant driving machine that just happens to be a proper unicorn too, then this is very much the car you’ve been looking for.

History and documentation

• First registered on 18 November 2022
• 1 of 150 worldwide (plaque number 089/150)
• 1 of 5 made for the UK market
• One former owner, current owner since September 2023
• Complete with stamped service book, owner’s manuals and two keys
• 4,731 miles on the clock
• The first MOT is due on 17 November 2025
• Manufacturer warranty and roadside assistance to November 2025
• Original warranty/service sheet and a collection of maintenance/servicing invoices
• V5 present in owner’s name
• HPI clear (checked July 2024)
• London ULEZ compliant

Interior

• Black half-leather upholstery with white contrast stitching, showing no evidence of wear or damage
• Black microfibre to the seat centre panels, dashboard, centre console, headlining and steering wheel, which all presents in excellent condition
• Sabelt racing bucket seats, with ‘Tour de Corse 75’ embroidery
• Quilted, diamond-stitched panelling to the door cards, featuring a French flag motif
• Aluminium pedals and footrest for the driver, aluminium foot brace to the passenger footwell
• Black carpets throughout the cabin, “frunk” and boot – all look to be in excellent condition, with no signs of wear or damage
• The “frunk” and boot areas are generous and provide more than enough space for a medium sized suitcase and a couple of squashy overnight bags
• All of the switchgear and instrumentation shows very well, looking to be in “as new” condition with little to no wear in evidence
• Numbered plaque to the centre console, showing ‘089/150’
• Electrically operated windows and folding door mirrors
• Front and rear parking sensors, with reversing camera
• Focal audio system, featuring DAB radio, Bluetooth, Android Auto and Apple CarPlay
• Central digital display for in-car entertainment, and large digital display in driver’s side instrument binnacle
• Life extended paddle shifters, for better control and easier gear-shifts
• Air conditioning
• Automatic headlights
• Rain-sensing wipers
• Factory-fitted alarm system
• The vendor reports no faults or issues with any of the cabin’s functions and features
• Overall the interior is in excellent condition, looking almost factory-fresh

Exterior

• Stunning gloss yellow paintwork, with ‘deep black’ contrast roof and bonnet, together with exclusive ‘Tour de Corse 75’ edition graphics to the sides and rear, as well as white striping to the bonnet
• The paintwork shows exceptionally well, with no notable blemishes or marks apparent, and a deep, lustrous shine
• All of the bodywork appears to be in very fine fettle, with no damage, corrosion or misalignment we could discern
• The exclusive graphics and badging of this limited edition are all present and correct, and look to be in very good condition, with no fading, peeling or damage we could see
• We particularly love the way the rear near-side graphic incorporates the brake light to hark back to the rally car’s ‘number 7’ livery
• The glass elements and light lenses all show well, with excellent clarity and no chipping or damage to be noted
• At the rear, there is a large, chrome-ringed central exhaust which exits through the middle of a wide diffuser
• The car sits on the correct 18-inch “Grand Prix” multi-spoke alloy wheels, finished in gloss white and showing no signs of kerbing, lacquer peel or any other damage
• A full set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres adorns the wheels – 235/40 section to the rear and 205/40 section to the front

Mechanical

• 1,798cc four-cylinder turbocharged engine, taken from the ‘S’ model
• Mid-engined and rear-wheel drive for excellent weight distribution, balance and handling
• 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission with paddle-shift
• Factory performance figures: 296bhp (300PS), 251 lb ft (340Nm) torque, 0-62mph in c. 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 171mph
• Upgraded Life road springs and suspension geometry
• Upgraded Life performance front brake pads and braided hoses
• The original parts are provided should the buyer wish to revert the car to standard
• Stop/start functionality
• Electric parking brake, power-assisted steering, ABS and traction control
• Sport mode
• Cruise control
• Extremely clean and tidy engine bay, with no evidence of leaks we could identify
• Serviced at Alpine Banbury in November 2023 at 1,762 miles
• The car starts, runs and stops perfectly, with the vendor assuring us there are no issues or mechanical problems to report
• With very low mileage and more than a year of factory warranty still to run, the new owner can have confidence that they’re obtaining a rare sports car in superb condition

Summary

Rarity, ability and prettiness. It’s very rare for a car to have all three, but this wonderful A110 special edition manages just that trick. Many people in the know will tell you that the A110S is the perfect sports car for real world driving, and this ‘Tour de Corse 75’ edition adds some brilliant updates and true unicorn status to that winning recipe.

Presented in supremely good order, with extremely low mileage and more than a year of warranty still to run, this hugely capable little coupe makes a fine case for itself. Immensely collectible, rarer than rocking horse leavings and an absolute joy to drive, we cannot recommend this car highly enough.

Plus it’s very yellow. And we all know that yellow cars are the best.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Southam, Warwickshire.