It’s the last call for Alpine A110. Because all good things come to an end, the Renault-owned sports car brand will discontinue its mid-engine coupe in 2026. The clock is ticking as the order books will close in 12 months. The lineup receives a final update before France’s Cayman rival goes away. A new R 70 special edition marks the brand’s 70th anniversary and the last hurrah for the hardcore R version.
The A110 R 70 sits on 18-inch carbon fiber wheels and eschews the rear window. Alpine also uses carbon for the rear spoiler, hood, and roof. Behind the seats is the usual turbocharged 1.8-liter gasoline engine the Renault Megane RS also had before the hot hatch was retired in 2023 after the Ultime special edition. In the latest flavor of the lightweight two-seater, it produces 300 hp and 250 lb-ft (340 Nm) of torque.
Photo by: Alpine
Only 560 cars will be offered, and you’ll have a choice of 10 body colors and seven shades for the Brembo brake calipers. All cars feature an Akrapovic exhaust system and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires as standard equipment. Alpine also has an additional French Tricolor series with 210 units. The more exclusive version comes in Bleu Caddy, Blanc Glacier, or Rouge Sismique, with each paint limited to 70 examples. Regardless of the one you go for, a huge Alpine logo in exposed carbon fiber adorns the roof. All Tricolor models receive Sabelt upholstery color-coordinated with the boxy.
Elsewhere, there’s an A110 GTS to replace the GT and S versions. It has the same power as the R and can be had with an optional GTS aero kit for a more aggressive look inspired by the hotter R model. Buyers can also spend extra on 18-inch GT wheels wrapped in Cup 2 rubber. Rounding off the tweaks are five new colors, including three matte finishes.
Alpine is already accepting orders in France, where the standard A110 starts at €65,000 ($68,200). Next is the GTS at €79,500 ($83,400), followed by the R 70 at €122,500 ($128,600). They’re not cheap, but we must remind you that the A110 R Ultime was offered for an eye-watering €330,000 ($346,300).
It’s worth noting that the A110 doesn’t have to worry about the Cayman in Europe. Last year, Porsche axed the coupe because it failed to meet new cybersecurity regulations. However, the GT4 RS is exempt from the rule because of its limited production. In France, Porsche is charging €162,500 ($170,600), while Lotus wants €96,815 ($101,600) for an Emira First Edition.
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What’s next? Alpine is working on an electric replacement for the A110. Per an announcement made in January 2021, it was supposed to be co-developed by Lotus, but the two companies parted ways in May 2023. Consequently, Alpine is riding solo by developing its own electric sports car platform. We’ve already seen an electric A110 as the E-Ternity prototype, but it was based on the current gas car. The upcoming performance EV will be engineered with a purely electric drivetrain from the get-go.
Alpine has already hopped on the EV bandwagon with the A290, a hot hatch version of the reborn Renault 5 supermini. The recently unveiled A390_β concept paves the way for a swoopy electric SUV, with five additional EVs coming by 2030. Among them will be an A310, a four-seat version of the forthcoming electric A110.
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