Renault-controlled Alpine has recently unveiled a very special sports car in the form of the 2024 Art Car. Based on the A 110 S, the midship commission was created by Alpine with input from black and white photographer Mathieu Cesar.
Black and white both inside and out, said midship thriller was presented with much pomp and circumstance at an event in Paris, where brand ambassador Zinedine Zidane was in attendance. Stripped of all color in favor of the purity of black, white, and many shades of gray, the art car is furthered by metallic detailing here and here.
Gifted with gloss-black front and rear sections, the A110 S benefited from 3D printing for the interior door trim and backrests. Even the upholstery is black and white. Furthermore, the mostly black and white aesthetic is complemented by chrome and aluminum pieces.
The A110 Monochromatic console plaque clearly states that it's a one-of-one affair designed for Mathieu Cesar. Simplicity and sophistication perfectly define this car, which is – most likely – the final internal combustion Alpine of the bunch.
Renault's sporting arm has already revealed the 5-based A290 electric hatchback and a concept that previews the A390 electric crossover, which is due to enter series production in 2025. Going forward, the A110 is projected to become fully electric in 2026. Hearsay suggests a roadster version of the zero-emission A110 as well.
Photo: Alpine
At the tail end of 2027, a 2+2-style grand tourer with similar underpinnings to the A110 is due to arrive with – of course – electric muscle. A slightly larger sport utility vehicle is on the menu as well, with the tentatively dubbed A490 expected to spearhead the brand in the United States market.
Alpine intends to start moving vehicles in the United States of America in 2027, with AutoNation to handle both sales and after-sales support for the French automaker. With Alpine reporting a meager 4,328 deliveries of the A110 in 2023, it's extremely important for Alpine to have all the right products ready to go prior to its entry into the US.
It's worth remembering that Renault was present in this part of the world a long time ago. Renault pulled the plug in 1987 due to poor sales, with the French colossus also selling the American Motors Corporation to Chrysler. This brought the highly lucrative Jeep brand under the Chrysler umbrella at a time when the one and only Lee Iacocca was running the Chrysler Corporation.
Although there is a fair bit of demand for lightweight sports cars in North America, the A110 was not designed with American regulations in mind. The corner-carving machine uses a 1.8-liter turbo I4 developed by Renault, with the most basic specification available belting out 252 metric ponies or just under 249 mechanical horsepower.
The real magic is curb weight, though, for the base version of the A110 weighs a meager 1,102 kilograms (2,429 pounds). By comparison, the Mazda MX-5 Miata with the soft top and 1.5-liter engine is listed by Mazda Europe with a curb weight 1,078 kilograms (2,377 pounds) at the very least.
As for the elephant in the room, that would be pricing. With the A110 starting at 65,000 euros in France, it's no wonder Porsche sells more 718s than Alpine does A110s.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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