Alpine Centre Singapore launches the radical Alpine A110 R
Alpine Centre Singapore – Just before the annual festivities surrounding the Singapore Grand Prix, Alpine Centre Singapore called upon BWT Alpine F1 team driver Esteban Ocon and reserve driver Jack Doohan to unveil the range-topping vehicle of the Alpine family: The Alpine A110 R.
Often, we’d associate the “R” prefix with RennSport or Racing. But in this case, the “R” stands for Radical, and looking at the car (and the accompanying press materials), it isn’t hard to see why.
For starters, the Alpine A110 R is the most track-focused car of the A110 range, with an assortment of carbon fibre goodies that include the typical performance accoutrements such as front splitters, a carbon roof, carbon wing, a carbon rear diffuser et cetera.
Often, these add-ons serve to reduce the weight of any given car (or give you extra brownie points at your local Cars and Kopi meet), but the A110 R takes it a step further.
The A110 R gets a set of 18-inch carbon fibre rims, which amount to a total weight loss of 12.5 kilos over what is already a lightweight vehicle. Then comes the carbon fibre hood and the replacement of a rear windshield with a carbon fibre panel, which shaves off another 6.6 kilos.
The exhaust system is 0.7kg lighter thanks to the use of 3D printing, and the interior is stripped of its leather seats for fixed carbon fibre buckets and a 6-point Sabelt harness for an additional 6.5-kilo deficit. All told, the A110 R weighs just 1,082 kilos, a 34kg drop from the A110 S.
Of course, weight reduction isn’t the only attribute a car needs for improved track performance. Downforce plays a crucial part in clocking quicker lap times, and the A110 R has it in spaces. The car has 2% less drag than the outgoing A110 on the road, but it can be reduced to 5% by lowering the (already lowered) suspension by 10mm – which is reportedly an illegal setting for public roads.
The A110 R’s carbon fibre splitters, hood, wings and rear canopy also contribute to the car’s improved track performance but also allow for better cooling for the car’s powertrain. Mounted behind the passenger cab is the same 1.8-litre turbocharged inline4, tuned to produce 300 horsepower and 340Nm of torque. Like the A110, it also gets a 7-speed dual-clutch gearbox but the A110 R is capable of doing 0-100km/h in 3.9 seconds.
The Alpine A110 R starts from S$528,800 without COE, which is a significant sum more than the S$318,800 (without COE) you’d have to fork out for the A110 S. But the path to lightening isn’t cheap, and the A110 R’s got it in spades.
PHOTOS Jay Tee and Alpine
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