RE: Alpine A110: Driven

[nickfrog]

NDNDNDND said:

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....

It would be weird if it was anti-HT, but that's a bit of a strawman argument. People are saying that systematically overlapping braking and gear change on the road is not particularly useful when you can plan ahead and simply rev match, unless perhaps all your driving fun happens on the road.

[nickfrog]

subirg said:

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.

I don't doubt that the badge appeal, (subjective) looks and depreciation are important to you.

It is conceivable that others will value the driving experience, even if you were right about the above.

[HTP99]

subirg said:

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.

I doubt it very much.

[Camlet]

I have a UK Premiere car coming, in blue. The boss of Alpine is a smashing guy who is a class act and a committed petrolhead. The fact the car is 97% aluminium was all I needed to know that Michael had the full backing of Renault to make this pocket rocket happen. Can't wait for it to arrive.

[swisstoni]

Renault deserve recognition for getting this low volume, probably zero profit idea off the ground in these days of corporate bean counters and wall-to-wall SUVs, etc.
I’m sure there were plenty of other things they could have been getting on with.

Shows that they are still petrolheads at heart.

[Too Drunk to Funk]

sidewinder500 said:

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.

This is it. It doesn't more power because it's so small and lightweight. Renault were there at start of the 4 pot turbo revolution.

[nickfrog]

WCZ said:

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

Fair enough ! We all have different priorities and manufacturers seem to increasingly cater for more diverse sets of requirements.

[jonby]

I assume there can't be more than say 100 - 150 UK RHD cars out of the 1955 premiere editions ?

So far, on here, that's:
Me
Prestonese
DaveGB
Camlet

with a slot

anyone else ?

[HighwayStar]

blade7 said:

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

that should read ‘The people building it aren’t on zeros hours contacts...

[is1]

NDNDNDND said:

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

Completely agree. It’s one of the true joys of driving any manual car - it adds a level of interaction, learning curve and being part of the machine that no auotomated shift can ever replicate (however good those systems may be).

I’ve tried hard to articulate this - some get it, some don’t. I think one of the key factors with a manual is you can get it wrong, and that means you have to be tuned in to do it well. Isn’t that what driver’s cars are about. You are able to contribute to the driving experience and the quality of the result.

This is nothing to do with being a hero or other such cliches, it is the fact that a level of connection and involvement is lost with an auto.
I get that in a commuter hatch, you go auto as that suits its brief. However, if you want to make compromises such as low seating position, 2 seats, mid-engine layout, presumably you are seeking out a more focused driving experience which, for me, has to have a manual gearbox at its core.

Just my view.

[aelord]

Looks like a Hyundai and is auto.

Steer clear.

[CABC]

is1 said:

Completely agree. It’s one of the true joys of driving any manual car - it adds a level of interaction, learning curve and being part of the machine that no auotomated shift can ever replicate (however good those systems may be).

I’ve tried hard to articulate this - some get it, some don’t. I think one of the key factors with a manual is you can get it wrong, and that means you have to be tuned in to do it well. Isn’t that what driver’s cars are about. You are able to contribute to the driving experience and the quality of the result.

This is nothing to do with being a hero or other such cliches, it is the fact that a level of connection and involvement is lost with an auto.
I get that in a commuter hatch, you go auto as that suits its brief. However, if you want to make compromises such as low seating position, 2 seats, mid-engine layout, presumably you are seeking out a more focused driving experience which, for me, has to have a manual gearbox at its core.

Just my view.

I agree with you.
however, couple of points for auto:
- it's a reality today with traffic. lack of a manual for those wanting a w/end car or lucky enough to avoid traffic is a negative, but auto is nonetheless taking over for good reason.
- you still need to change gear at right time with paddles. smooth progress still needs timing, although as boxes get faster you'll be able to change whenever you want transparently. H&T and rev matching still preferable for us aspiring deities though.

[HTP99]

aelord said:

Looks like a Hyundai and is auto.

Steer clear.

And which Hyundai would that be?

[Too Drunk to Funk]

aelord said:

Looks like a Hyundai

Steer clear.

Really?

Which one?

[Too Drunk to Funk]

is1 said:

NDNDNDND said:

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

Completely agree. It’s one of the true joys of driving any manual car - it adds a level of interaction, learning curve and being part of the machine that no auotomated shift can ever replicate (however good those systems may be).

I’ve tried hard to articulate this - some get it, some don’t. I think one of the key factors with a manual is you can get it wrong, and that means you have to be tuned in to do it well. Isn’t that what driver’s cars are about. You are able to contribute to the driving experience and the quality of the result.

This is nothing to do with being a hero or other such cliches, it is the fact that a level of connection and involvement is lost with an auto.
I get that in a commuter hatch, you go auto as that suits its brief. However, if you want to make compromises such as low seating position, 2 seats, mid-engine layout, presumably you are seeking out a more focused driving experience which, for me, has to have a manual gearbox at its core.

Just my view.

I couldn't care less as it's not something I've ever attempted. I like a good manual box and also planting the throttle and letting
the car do the work. It's different, not worse.

[alpgta]

Pretty sure I could make a space, alongside its older sibling. :-)

Hopefully it will sell, but then Alpine have had a habit of getting rave reviews in the press and then selling very little. I did get to sit in it though at the launch event, and it's a world away in terms of quality of construction versus the older models (as you'd expect). Certainly on a par with anything else out there at this level I think. Build quality was always perceived to be the weakness versus Porsche, so if they can convince people and build the brand up then hopefully it'll be the start of more to come.

[Helicopter123]

HTP99 said:

subirg said:

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.

I doubt it very much.

Sorry, this will fall like a stone.

[nickfrog]

Helicopter123 said:

HTP99 said:

subirg said:

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.

I doubt it very much.

Sorry, this will fall like a stone.

Do you think they will be worth £20k at two years old or even less ?

I hope you're right but I have no idea either way, time will tell I guess.

[CABC]

nickfrog said:

Do you think they will be worth £20k at two years old or even less ?

I hope you're right but I have no idea either way, time will tell I guess.

doubt it. and if they don't sell well initially then s/h will be stronger.
as I understand it, Dieppe quality is normally good too. This car has presence in the flesh, esp in blue.

[Jeremy JS]

All fine, but not at 50k unless money is no object.