Re : The Alpine A110 (finally) cometh | PH Fleet

Re : The Alpine A110 (finally) cometh | PH Fleet

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Sandpit Steve

9,885 posts

73 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Miserablegit said:
Sandpit Steve said:
Interesting comparison with the MX5, which I hadn’t thought about until now. Alpine is a great car, but I think Renault have lucked out that Porsche dropped the flat six from the current Cayman and Boxster - which lessens their appeal vs their predecessors.

Great video by the way, PH video team doing a great job with these recently!
I’ve always viewed the A110 as a more useable lotus Elise and on that basis it is unique. Many owners moved from
6 pot Porsche to Alpine so I’m not sure that the move to 4 cylinders by Porsche is a big issue. What is odd is the 4 cylinder cayman gts is quicker than the cayman gt4 which has the 6 pot.


Like a lot of things people either get this car or they don’t.
It’s great we have the choice.
Absolutely, the more companies making sports cars the better!

I'd probably get this one more if they offered a manual, call me old fashioned but I still think the weekend road car should have three pedals and a stick - even if modern dual-clutch boxes are a little faster, they're never as involving and as fun to drive. Most of the time we're out to enjoy the drive, not set a lap time.

Edited by Sandpit Steve on Sunday 29th December 10:05

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Sharon-coizu said:
Elatino1 said:
wab172uk said:
Elatino1 said:
Good vid but the car looks very plain and boring in that colour. Poorly specced.
Not everyone like to shout "Look at me"
It's not about shouting anything. It's about a car looking very ordinary against looking very nice. It's not about shouting anything to anyone.
Have to agree. Saw one of these in white with blue brakes and it looked so so right
I haven't seen a white one but can imagine it would look good with the painted calipers.

Sharon-coizu

Original Poster:

89 posts

57 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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DoubleSix said:
I just can’t see past those bizarre lights, what designer in their right mind...
Just a hunch...but probably this...


cerb4.5lee

30,185 posts

179 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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nickfrog said:
Elatino1 said:
It's not about shouting anything. It's about a car looking very ordinary against looking very nice. It's not about shouting anything to anyone.
Or perhaps, and I appreciate that this may sound like a daring concept, looks/design are subjective? Perhaps one person's subtle is another person's vulgar or "nice" ? I don't find the A110 looks ordinary at all. Quite the opposite in fact.
I really like the way these look and when I first looked around a Blue one in person I thought that it looked great.

Agree with the subjective bit too, I've never liked the way a Cayman looks because I find it an odd shape(I don't like the front or rear lights either). Yet I bet plenty of owners of Caymans love the way they look though.

I now have to try to convince my mate who has an A110 that I'm not a lunatic driver...so that he will let me have a drive of it! biggrin

DoubleSix

11,691 posts

175 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Sharon-coizu said:
DoubleSix said:
I just can’t see past those bizarre lights, what designer in their right mind...
Just a hunch...but probably this...

So an incongruous piece of design was carried over, “cos reference to DNA” - almost a greater sin!

Save the manuals

55 posts

93 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Such a refreshing (re)take on the modern sports car. I think the minimalist spec really suits the car - in my mind the A110 isn’t about big wheels and carbon clad this and that. Just getting the basics right.

Great video!

jet_noise

5,630 posts

181 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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For those puzzled about the foglights (and in case of grandmother egg sucking tutorial then I've a parrot cage ready) 'tis a nod to previous A110


ETA Beaten to it!

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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DoubleSix said:
So an incongruous piece of design was carried over, “cos reference to DNA” - almost a greater sin!
That’s generally how branding works.

nickfrog

20,871 posts

216 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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DoubleSix said:
So an incongruous piece of design was carried over, “cos reference to DNA” - almost a greater sin!
As a French kid into cars I thought those lights looked great on the original and now even better in the new version so perhaps, this is indeed a heritage thing or just a subjective thing? I don't see anything incongruous.

Prestonese

793 posts

104 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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DoubleSix said:
So an incongruous piece of design was carried over, “cos reference to DNA” - almost a greater sin!
Well Porsche have been doing it for years with the 911. Or you could always go down the route of BMW and go completely bonkers with their designs.

Tickle

4,879 posts

203 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Great video!

Really like these. As an only car they look a great option, as a second I think I'd have to go Exige 350.

Colour looks great thumbup

Nick928

340 posts

154 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Great video Dan.
It’s refreshing to hear you talk about the reality of spec’ing the vehicle and balancing this with the affordability.
Living in the rarified air of product launches and manufacturers demonstrators to thrash, journo’s appear to forget about the choices that real world buyers have to make.

Enjoy the Alpine, less is most definitely more in this day and age where ‘in your face’ colours and loud exhausts don’t always sit well with the majority of non enthusiast drivers. You spec is nicely under the radar.

Please keep the video updates coming.

spikyone

1,413 posts

99 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Really good video, nice to see you making the effort to get out and enjoy your new toy. Haven't driven one but as a GT86 owner the combination of low weight and a just-right balance of grip and power makes it sound like my kind of fun.

I can't believe the number of killjoys out in force on this thread complaining about the car...

Sharon-coizu

Original Poster:

89 posts

57 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
quotequote all
DoubleSix said:
Sharon-coizu said:
DoubleSix said:
I just can’t see past those bizarre lights, what designer in their right mind...
Just a hunch...but probably this...

So an incongruous piece of design was carried over, “cos reference to DNA” - almost a greater sin!
You say incongruous, I say iconic...

Without the nod to Alpines of old it's just a £50k Renault however well engineered it is. Personally, I think it looks great and very French!

saxy

258 posts

123 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Honestly if I wanted a small sports car, an MX5 with a long warranty, 180hp, nothing I need more honestly.

Black S2K

1,462 posts

248 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
quotequote all
Nick928 said:
Great video Dan.
It’s refreshing to hear you talk about the reality of spec’ing the vehicle and balancing this with the affordability.
Living in the rarified air of product launches and manufacturers demonstrators to thrash, journo’s appear to forget about the choices that real world buyers have to make.

Enjoy the Alpine, less is most definitely more in this day and age where ‘in your face’ colours and loud exhausts don’t always sit well with the majority of non enthusiast drivers. You spec is nicely under the radar.

Please keep the video updates coming.
This.

And what Nickfrog said - it's surprising how many posters here appear to have zero historical knowledge of a very pretty (and capable) French classic. Of course the new one cannot be as small and sweet, but overall they've done a lovely job.

-also Nick.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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saxy said:
Honestly if I wanted a small sports car, an MX5 with a long warranty, 180hp, nothing I need more honestly.
Until you’re unable to keep a lukewarm hatchback honest then it goes a bit wrong in tinted glasses world.

Prestonese

793 posts

104 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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yonex said:
Until you’re unable to keep a lukewarm hatchback honest then it goes a bit wrong in tinted glasses world.
Which would only be an issue if you cared about that sort of thing.

David87

6,648 posts

211 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Great video; really enjoyed that thanks. Congrats on the car too, Dan. Glad you’re having a great time with it.

anonymous-user

53 months

Sunday 29th December 2019
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Prestonese said:
Which would only be an issue if you cared about that sort of thing.
Personally I’d be more worried about the steering, but no getting away from the fact that the MX isn’t very quick at all.