RE: Alpine A110: Driven

[NDNDNDND]

KTF said:

Actus Reus said:

and why not a manual?

Cost saving I imagine using this as an example:

From Autocar said:

Fedeli said his experiences at Ferrari were enough to convince him that the manual transmission was dead. While developing the California roadster several years ago, he says, Ferrari invested €10m in a manual gearbox option and, overall, just two such cars were built for customers.

Source: https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/overha...

That was always such a daft argument, though. Using the California to prove there was no demand for a manual was just Ferrari drinking it's own 'kool-aid'. The California was the softest car in their range - 'the Ferrari for the wife' - of course there was going to be no demand for the manual. About 13% of UK orders for the F430 were manual - I wonder if a similar proportion of manual 458s would have been sold, had they been available?

[NDNDNDND]

Simonium said:

I would suggest that because they are things that proper petrolheads are supposed to say, they throw them about willy-nilly with scant regard for the import of what they're actually saying. It's broadly like the heel and toe nonsense for everyday driving - the incessant need to appear to be more knowledgeable than the next man.

It's still weird reading this 'anti-heel n' toe' stuff on a car forum....

[andrewparker]

EggsBenedict said:

Looks boring, Opportunity lost. If you're going to buy one, it will be because it's a left-field choice. Problem is, it looks like one.

I think it’s probably more compact than the video and stills would suggest, but agree that it’s not a looker. But isn’t the point that it harks back to the original car?

[DaveGB]

Also have a deposit on a launch car. Should make a decent daily runner, although I still haven’t seen one in the flesh.

Seems they like it here https://youtu.be/rarJj9ZibpM

Edited by DaveGB on Friday 8th December 22:41

[andrewparker]

kambites said:

EggsBenedict said:

Looks boring, Opportunity lost. If you're going to buy one, it will be because it's a left-field choice. Problem is, it looks like one.

Out of interest, what do you think looks better in this sector?

For me the 718 Cayman and 4C look better, but a wise man would withhold judgement until actually seeing one.

[tomv1to]

Looks good.

I actually think it looks nicer than a 4C.

Would be grat to see a group test with the Elise, Nismo 370Z, and the 4C to see how they all compare. Maybe even chuck in an MX5 RF as well just for meassure as I think that's potentially the best looking two seater on the market today.

[Too Drunk to Funk]

Actus Reus said:

This ticks a lot of boxes for me - but fifty large is a lot of money, and why not a manual? A car that's all about driving and it's not a manual. WHY!?!

(yes, I know why, really, but it's a major factor for me)

Still, it's another proper car and for that alone it's worth celebrating.

I quite enjoy just pressing the go pedal and hanging on to the steering wheel.

[Prestonese]

D200 said:

Brilliant

I know people who ordered stuff on amazon when drunk, completely forgot about them until they got a ‘surprise’ present to themselves in the post

But ordering a car - brilliant - was a good decision I think too

Hope so. I still have doubts about the engine and gearbox though.

[Mac Sinclair]

Fantastic, the world is a better place

[CABC]

Iceicebaby1980 said:

On the other hand if I wanted to spend 40k on a car it wouldn't be a Renault. Plenty of slightly used options I'd rather have m5 m4 m3 c63amg Nissan GT-R etc etc. 40k upwards on Renault Ho Ho Ho

do you have a bbq in your car?

[WCZ]

nickfrog said:

Let me add another one . A lot of people here going on about stuff while others actually spend some of their spare time on track days with whatever "unpure" car they have but at least explore their limits (both the cars' and the drivers') and use them to the full.

Edited by nickfrog on Friday 8th December 21:16

my track cars have less bhp than this but they weren't £50k, for £50k I'd like power

[noble12345]

DaveGB said:

Also have a deposit on a launch car. Should make a decent daily runner, although I still haven’t seen one in the flesh.

Seems they like it here https://youtu.be/rarJj9ZibpM

Yeah that sounds like alot of fun, like a 230bhp Abarth 500 kinda fun, but not sitting on a cushion I like the interior too, for a light car its good.

SidewaysSi said:

Iceicebaby1980 said:

Don't know we're car manufacturers get there prices from. Half the country's on zero hours contracts minimum wage. When Brexit kicks in will be another exscuse to screw the masses put prices up etc. On the other hand if I wanted to spend 40k on a car it wouldn't be a Renault. Plenty of slightly used options I'd rather have m5 m4 m3 c63amg Nissan GT-R etc etc. 40k upwards on Renault Ho Ho Ho

I think the Renault will out drive the lot of them.

Me too, in the above video its more fun than a supercar and i can believe it, light weight = FUN

I wouldnt drive a heavy boring m5 m4 m3 c63amg Nissan GT-R etc, even if they were given to me for free, id sell them. It will be interesting to see what other versions and cars Alpine come out with in the future too.

[HighwayStar]

Iceicebaby1980 said:

Don't know we're car manufacturers get there prices from. Half the country's on zero hours contracts minimum wage. When Brexit kicks in will be another exscuse to screw the masses put prices up etc. On the other hand if I wanted to spend 40k on a car it wouldn't be a Renault. Plenty of slightly used options I'd rather have m5 m4 m3 c63amg Nissan GT-R etc etc. 40k upwards on Renault Ho Ho Ho

That says more about the cars you rate than the Alpine... When I wanted a mid engined 2 seater I didn’t be look at any of your options. Totally different cars. Someone who already has one of those cars might be more likely to consider it.
At least you admit you don’t understand where car manufacturers get their prices. What you’re saying is the Alpine is over priced.
It’s not built on a shared platform so no economies of scale, few common parts... its bespoke and not churned out in the hundreds a day... Renault aren’t going to give it away and quite what UK folk on zero hours contracts has to do with how Renault price the Alpine is a mystery. The people building it aren’t on zeros hours contacts... it’s not aimed at people who are
See from 4.20 onwards
https://youtu.be/rarJj9ZibpM

Edited by HighwayStar on Saturday 9th December 00:37

Edited by HighwayStar on Saturday 9th December 10:11

[Cold]

DDg said:

Johnny5hoods said:

Come to think of it, I wonder if the auto only issue is the reason why Caterham pulled out.

I always wondered what Caterham could bring to the table? I mean, they have a 50 year old car that's been fettled and tweaked over the years, but no structural carbon, no Elise-like ali chassis development, no doors or wind up windows, no clever this-is-the-future stuff. I imagine their development team is in the low single figures. And financially? Maybe the admission price was too much for them?

Caterham brought many ex-Lotus employees to the table. It was about the time that Hethel had laid off many of its staff who then migrated to Caterham, so Renault were still able to draw on Lotus expertise but only pay Caterham prices for their skill.

[blade7]

HighwayStar said:

Renault aren’t going to give it away and quite what UK folk on zero hours contracts has to do with how Renault price the Alpine is a mystery. The people building it are on zeros hours contacts... it’s not aimed at people who are

[Actus Reus]

Just watched the Autocar video and I liked everything I saw except the gearbox. Nonetheless I'd like to try one - this or a lightly used V6 Exige or Cayman GTS would be a nice problem to have I reckon.

[subirg]

Gosh, Renault really smashed this car in the face with the biggest ugly fish available. Utter barf.

Couple that with depreciation that will re-write the laws of science and you’ve got a sure fire looser. Anither French failure.

[MadDog1962]

Looks very cool.

But 50K for a Renault (even an Alpine) is a bit steep. I'd be shopping for a good used Cayman and setting aside money for repairs/maintenance.

[jl4069]

I believe these words about new the alpine from Car sum up this car best...
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/alpine/al...

"In a word, fantastic. This is an unintimidating yet thrilling sports car to chuck down a sinuous road,...Most impressive is what a progressive, communicative and benign machine this is, so that neither edging up to its limits nor going beyond them feels particularly scary."

Car basically has described the very most optimal handling characteristics one could hope for in a sports car. Indeed the nearest car that also passes this remit is really the original M3. I think this says it all. We now have (albeit mid engine) next generation M3 for 2018. It has been a very long time coming. J

[sidewinder500]

Fetchez la vache said:

WCZ said:

love it but is crying out for more power

I don't think that at all. Looks like an ideal car for those that don't have to drive it round the cities and have some nice small twisties to enjoy.
It's already doing 60 in 4.5s, why would it be crying out for more power?

Bravo to Renault for making so many modern cars feel the bloated, heavy, overpowered and over-tyred cruisers they really are.

^^^^^^^This exactly^^^^^^^^^
Steals all the candles from wannabies like the 4C and the boxster family.
Well done Renault, this should ignite the shift toward a new less-is-more approach for performance cars.