Alpine A110 Pure or S???
Discussion
I have a GT which is the softer Pure suspension with the extra 50 bhp of the S and also with "comfort" adjustable seats rather than the fixed back buckets of the Pure and the S.
The ride/handling balance of the GT/Pure is amazing, it can be supercar quick in fast road driving but is the most comfortable car we own with a far better ride than my Fiesta ST mk8 and a bit better than my wife's Mini Countryman.
I've not driven an S but most reviews suggest it is significantly firmer which is only really of benefit if you plan some track use.
The ride/handling balance of the GT/Pure is amazing, it can be supercar quick in fast road driving but is the most comfortable car we own with a far better ride than my Fiesta ST mk8 and a bit better than my wife's Mini Countryman.
I've not driven an S but most reviews suggest it is significantly firmer which is only really of benefit if you plan some track use.
chris bayliss said:
I m thinking of an Alpine A110 and interested in owners opinions of the difference between the standard Pure or the S version.
Has anyone driven both and can share their opinion?
Pure - standard suspensionHas anyone driven both and can share their opinion?
GT - standard suspension + power upgrade (comfort seats)
S - sports suspension + power upgrade
GTS - sports suspension + power upgrade (comfort seats)
The Pure and GT have the standard suspension which is compliant, breathes with the road and lends the Alpine with its unique and widely lauded dynamics.
The S and GTS ride lower, have stiffer springs and ARBs. This set up controls body roll better but is less compliant more akin to modern contemporaries.
There is no wrong or right answer. Which is right for you depends on your personal preferences as to the way a car rides and goes down the road. If the roads in your part of the world are poorly surfaces and you like a car that breathes with the road then the standard setup will probably suit better. If you intend to do a lot of track work, don’t mind the loss in compliance or live somewhere with smooth roads, then perhaps the S.
I’d get out there and read/watch the many reviews of both models in the motoring media and then get a test drive - ideally of both.
You can also buy a standard car and then tinker with it later. There are many suspension mods developed by the likes of David Pook at Life110 etc to suit all tastes/use cases.
Pure owner here. I can appreciate why some would prefer the S if they like to do trackdays or push it on the road, but for the way I use mine, much more road trips, enjoying a relatively fast sporty car but not driving on the doorhandles everywhere I really appreciate the compliant set up that, as others have said, breaths with the road and completely avoids the bone hard and brittle ride lots of German cars are set up with.
Power wise, mines the 250bhp version and I've never found it lacking. 250 hp per tonne is 911 turbo territory from about the 996 generation. Plenty fast enough for everyday driving.
Power wise, mines the 250bhp version and I've never found it lacking. 250 hp per tonne is 911 turbo territory from about the 996 generation. Plenty fast enough for everyday driving.
As AMRicardo says 'there is no right or wrong answer'.
I've had my S since 2022 and have been a regular visitor to Spires/Life110 and Wortec, each mod tailoring the car to my personal preferences. The car has been lowered slightly and has AST adjustable coilovers dialled down to a softer ride to reflect a reduction of 5-6kg of unsprung weight on each corner. I'd say it is now somewhere between a GT/Pure and an S in terms of ride, which is exactly where I wanted to be. However, if I was going to buy an A110 and leave it in stock form I think I'd go for a GT.
I think the first question you need to ask yourself is 'am I going to tweak the car or will I leave it in its stock form?' because if you plan to tweak it you can in theory start with any A110 and mod it in the direction you feel is right for you.
I've had my S since 2022 and have been a regular visitor to Spires/Life110 and Wortec, each mod tailoring the car to my personal preferences. The car has been lowered slightly and has AST adjustable coilovers dialled down to a softer ride to reflect a reduction of 5-6kg of unsprung weight on each corner. I'd say it is now somewhere between a GT/Pure and an S in terms of ride, which is exactly where I wanted to be. However, if I was going to buy an A110 and leave it in stock form I think I'd go for a GT.
I think the first question you need to ask yourself is 'am I going to tweak the car or will I leave it in its stock form?' because if you plan to tweak it you can in theory start with any A110 and mod it in the direction you feel is right for you.
Here’s my two penneth…
I owned an S for 4 years from 2020 and it was great to start with as I’d come from an Elise and Exige previously. However towards the end of my ownership I was finding the suspension a little too hard for our crap roads (I don’t track my cars) so I decided to trade it in for a GT. Same power but softer suspension and comfort seats (although I think the buckets are more comfortable, but the wife likes the heated seats). I’m almost two years into owning this one and have no regrets, for me it handles just as well but with a little more suppleness and comfort, no regrets.
I owned an S for 4 years from 2020 and it was great to start with as I’d come from an Elise and Exige previously. However towards the end of my ownership I was finding the suspension a little too hard for our crap roads (I don’t track my cars) so I decided to trade it in for a GT. Same power but softer suspension and comfort seats (although I think the buckets are more comfortable, but the wife likes the heated seats). I’m almost two years into owning this one and have no regrets, for me it handles just as well but with a little more suppleness and comfort, no regrets.
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