Great review - thanks for the real world pragmatic view. Maybe I’m just getting old but makes sense to me. And who needs the noisy exhaust to annoy the neighbours anyway. Cheers and enjoy your A110. G.
Couldn't agree more. My A110 Légende is a hoot on average b roads, the S wasn't as much fun and the ride is much busier at lower speeds. The S looks much more purposeful when sat still, the 4mm didderence is really rather noticeable.
Really informative hearing Dan's way of describing vehicle dynamics in his reviews 👍 Perhaps it would be ideal to get a set of lowering springs, even lighter wheels + alignment from 'LIFE110' for the A110 Pure and call it a day? That carbon roof on the A110S is very appealing though, because it reduces weight from where you would supposedly notice the most - lowering the centre of gravity
@@smilepermile888 If I remember, I’ll reply here, but it will be a while I suspect! Looking forward to getting used to the car, but the Life110 tweaks seem like a good alternative. I drove the S before buying a Legende and they’re both great but the S is noticeably harsher over bumps at low speed (eg: around town). Seemed to get better the faster you go but I preferred the all-round serenity of the standard car. 😎 🇫🇷
Whilst the carbon roof would have a marginal impact, I don't think it'd be one that would really change much. Plus the carbon roof is not cheap by any means. The car already has near 50/50 weight distribution and so the center of gravity is already great. I'm picking up a used PE on Saturday and I think in the end I'll probably just have the adjusted geometry settings for the steering and keep it at that.
Good video and comparison. Indeed the first A110 2018 was designed and built in the pure original Alpine Spirit, that of Jean Rédélé, to perform on the roads of the Alps (hence the name of the brand) and on mountain roads therefore. The A110S has been designed for our current era and the generalization of trackdays and amateur driving on circuits. The A110S will therefore be more efficient than the A110 on the clean and flat surfaces of the circuits and less at ease and less comfortable than the more flexible A110 on public roads and more bumpy mountains roads. Make your choice knowing this and according to your main use.
Well done - and I agree, I wouldn't swap my Pure for the S (driven both) - One change that is really worth doing is to get the geometry settings from LIFE (the ones for the standard Pure - toe and camber tweaks only), they up the level of precision and of course none of the suspension suppleness is changed.
Yes, I sent them a message to tell them this. The Alpine factory is struggling because of the low sales numbers. I doubt they listen to my message though.
@@lensoprezole5322 Emissions Reg's, crash tests, training the dealer service folks, etc., will add costs, but looking at Porsche sales, could be worth the effort.
They would only sell a few in the US because Americans are just not interested in a 4cyl , 1.8l turbo car ! Gas is cheap and they care little about the environment !
@@blackbess338 There are lots of us (Americans), and the car nuts buy all sorts of cars, pretty sure the Alpine would sell well. The problem is that Renault's other vehicles would struggle here, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, etc., have the small cars covered so much that even domestics do not bother. Not sure Renault has SUVs that could compete.
@@93455Driver Given the choice between a cheaper and faster Corvette overthere in the US , I seriously doubt it that many people would chose the more expensive and small 250 bhp Alpine over a 400+ BHP Vette ! That is exactly why Renault doesn't bother to export to the US and why They have chosen the Japanese market over the US . Japan is the country where They sell almost as many Alpine's as they do in France or Germany !
I still don't understand why neither of these cars have a manual transmission option. They invested money in making the standard A110 worse with this S. Just spend it on a manual transmission development
I totally get where you are coming from. I’ve got a cayman 987 base as my daily driver and it’s perfect for the British roads. Yet if I had the Cayman GT4 I would intimidate by it and at the same time uncomfortable driving it as I would feel each and every bump on the road
It should be blue !!! Or red or yellow or... Grey are so boring ! By the way, I will take the base 110 as I will take a base MX-5. I hate all that talk of sound, it is NOISE !!!
Great review by Prosser, as always. Notes: -Your car looks better, mate, all with those silver rims. -You are not doing track tests, are you? You're good at it. -For road criteria it seems the standard Alpine is better just about everywhere, it even looks better. (The only thing where I prefer the S is that it doesn't have that silly french flag...)
Great comparison!👌 I drove both on german roads and prefered the better body control and added poise of the 110 s slightly over the Standard car but that is marginal. Both great cars👌
Alpine knows very well that the S is less fun on public roads. It’s clearly aimed at track enthusiasts and benchmark nerds who think more hp means more fun all the time.
Great comparison video, Dan. I have the A110 and a set of Life110 springs, not yet fitted. I can’t quite bite the bullet on them, knowing how wonderfully the A110 handles B-roads. That S looks lower than 4mm. Are the wheels larger diameter on the S? I have 18# forged Fuchs, but they don’t fill the arches like on the S...
The rims are exactly the same. The difference is in the tires. A110 runs 205/40 R18 at the front and 235/40 R18 at the rear, A110S runs 215/40 R18 at the front and 245/40 R18 at the rear. That means that the side profile of the tires is higher and thus the whole diameter of the wheel is bigger. Not by much, (215-205)*40%*2 = 8mm, but it makes a big difference visually. Same difference on the rear, (245-235)*40%*2 = 8mm. Plus ride height lowered by 4mm and voilá, the look is very different.
As you say, no one who is passionate about driving gives 2 figs about plastic quality of the switches or - my pet hate - the infotainment system. Your car is gorgeous, the perfect drivers car to my mind
the alpine from the birth made for alpine roads,the new is a mix,the a10 s is overkill ,if you tune the A10 you will get the same and more for less cash,i use to watch they 1970-73 old alpine at the monte carlo rally as a kid,tech was not as todays standard,much respect for the old drivers
Remember that young french youngtuber who pretended to have buy this car...But in fact just borrowed to the factory in order to make the promotion of the A110..
"despite being small and light, it only weighs 1100 kilograms" this is a confusing sentence... of course it doesnt weigh that much, as you just said its small and light?
Decent review Dan, nice one. Was wondering if you or anyone you know has tried attaching a 3-cup suction device (e.g. the Seasucker product) to carry a single bicycle on the roof & back window glass. Am concerned that the glass might be thinner than standard and so a bit of a risk?
I own a110. navigation system is not working in my country, so Alpine cooperate with navigation service (monthly payment required about 6$). i want apple car play...
Hey Dan, you said you have the seat in the lowest position... how tall are you? 😅 I (190 cm / 6’2”) test drove the A110 on the middle seat position and it was very uncomfortable... had back pain after 1 hour driving. With the seat being screwed in the dealer wasn’t able to change it for me.
I allways found that big wheel gap disgusting especially on a sports car...do u consider installing some Eibach lowering springs? Saves u 9k pounds :))
GIVE IT A MANUAL and I will sell my Fiesta ST and pawn all my belongings to get a normal A110. Otherwise, being deprived of so much of the driving experience and expression, I find it interesting but not worth bothering.
Whilst the A110 is a very nice car you could always buy a 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 with a manual if you can afford it. The interior is much better anyways ;-)
@@hyweljthomas Yeah, if you didn't master car driving, if you didn't learn how to properly drive, automatics are perfectly suited to YOUR driving experience, indeed.
@@alterglobo Slightly waspy response. I've been driving manual cars (and racing bikes) for 50 years and love them, but the paddles suit the Alpine perfectly.
Hi from Austria! I understand your verdict. But I bought the A110S. Why? Here at my standard roads it suits for me better. But ... if I could ... I would buy an A110 GT as second car ... maybe one day 👍👍👍
Great review, you describe both cars perfectly. I tried both, and bought the Legende with more comfortable seats, sport exhaust, wheels and brakes. Perfect for every day and when you want to play…… love it.
Would definately like to see a twin test against a first generation Cayman. Alpine is still lighter but similar power etc. The Porsche seems like the better bet considering you'd save yourself £40k.
Tested both. The A110 is not comparable to the Cayman. Two kind of sports cars. The A110 is marvelous, the Cayman ... normal boring sports car ... as I see it. But find out for yourself. Test drive an A110 or A110S.
I have drove both. If you need the practicality and useable space Type R. Otherwise A110S. A110s is beautiful in person. Type R... well it drives nice!
@@JK12518 I understand the question if you compare a type R and a Megane RS, but an Alpine or a Type R..... Just just can’t compare both cars. Different philosophy, use case... It’s a question from someone who won’t get any of the two.
@@arno222444 fun drivers car that be driven everyday...why wouldn't you try/consider both? From what I read I don't know that the Megane RS is in that category...but I haven't tried it.
@@JK12518 A sport car coupé, RWD, 2 places, mid engine compared to a hot hatch, FWD, 4 places 300 kg heavier.... I don't see the point to compare them. And about the Megane RS you don't know if she belongs to that category? Which one hot hatch? It's subjective but for many car enthusiast the Megane RS is no less than the queen of this category.
"The better sports car for UK roads ?" I would say Toyota GR Yaris because it is an all wheel drive and it has good suspensions. A110 on the wet UK roads, hmm, not as good as the GR Yaris in my opinion. That was the match this video should have been 👍
Litchfield tweaked A110 another way to go (when the warranty expires!)
Great review - thanks for the real world pragmatic view. Maybe I’m just getting old but makes sense to me. And who needs the noisy exhaust to annoy the neighbours anyway. Cheers and enjoy your A110. G.
Couldn't agree more. My A110 Légende is a hoot on average b roads, the S wasn't as much fun and the ride is much busier at lower speeds. The S looks much more purposeful when sat still, the 4mm didderence is really rather noticeable.
Well done Dan, another great review......and if my back would let me get in and out of one, i'd have one...it looks like a fun car!
Really informative hearing Dan's way of describing vehicle dynamics in his reviews 👍 Perhaps it would be ideal to get a set of lowering springs, even lighter wheels + alignment from 'LIFE110' for the A110 Pure and call it a day? That carbon roof on the A110S is very appealing though, because it reduces weight from where you would supposedly notice the most - lowering the centre of gravity
I’m planning to try the Life110 options, in stages. Once I’ve had a few months in the car as standard (delivered next month hopefully!)
@@dominicruston6233 Nice one! Would be great to hear your impressions on a text or on video :)
@@smilepermile888 If I remember, I’ll reply here, but it will be a while I suspect! Looking forward to getting used to the car, but the Life110 tweaks seem like a good alternative. I drove the S before buying a Legende and they’re both great but the S is noticeably harsher over bumps at low speed (eg: around town). Seemed to get better the faster you go but I preferred the all-round serenity of the standard car. 😎 🇫🇷
Whilst the carbon roof would have a marginal impact, I don't think it'd be one that would really change much. Plus the carbon roof is not cheap by any means. The car already has near 50/50 weight distribution and so the center of gravity is already great. I'm picking up a used PE on Saturday and I think in the end I'll probably just have the adjusted geometry settings for the steering and keep it at that.
Good video and comparison.
Indeed the first A110 2018 was designed and built in the pure original Alpine Spirit, that of Jean Rédélé, to perform on the roads of the Alps (hence the name of the brand) and on mountain roads therefore.
The A110S has been designed for our current era and the generalization of trackdays and amateur driving on circuits. The A110S will therefore be more efficient than the A110 on the clean and flat surfaces of the circuits and less at ease and less comfortable than the more flexible A110 on public roads and more bumpy mountains roads.
Make your choice knowing this and according to your main use.
Well done - and I agree, I wouldn't swap my Pure for the S (driven both) - One change that is really worth doing is to get the geometry settings from LIFE (the ones for the standard Pure - toe and camber tweaks only), they up the level of precision and of course none of the suspension suppleness is changed.
If only Renault could ship these to the US, may sell via the Nissan dealers, would be so cool.
Yes, I sent them a message to tell them this. The Alpine factory is struggling because of the low sales numbers. I doubt they listen to my message though.
@@lensoprezole5322 Emissions Reg's, crash tests, training the dealer service folks, etc., will add costs, but looking at Porsche sales, could be worth the effort.
They would only sell a few in the US because Americans are just not interested in a 4cyl , 1.8l turbo car ! Gas is cheap and they care little about the environment !
@@blackbess338 There are lots of us (Americans), and the car nuts buy all sorts of cars, pretty sure the Alpine would sell well. The problem is that Renault's other vehicles would struggle here, Toyota, Hyundai, Honda, etc., have the small cars covered so much that even domestics do not bother. Not sure Renault has SUVs that could compete.
@@93455Driver Given the choice between a cheaper and faster Corvette overthere in the US , I seriously doubt it that many people would chose the more expensive and small 250 bhp Alpine over a 400+ BHP Vette ! That is exactly why Renault doesn't bother to export to the US and why They have chosen the Japanese market over the US . Japan is the country where They sell almost as many Alpine's as they do in France or Germany !
I still don't understand why neither of these cars have a manual transmission option. They invested money in making the standard A110 worse with this S. Just spend it on a manual transmission development
Honestly, would you conclude the same comparing 718 vs 718S?
I totally get where you are coming from. I’ve got a cayman 987 base as my daily driver and it’s perfect for the British roads. Yet if I had the Cayman GT4 I would intimidate by it and at the same time uncomfortable driving it as I would feel each and every bump on the road
It should be blue !!! Or red or yellow or... Grey are so boring ! By the way, I will take the base 110 as I will take a base MX-5. I hate all that talk of sound, it is NOISE !!!
Great review by Prosser, as always.
Notes:
-Your car looks better, mate, all with those silver rims.
-You are not doing track tests, are you? You're good at it.
-For road criteria it seems the standard Alpine is better just about everywhere, it even looks better.
(The only thing where I prefer the S is that it doesn't have that silly french flag...)
Great comparison!👌 I drove both on german roads and prefered the better body control and added poise of the 110 s slightly over the Standard car but that is marginal. Both great cars👌
Track em and time em--take the channel 2 the next level
Manual or go without.
One video i have been waiting for a long time ! One of my favorite Car reviewer and my favorite modern car ! Perfect video Dan !
Kind of agree with your conclusions
Good item...and right decision...just hope the manufacturers are not watching
Alpine knows very well that the S is less fun on public roads. It’s clearly aimed at track enthusiasts and benchmark nerds who think more hp means more fun all the time.
Great comparison video, Dan. I have the A110 and a set of Life110 springs, not yet fitted. I can’t quite bite the bullet on them, knowing how wonderfully the A110 handles B-roads. That S looks lower than 4mm. Are the wheels larger diameter on the S? I have 18# forged Fuchs, but they don’t fill the arches like on the S...
The rims are exactly the same. The difference is in the tires. A110 runs 205/40 R18 at the front and 235/40 R18 at the rear, A110S runs 215/40 R18 at the front and 245/40 R18 at the rear. That means that the side profile of the tires is higher and thus the whole diameter of the wheel is bigger. Not by much, (215-205)*40%*2 = 8mm, but it makes a big difference visually. Same difference on the rear, (245-235)*40%*2 = 8mm. Plus ride height lowered by 4mm and voilá, the look is very different.
@@sagarisfiorano 215 - 245s now on my shopping list. Thanks for the explanation. I thought they were the same depth...just wider.
no way the A110S is lower by only 4mm .. maybe 40 mm
I think at least 10mm !
He's British what the f.... does he get about mm.....
LOL
A real Alpine has to be 100mm lower... This car doesn't look racy due to this ridiculous height...
I love your reviews as you always make the sensible choice.
As you say, no one who is passionate about driving gives 2 figs about plastic quality of the switches or - my pet hate - the infotainment system.
Your car is gorgeous, the perfect drivers car to my mind
the alpine from the birth made for alpine roads,the new is a mix,the a10 s is overkill ,if you tune the A10 you will get the same and more for less cash,i use to watch they 1970-73 old alpine at the monte carlo rally as a kid,tech was not as todays standard,much respect for the old drivers
Remember that young french youngtuber who pretended to have buy this car...But in fact just borrowed to the factory in order to make the promotion of the A110..
"despite being small and light, it only weighs 1100 kilograms" this is a confusing sentence... of course it doesnt weigh that much, as you just said its small and light?
Why does it not have the 0.9 tce engine? I would love to buy an A110 but smaller with the clio engine.. Mayby a hybrid..
Decent review Dan, nice one. Was wondering if you or anyone you know has tried attaching a 3-cup suction device (e.g. the Seasucker product) to carry a single bicycle on the roof & back window glass. Am concerned that the glass might be thinner than standard and so a bit of a risk?
I own a110. navigation system is not working in my country, so Alpine cooperate with navigation service (monthly payment required about 6$). i want apple car play...
Hey Dan, you said you have the seat in the lowest position... how tall are you? 😅 I (190 cm / 6’2”) test drove the A110 on the middle seat position and it was very uncomfortable... had back pain after 1 hour driving. With the seat being screwed in the dealer wasn’t able to change it for me.
I allways found that big wheel gap disgusting especially on a sports car...do u consider installing some Eibach lowering springs? Saves u 9k pounds :))
Thanks for the super interesting video
Glad you enjoyed it
They upped the price with 10k (in Belgium) for a standard pure, so thanks but no thanks.
GIVE IT A MANUAL and I will sell my Fiesta ST and pawn all my belongings to get a normal A110.
Otherwise, being deprived of so much of the driving experience and expression, I find it interesting but not worth bothering.
Whilst the A110 is a very nice car you could always buy a 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 with a manual if you can afford it. The interior is much better anyways ;-)
Nope, the paddles are fab - perfectly suited to the driving experience.
@@hyweljthomas Yeah, if you didn't master car driving, if you didn't learn how to properly drive, automatics are perfectly suited to YOUR driving experience, indeed.
@@alterglobo Slightly waspy response.
I've been driving manual cars (and racing bikes) for 50 years and love them, but the paddles suit the Alpine perfectly.
@@hyweljthomasI'm with you mate, I've driven that many manuals in my time, and for me if buying a car like this it will be auto clutch.
Hi from Austria! I understand your verdict. But I bought the A110S. Why? Here at my standard roads it suits for me better. But ... if I could ... I would buy an A110 GT as second car ... maybe one day 👍👍👍
Good review. I prefer the look of the standard one - more elegant. Less part of the 'up for a fight' design that most seem to favor now.
Well now they both have apple car play; nice video !
Great review, you describe both cars perfectly. I tried both, and bought the Legende with more comfortable seats, sport exhaust, wheels and brakes. Perfect for every day and when you want to play…… love it.
Good choice!
4mm difference....and you can perceive that...
This channel deserves a LOT more followers.
Shame not available in usa
Would definately like to see a twin test against a first generation Cayman. Alpine is still lighter but similar power etc. The Porsche seems like the better bet considering you'd save yourself £40k.
Tested both. The A110 is not comparable to the Cayman. Two kind of sports cars. The A110 is marvelous, the Cayman ... normal boring sports car ... as I see it. But find out for yourself. Test drive an A110 or A110S.
@@carpediem1140 Are you daft? “Boring”, WTF do you drive, poseur?
Great video!
Nice one
£585 road tax
Ouch
£385 for my Cayman 2.7 manual
Only for first 5 years as any car with a retail of over 40k ...then reverts to cheaper fee!!@@russelllutwyche5736
Excellent review Dan. I’d go for the Pure but option the sports exhaust and one of the more vibrant colours.
You are right . Bought my A110 pure 2 years ago without the sport exhaust and sound pipe and even at My advanced age I actually regret that !
Alpine A110S or Type R?
How can you ask this question seriously......
I have drove both. If you need the practicality and useable space Type R. Otherwise A110S. A110s is beautiful in person. Type R... well it drives nice!
@@JK12518
I understand the question if you compare a type R and a Megane RS, but an Alpine or a Type R..... Just just can’t compare both cars. Different philosophy, use case... It’s a question from someone who won’t get any of the two.
@@arno222444 fun drivers car that be driven everyday...why wouldn't you try/consider both? From what I read I don't know that the Megane RS is in that category...but I haven't tried it.
@@JK12518
A sport car coupé, RWD, 2 places, mid engine compared to a hot hatch, FWD, 4 places 300 kg heavier....
I don't see the point to compare them.
And about the Megane RS you don't know if she belongs to that category? Which one hot hatch?
It's subjective but for many car enthusiast the Megane RS is no less than the queen of this category.
I would mute this fellow in every video he starring in ... very freaking irritating his speech and his stress on words ...
"The better sports car for UK roads ?"
I would say Toyota GR Yaris because it is an all wheel drive and it has good suspensions.
A110 on the wet UK roads, hmm, not as good as the GR Yaris in my opinion.
That was the match this video should have been 👍