Alpine A110: Track Day Experience

amanico · 2020-10-26T09:05:34Z

Join amanico on a thrilling track day with the Alpine A110, exploring its limits and comparing it to race-spec versions. Discover community insights on performance, ownership, and color preferences.

amanico

WPS member · Automotive forum

51 replies12242 views24 photos

Amanico, a seasoned automotive enthusiast, shares his exhilarating track day experience with the Alpine A110, an event orchestrated by an authorized dealer. His post goes beyond a simple test drive, offering a glimpse into the car's capabilities on a circuit and the nuances of track piloting. This article delves into his firsthand impressions and the community's insights on this remarkable sports car.

I was invited by an Alpine Authorized Dealer to test the Alpine on the track. I already tested it on the small roads of Normandy, and on the highway, too, I had to go farther and have some fun on the track to test its limits, and to get some notions on how to pilot a car on a track, too.

We had an appointment at 9.00 AM, and I arrived a bit earlier, the Volvo C 70 T5 being a pretty fast car.

The first surprise? The cars in presence. Half an hour before, two race cars were there, two Alpine A 110 Cup, with a reworked exhaust, a different electronic gestion, a steering wheel borrowed to the GT 4, new suspensions for a much lower car ( -40 mm ) and a different sequential gearbox.

The other surprise? The presence of the first A 110 with a special historical paint, here in ... Pink, for the Alpine Workshop.

Another surprise came a bit after... The number of " Alpinists " who attended the event with their A 110. Not 5, 6 or 10, but a bit more than 30!

As expected, the Blue was the most popular. There were a good number of " S ", too, which is the sporty version of the A 110. And I suspect a few have installed a special exhaust, from what I heard on the track...

The A 110 S I tested a few weeks ago:

But the most important was, of course, the experience on the track, the feelings when you brake like a mad man way before the curves, the way you pass the curves, the drifts, the way you have to look at the track, the incredible balance of the car, the sensations...

I couldn't make a video on the cars when I tested two of them, a normal one and the... A 110 Cup, with its official pilot, Laurent Hurgon, who is currently 2d in the european championship. Seeing him driving, piloting the car at only 80% of its possibilities makes you realize the difference which separates a professional pilot to an amateur. You really take a lesson of humility and feel a lot of respect for these " guys ". When they drive, you think it is really an easy thing. Try, and you will see, it is not that evident...

Here is the video:

It makes you want to enhance your poor driving skills, just to have a decent level.

And, better or worse, it really gives you the will to own one of these cars.

But that is another story. I will review the A 110 and its different versions in a later post.

I would like to thank the Alpine Dealer for this invitation, or should I say, incitation...

It was an unforgettable moment, truly.

Best,

Nicolas

Key Points from the Discussion

The Alpine A110 is highly regarded as a superior track car compared to alternatives like the Audi R8 or Porsche, with its lightweight design and agile handling making it ideal for circuit driving.
The Alpine A110 has a rich rally history, and its participation in modern rallies, even challenging muddy ones, continues to build on this heritage.
Driving on a track, especially with a professional pilot demonstrating the car's full potential, can be a profoundly humbling yet rewarding experience, often leading to deep, restorative sleep due to the adrenaline and mental focus involved.
The Alpine A110S, with its enhanced performance and specific color options like white with black wheels or dark grey, is particularly tempting for enthusiasts.
The Alpine A110 fosters a strong community of owners, which significantly enhances the overall ownership experience beyond just the car itself.
There is a community preference for certain Alpine A110 colors, with white and dark grey being popular choices, while a historical pink paint scheme was less favored.

The Discussion

nacelle

Oct 26, 2020

Great story, great pictures, great car. A day spent at the track "bonding" with your car is humbling for sure and rewarding in so many ways...

Passionata_george

Oct 26, 2020

thanks for sharing it .

Johnny.

Oct 26, 2020

The white S with the black wheels is very nice and also the dark grey in picture number 8. The pink one with the white wheels on the other hand looks awful. Too many blue ones, do you have a preference already?

emcquillan

Oct 26, 2020

I hope you get your Alpine soon my friend. I too have experienced the humility of driving at a track and then watching the professional pilot my car. What an incredible difference. Did you experience a deep sleep that night? My professional pilot told me I was going to sleep very well that night. I didn’t believe him, but he was right. The adrenaline during the day and the mental focus on the track created for the best sleep. Best wishes and best of luck getting your Alpine.

penfriend

Oct 26, 2020

Since I did my first track day some 20 years ago I have done a lot of these experiences as regular trainings for an official European race license which I obtained some ten years ago. It is so much fun My current track car is the Alfa 4C which is way better for that purpose than R8 or Porsche (which I tracked before). Go ahead and purchase the A110!

MichaelC

Oct 26, 2020

I would love the opportunity to attend one of these track days some time...

Continue the conversation

This thread is active on the Automotive forum with 51 replies. Share your knowledge with fellow collectors.

Join the Discussion →

Key Points from the Discussion

Continue the conversation

More from this Forum