RE: Alpine A110 makes European Car of the Year finals
Discussion
Finally had a go in the Alpine. Really really wanted to love it, but the engine is uninspiring and the gearbox often dim-witted. Handles and stops very well though, and looks amazing. If it had a normally aspirated engine and a manual box I think it would be incredible but overall I was rather disappointing having read such glowing reviews.
Spend more time driving it, it will grow on you. Most turbo 4 pot engines don't sound great tbh and the gearbox has been fine every time I drove it but I guess we are all different. Great car and you need to appreciate it's lightness first and foremost and then it's steering/handling as that is what makes it so great.
Crazy4557 said:
Spend more time driving it, it will grow on you. Most turbo 4 pot engines don't sound great tbh and the gearbox has been fine every time I drove it but I guess we are all different. Great car and you need to appreciate it's lightness first and foremost and then it's steering/handling as that is what makes it so great.
Did circa 300 miles on a range of different roads so it was a proper test drive. The handling and brakes were great, but the engine and gearbox ruined what would otherwise be a unique offering. Shame that they couldn't see the market for a manual gearbox and surprising given that the car was aimed at enthusiasts - I presume that it's no longer feasible to have high-performance naturally aspirated engines?will_ said:
Crazy4557 said:
Spend more time driving it, it will grow on you. Most turbo 4 pot engines don't sound great tbh and the gearbox has been fine every time I drove it but I guess we are all different. Great car and you need to appreciate it's lightness first and foremost and then it's steering/handling as that is what makes it so great.
Did circa 300 miles on a range of different roads so it was a proper test drive. The handling and brakes were great, but the engine and gearbox ruined what would otherwise be a unique offering. Shame that they couldn't see the market for a manual gearbox and surprising given that the car was aimed at enthusiasts - I presume that it's no longer feasible to have high-performance naturally aspirated engines?cerb4.5lee said:
The A110 is a car for the digital generation rather than the analogue generation. I prefer the old way of doing things but all the reviews of the car are glowing so it is certainly doing something right.
I wouldn't say so.The digital generation are mostly interested in hybrids and preferably full EVs.
They are generally not interested in internal combustion engined cars, particularly ones that revive a long dead marque, where the styling pays Homage to an early 60s model.
Olivera said:
cerb4.5lee said:
The A110 is a car for the digital generation rather than the analogue generation. I prefer the old way of doing things but all the reviews of the car are glowing so it is certainly doing something right.
I wouldn't say so.The digital generation are mostly interested in hybrids and preferably full EVs.
They are generally not interested in internal combustion engined cars, particularly ones that revive a long dead marque, where the styling pays Homage to an early 60s model.
te. I know old people that love it and Young people that love it. Manual gearboxes on natural aspirated engines are dead because of emissions that’s it. craigjm said:
Olivera said:
cerb4.5lee said:
The A110 is a car for the digital generation rather than the analogue generation. I prefer the old way of doing things but all the reviews of the car are glowing so it is certainly doing something right.
I wouldn't say so.The digital generation are mostly interested in hybrids and preferably full EVs.
They are generally not interested in internal combustion engined cars, particularly ones that revive a long dead marque, where the styling pays Homage to an early 60s model.
te. I know old people that love it and Young people that love it. Manual gearboxes on natural aspirated engines are dead because of emissions that’s it. A drivers car in the past would be RWD/Manual/N/A and have a LSD...so for me it is more digital than analogue. A friend of mine has one and I loved it to look at/sit in and I'm looking forward to having a go in it for sure(If he lets me!).
It's trying to appeal on a number of fronts. It will appeal to the French, in particular, because of its heritage, to many because of its lightweight ethos - but without the daily inconveniences, to some because it is just pretty and different. and to many because it's a lot of fun - maybe combined with varying amounts of the previous other factors. Seems to me that, from a marketing perspective, they have covered all bases pretty well. The worldwide dealerships have got to capitalise on all that.
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