RE: Road-legal Alpine A110 GT4? Please God, yes...

RE: Road-legal Alpine A110 GT4? Please God, yes...

Thursday 23rd May 2019

Road-legal Alpine A110 GT4? Please God, yes...

Fresh from retaking the front-drive lap record, is Renault cooking up something even better at the 'ring?



Who doesn't love the A110? Hands up? If your hand has left the keyboard or your phone is in the air, put it back down again because you're mistaken. Alpine's first go at the 21st century is cheek-soakingly good. If you don't think so, you haven't driven it. Because when you do, you convert instantly; even if there are things you don't like and half a dozen ways you think it could be made better - you still sit there, post-go, marvelling at what two-dozen or so Frenchman have conjured from nothing.

To its credit, its maker took the marvel racing almost immediately. The A110 Cup was launched at the end of 2017 to compete in a newly formed single-make series. It had slightly more power, obviously weighed less, featured modified suspension geometry and components, plus a lower ride height and the mounting points for a roll cage. Then in 2018 Alpine built on the concept with the GT4 version which added increased aerodynamic downforce and upgraded the 1.8-litre engine to deliver the maximum 312hp/tonne power-to-weight ratio permitted by class regulations.

Naturally both cars were built as bespoke customer racing machines (with factory support provided by Renault's project partner, Signatech) and not for the road. Now though, it appears that Alpine is intent on bridging the gap. The A110 being put through its paces at the Nurburgring this week is road legal and doesn't feature the prominent roll cage that distinguishes its circuit-only stablemates - but still wears a more pronounced front splitter than the standard car, rides lower (even allowing for compression) and gets a proper fixed rear wing.


Moreover, our spy snapper reports that the stickers on the spoiler say "A110 GT4" which we're going to greedily and wishfully take as absolute confirmation that Alpine is forging ahead with a racier version of its two-seater. It makes sense, of course - rumours of a 'Sport Chassis' version of the car surfaced in 2017, predicting a 15-20 per cent stiffer suspension, 300hp and with around 50kg subtracted from the kerbweight. Certainly the engineers have easy acces to everything they need.

Plus they've had a nearly two-year crash course in making the A110 even better at going round a circuit, and now possess a bucketload of publicity and race car clients to leverage. In fact it's not inconceivable that Alpine is already so far along in the process that it has spied the Festival of Speed as an ideal launch platform for its boat-rocking debutant - which would really put the immovable object right next to the unstoppable force.

Perhaps not, though. Renault hasn't even enlightened us on the technical details of its quickest hot hatch yet. Introducing a GT4-badged version of an enormously well received mid-engine, rear-drive sports car when your colleagues have endeavoured to set a technically challenging lap record about ten seconds ago would surely mean stepping on some nearby toes. Wouldn't it? Either way, we're on the edge of our seat...






Author
Discussion

JohnnyFive

Original Poster:

86 posts

138 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
They'll struggle to use the name GT4 if they intend to sell it as a road car.
Porsche own the trade mark for road cars at GT2/3/4.

s m

23,164 posts

202 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
JohnnyFive said:
They'll struggle to use the name GT4 if they intend to sell it as a road car.
Porsche own the trade mark for road cars at GT2/3/4.
Did the Esprit GT3 pre-date them reserving the names?

Krikkit

26,500 posts

180 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
JohnnyFive said:
They'll struggle to use the name GT4 if they intend to sell it as a road car.
Porsche own the trade mark for road cars at GT2/3/4.
I suspect that's a placeholder, just copying the name from the racer to try and fly under the radar.

Be interesting to see what they come up with, the standard car sounds absolutely perfect for the road, so I wonder if this is a track-orientated special like a Megane Trophy.

Jordan210

4,503 posts

182 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
JohnnyFive said:
They'll struggle to use the name GT4 if they intend to sell it as a road car.
Porsche own the trade mark for road cars at GT2/3/4.
Aston had to change the name of GT4 to GT8 when they tried to use the name.

bobo79

293 posts

148 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
s m said:
Did the Esprit GT3 pre-date them reserving the names?
It did. They didn't have the money when Porsche took the case to court though.

Seems quite odd really, considering GT3 and GT4 are actual motor sport categories...

Andy83n

355 posts

61 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
nope, still not for me

Maldini35

2,913 posts

187 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
If true - this could be the only brand new car I will ever buy.

blueg33

35,590 posts

223 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Andy83n said:
nope, still not for me
Why - looks? or another reason.

RacerMike

4,192 posts

210 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Jordan210 said:
JohnnyFive said:
They'll struggle to use the name GT4 if they intend to sell it as a road car.
Porsche own the trade mark for road cars at GT2/3/4.
Aston had to change the name of GT4 to GT8 when they tried to use the name.
GT3 to GT1+2 or GT12, but yes....

Guvernator

13,109 posts

164 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
blueg33 said:
Andy83n said:
nope, still not for me
Why - looks? or another reason.
I'm in agreement.

Looks - Very odd looking IMO
2 litre 4 pot turbo which while decent-ish for a modern engine is still not great
No manual gearbox

It might be stunning to drive but those 3 essential ingredients mean it's a pass from me.

ghost83

5,476 posts

189 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Horrid looking car imo

parabolica

6,703 posts

183 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Horses for courses and all that, but I think it's one of the best looking new cars on sale today. Engine doesn't bother me; I imagine anything larger would make it heavier therefore blunt any performance gain, and I'm a convert to automated gearboxes so as long as it feels good and fun to drive, I'm in.

blueg33

35,590 posts

223 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Personally I like them in the flesh especially in the Alpine blue and a GTxx version is more likely to tempt me out of the Evora than the current version (although I got close, with a premier edition slot allocated to me).

Looks are entirely subjective which is good, auto box doesn't put me off despite the fact I am a driving god who can heel and toe a Ford Fiesta wink

Edmundo2

1,328 posts

209 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Sounds great. Needs slightly swollen or bubble arches , especially at the rear to give it more presence. Much like the grp4 Alpine A110 Poss ducktail spoiler? Use the name GTA as they did on the Alpine. Bit of dish to some motorsport spec wheels and hey presto...the perfect car, ( if can ensure it sounds good too...)

blueg33

35,590 posts

223 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
I still wish it was more like this one



That would have parted me from my money very quickly

shantybeater

1,192 posts

168 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Guvernator said:
I'm in agreement.

Looks - Very odd looking IMO
2 litre 4 pot turbo which while decent-ish for a modern engine is still not great
No manual gearbox

It might be stunning to drive but those 3 essential ingredients mean it's a pass from me.
I'm in this camp. The looks are hideous to me.

Helicopter123

8,831 posts

155 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Needs more cylinders and a manual gear box.

Otherwise, looks a winner.

C.MW

472 posts

68 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
If this GT version comes with an engine that doesn't run out of puff all the way upto the redine and either a manual gearbox or a faster shifting automated one, is there much reason to choose the Boxter over this except badge snobbery? I think not.

Helicopter123

8,831 posts

155 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
C.MW said:
If this GT version comes with an engine that doesn't run out of puff all the way upto the redine and either a manual gearbox or a faster shifting automated one, is there much reason to choose the Boxter over this except badge snobbery? I think not.
Boxster may be cheaper?

C.MW

472 posts

68 months

Thursday 23rd May 2019
quotequote all
Helicopter123 said:
C.MW said:
If this GT version comes with an engine that doesn't run out of puff all the way upto the redine and either a manual gearbox or a faster shifting automated one, is there much reason to choose the Boxter over this except badge snobbery? I think not.
Boxster may be cheaper?
Oh I should've said Cayman.