Alpine A110 R 70 Review: The Last Dance of French Supercar Racing Poetry

The Alpine A110 R 70 arrives like a perfectly timed coup de théâtre—the final act of a 70-year love affair between Dieppe's engineers and the art of making automobiles dance. This 70th anniversary edition is, quite literally, the last of its breed before Alpine succumbs to the electric revolution. Consider it the automotive equivalent of Catherine Deneuve’s final film: impossibly beautiful, utterly French, and destined to leave you pining for what once was.

Alpine A110 R 70 Road Test: Artist's Grand Tour Across England

To properly evaluate this two-seater masterpiece, we embarked on what the French would call a voyage culturel—beginning at The Star in Alfriston, that delightful medieval Sussex village where literary pilgrims still gather. From there, we thundered north to Pinewood Studios in Iver, where a friend whose father produced some of Britain's most celebrated films of the swinging sixties provided an insider's tour. Our journey concluded in the Cotswolds, sharing evening champagne with friends from London's musical theatre scene—because if one must test a French sports car, one ought to do so with proper dramatic flair.

A Bit of Alpine History: Jean Rédélé's 70-Year Legacy from Dieppe to Racing Glory

Picture, if you will, post-war France in 1955: rationing had ended, Gainsbourg was crooning in Montmartre cafés, and a certain young gentleman named Jean Rédélé was harbouring deliciously subversive thoughts about making Renault parts dance like Josephine Baker. While his contemporaries were content selling sensible saloons to sensible people, Rédélé possessed that peculiarly French combination of engineering brilliance and magnificent obsession that transforms mere mortals into automotive poets.

Working from a modest atelier in Dieppe—that charming coastal town where William the Conqueror once plotted his own ambitious ventures—Rédélé began crafting what would become motorsport legends. His genius lay not in adding more of everything, as the Germans might, nor in making things unnecessarily complicated, as the British tend to do, but in the supremely Gallic art of achieving more through less. While other manufacturers were piling on the kilos, Rédélé was busy proving that 60 kilograms saved through aluminium artistry could transform a humble 4CV into something approaching automotive sorcery.

Seven decades later, as electric vehicles threaten to reduce driving to the emotional equivalent of operating a household appliance, the A110 R 70 stands as glorious proof that the French have always understood what others merely stumble toward: that true automotive excellence isn't about brute force, but about the sublime poetry of perfect balance. C'est magnifique, as they say—and they're absolutely right.

Tricolour Temptation: Alpine A110 R 70 Specifications & French Signature Livery

Our test car wore the French Signature Livery with the shameless pride of a coq gaulois. Part of a strictly limited run of 70 vehicles in each patriotic hue—Bleu Caddy, Glacier Blanc, and Rouge Sismique—the additional £1,275 adorns the A110 with anniversary logos on wings, sills, and headrests while wrapping the entire machine in tricolour glory. It's a flag that has represented liberty, equality, and fraternity for centuries—values worth celebrating.

Engineering Poetry in Motion: : 296hp Track-Focused Power

Beneath the carbon fibre bonnet lives a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged heart producing 296 horsepower at 6,300 rpm. Connected to a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission sending power exclusively to the rear wheels, it's rather like strapping yourself to a French fighter jet that's decided to embrace track-day chic.

The specifications read like a love letter to lightness: Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres that grip tarmac with Gallic determination, Brembo brakes that could stop time itself, and carbon fibre everything—roof, diffuser, bonnet, wheels—making the car lighter than one's bank balance after a weekend in Monaco. The R Aero Kit adds a gooseneck spoiler so theatrically dramatic it could serve as stage scenery at the Opéra de Paris, while the 3D-printed dual exhaust represents the sort of engineering showmanship that only the French would attempt with such panache.

At just over a tonne (1,082kg to be precise), this featherweight champion achieves 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and continues accelerating until it reaches a gentleman's agreement of 177 mph. Fuel economy? A surprisingly civilised 34.6 mpg, assuming you possess the restraint of a Carthusian monk—which, frankly, you won't.

Alpine A110 R 70 Exterior Design: Bridget Bardot in Carbon Fibre

The Alpine Blue paint shimmers with more lustful intensity than a Frenchman at Brigitte Bardot’s door. The aerodynamic silhouette flows like liquid poetry—compact yet purposeful, with a sharply raked bonnet, fluted waistline, and those distinctively slanted headlights that somehow manage to be both angular and sensuous. The carbon fibre elements—front splitter, side skirts, rear spoiler, and wing—aren't merely decorative; they're functional sculpture.

The pièce de résistance? Those brutalist 18-inch carbon wheels wearing red brake callipers like rouge lipstick. Add the optional Akrapovič exhaust system (a mere £3,700 extra), and the rear view becomes a symphony of form and function, crowned by that extraordinary 3D-printed dual central tailpipe. The whole ensemble sparkles like champagne at twilight—particularly fetching at dusk when the blue paint takes on an almost supernatural luminescence.

Interior: Racing Cosplay with French Flair

Entry requires a certain balletic grace—you'll immediately notice the strap door handles, a delightfully minimalist touch that announces this machine's racing intentions before you've even settled into the cockpit.

Step inside—or rather, drop down into—the Sabelt bucket seats, and you'll discover these aren't the usual semi-bucket compromises found in grand touring machines; these are genuine, take-no-prisoners racing seats with three-way quick-release harnesses. Surprisingly comfortable for such uncompromising furniture, though one would likely require fine-tuning to achieve the perfect driving position.

The cabin offers adequate legroom and modest storage behind the seats for coats and weekend bags. Most charmingly, there's no rear-view mirror—the rear window has been replaced with a carbon fibre panel because, as any Alpine engineer will tell you, glass is frightfully heavy. Besides, given this machine's capabilities, anything behind you will soon be disappearing into the distance, rendering a conventional mirror rather academic.

Storage comes courtesy of two boots: the front coffre accommodates two airline carry-on bags (100 litres), while the rear manages 96 litres—enough for a Cartier handbag and perhaps a small weekend case, though access requires the flexibility of a Bolshoi ballerina.

The Focal audio system deserves particular praise—though frankly, with windows down and that glorious engine note echoing off countryside hedgerows, who needs Jacques Brel?

Technology Meets Gallic Charm

Inside, the racing theme continues with microfibre surfaces scattered about like patriotic confetti. Aluminium pedals, paddle shifters, and footrests announce serious intent, while the Alpine touchscreen seamlessly integrates Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Built-in telemetry allows timing oneself on track or country lane—a deliciously dangerous feature that transforms every journey into a potential time trial.

The phone rest beneath the centre console proves irritatingly positioned, catching one's hand when reaching for the phone, though dual USB charging ports provide modern convenience. The Alpine infotainment system impresses with vibrant graphics and customisable widgets, connecting to smartphones with Swiss punctuality—refreshingly reliable in our increasingly digital age.

Performance: Where Physics Meets Poetry

The drive controls feel purposefully theatrical: elegant circular buttons for Drive, Neutral, and Reverse, plus an enormous red starter button positioned centre stage. Sport mode activates via a small red steering wheel button; hold longer for Track mode—or as we prefer to call it, "completely unhinged" mode.

Allow me to wax lyrical about the road-holding. It's utterly magical—the Alpine twists and turns like a slinky yet adheres to tarmac like a limpet to harbour stone. Floor that accelerator with complete confidence; this exceptional machine allows you to exploit every horsepower without fear. So many powerful supercars become homicidal with half-throttle applications, yet this French darling begs you to use everything.

The agility, lightness, and grip create what can only be described as a pure modern racing experience. Amateurs feel like professionals, while professionals cackle with delight at its extraordinary responsiveness. The steering offers pinpoint precision, inspiring confidence to enter corners at ludicrous speeds and exit even faster.

The engine sings with delightful snap, crackle, and pop—the turbo engaging so seamlessly it's virtually imperceptible, eliminating lag through clever engineering. It sounds rather like an electric vacuum cleaner spun to maximum velocity, an intriguingly modern soundtrack for this groundbreaking four-cylinder.

The double-wishbone suspension represents absolute mastery—10mm lower than the standard A110S, it communicates road surface intimately while smoothing imperfections with Gallic sophistication. The wheels rebound from potholes and imperfections like magic, simultaneously gliding over surfaces while maintaining adhesion that defies physics.

The twin-clutch gearbox operates with pleasing precision, though the paddle shifters provide deeper connection when desired. Not that the automatic requires criticism—it handles full-throttle applications with impressive composure, aided by the car's featherweight construction that reduces transmission stress even at velocity.

Alpine A110 R 70 Finale: C'est Magnifique

At £106,490, the Alpine A110 R 70 represents perhaps the finest racing machine money can purchase—and yes, that's racing car, not sports car. The speed, agility, impossible road-holding, rear-wheel power management, and acceleration achieve automotive sublimity. This is a machine with minor quibbles but no major flaws, reminiscent of the Alfa Romeo 4C's pure driving pleasure without the Italian temperament.

Make no mistake: this Alpine engine is utterly exceptional. The emperor of lightness—vive l'empereur. It's beautiful, incredible, magnificent, and completely mad, all simultaneously. Purchase now before it vanishes—quickly, which it certainly will.

The A110 R 70 isn't merely Alpine's farewell to internal combustion; it's French automotive poetry made manifest. In an era of increasing electrification and homogenisation, this Dieppe-built masterpiece reminds us what we're losing. It's not just a car—it's a cultural artifact, a celebration of everything that makes French engineering special.

Vive la France!

See more about the Alpine A110 R 70 here.

Starting from £106,490
Available now from Alpine dealerships—while stocks last