RE: Alpine | PH Meets

[Miserablegit]

Any ideas how much a carbon bonnet would weigh compared to the alloy one?
What is funny about all this talk about weight is that I carry all sorts of rubbish around with me in the car that adds to the weight Alpine spent so long paring back!
I carry spare fluids (oil, coolant, screen wash) plus the cleaning kit etc. Still it’s a lot less than I carry in the older stuff.

[bcr5784]

Miserablegit said:

Any ideas how much a carbon bonnet would weigh compared to the alloy one?

Given that the carbon roof on the S only saves 1.9kg, I'm guessing not a lot.

[Sporky]

Miserablegit said:

What is funny about all this talk about weight is that I carry all sorts of rubbish around with me in the car that adds to the weight Alpine spent so long paring back!

Could be worse - in my weekend car I normally have 70kg or so of dogs.

Often 80kg on the way back as they're dripping wet...

[Miserablegit]

Perhaps 4-5kg then - about the same saving if I took the spare fluids out of the car!

[bcr5784]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

To paraphrase what moose said - if Alpine had made the same design decisions as Porsche the car would be just as lardy. True of course.

[Miserablegit]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

No, what I’ve done is run your fatally flawed argument to its natural conclusion. Even your effort at moving the goalposts failed to save it.

[Sporky]

bcr5784 said:

To paraphrase what moose said - if Alpine had made the same design decisions as Porsche the car would be just as lardy. True of course.

Superbly put.

[Prestonese]

Didn't I read somewhere the Porsche supplied figures for the 981 were misrepresented anyway? It's only until the recent regulations kicked in where all manufacturers had to apply the same methodology and thus can be comparable? We had this same debate about whether or not the GT4 was 100kg heavier than the old one or not. In the end Porsche argued that the new version was only slightly heavier on a like for like basis. That's probably where the extra 100kg went no?

Sorry to keep this debate open but I like to be thorough with these things....

[Miserablegit]

Moose - your work here is done.
Thanks for the diversion but you are flogging a most definitely expired horse.
I have to grin when “enthusiasts” for certain manufacturers dismiss the cogent arguments of others on the basis of them being “fanboys”.

[Sporky]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Your argument has been shown to be very silly indeed, so you carry on with name-calling. You must understand that the name-calling doesn't strengthen your position; what do you think it does say about you?

[Miserablegit]

Moose - you’re like a dog barking at passing cars.
You appear a little unhinged with a new argument at every turn.
I’ll leave you to it for a while but I’ll be back as this is a thread about a car I like.

[Sporky]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I already did.

What do you think that insults such as "fanboy" add to the discussion?

[springfan62]

When the debate is lost slander becomes the tool of the loser.

[bcr5784]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

In what way? You viewed the design choices that Porsche made on the basis of commecial issues as applied to them. These included

1) The desire to develop a convertible and coupe on the same platform

2) The desire to be able to accommodate an existing flat 6 engine in the body.

3) The desire to keep costs down by limiting the amount of aluminium use.

The net result of those choices was that the Cayman is 200/300/350 kg (let's ignore that for the moment) heavier than similarly equiped Alpine.

It seems to me that the only thing you can disagree with is the term "lardy". You may think the weight penalty is acceptable - others don't.

[nickfrog]

I think Alpine should be celebrated for producing those cars.

[Sporky]

springfan62 said:

When the debate is lost slander becomes the tool of the loser.

While I don't generally like armchair psychology, there's some weapons-grade cognitive dissonance going on there.

[Miserablegit]

Dan,

One thing you would be advised to do would be to get some of the optional cabin storage. I don’t mean the £500+ options. There is an Alpine cleaning kit that comes in an alpine bag with velcro on the back. A few people have bought one of those to put between the seats as storage for keys/phone, wallet etc. I’m afraid, on a spirited drive, anything in the tray under the console ends up somewhere on the floor.
There is also a storage tray to fit on the sill. That might be more useful. Enjoy the car

After 12,000 miles the only complaint I have is that the hifi reverts to some awful sports station on AM on startup...

[bcr5784]

Amateurish said:

Has anyone driven the A110 and the Alfa 4C and can comment on the difference in driving experience?

I chatted to an Alpine guy at the launch of the A110 Rally edition last month and he was stressing the comfort of the A110 vs the 4C: less of a hardcore experience.

I was hoping someone might have been able to answer your query - I can't directly, but there is a misconception in the question. The A110 isn't LESS hardcore than a 4C - it isn't hardcore at all. Easy to get into and out of, very comfortable seats and ride, light steering, quiet when cruising so you can talk to your passenger in normal tones or listen to the infotainment at 3 figure speeds . So from what I have read it's nothing like a 4C. It is very much more comparable with a 981 Cayman (which I have owned).

[bcr5784]

Miserablegit said:

Dan,


After 12,000 miles the only complaint I have is that the hifi reverts to some awful sports station on AM on startup...

Mine doesn't any more. I don't use the radio much but when I do it comes up with the last station it was on. Not sure when the change occurred,

[Crazy4557]

bcr5784 said:

I was hoping someone might have been able to answer your query - I can't directly, but there is a misconception in the question. The A110 isn't LESS hardcore than a 4C - it isn't hardcore at all. Easy to get into and out of, very comfortable seats and ride, light steering, quiet when cruising so you can talk to your passenger in normal tones or listen to the infotainment at 3 figure speeds . So from what I have read it's nothing like a 4C. It is very much more comparable with a 981 Cayman (which I have owned).

You can't talk to your passenger at speed in a 4C, there's way too much noise and you're concentrating on keeping it on the black stuff otherwise the steering will have you off into the nearest hedge.I know I had one for 2 years and loved every minute and miss it badly. I would have kept it had I room for more than one weekend car.
I agree on all your comments on the A110, great car and if you want to go touring or do long trips with the Mr's in some sort of comfort it's a great choice but ultimately the 4C is an event and you get out after a hoon with a massive grin, to me that's what it's all about. Sure, it has it's issues but mostly they can be improved, it doesn't have a great interior but then nor does an Atom but it's massive fun for the price point.
I like the A110 and nearly ordered one but a bit too everyday usable for me and a too soft on track. I ended up with a 570S in the end that does everything I want extraordinarily well including what I don't want which is break down and depreciate rapidly... (before the doom mongers arrive).
An A110 and 4C are world's apart in my opinion, one's a beautiful driving lightweight daily which is good on track and going shopping, touring and all manner of normal tasks and a 4C is for when you want to have fun and drive hard at sensible speeds. Get the steering and suspension issues sorted and it's brilliant for today's roads. The main difference between the two is you remember the Alfa but not the Alpine.