Photo: Alpine
Around six months ago, France’s Ministry of Interior expressed its interest in buying new cars, and after ticking all boxes, the Renault Group won the contract with the Alpine A110. Part of a 26-unit order, the first two were handed over late last week, during a ceremony, and the remaining ones will be delivered early next year.
The brand operating under the Renault Group’s umbrella says that these will be used by the gendarmerie, one of the country’s national police forces, for rapid intervention, high-speed chasing, and other hot missions, including fighting against drug trafficking. Two of them will be used for training purposes.
Boasting a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, and looks that honor the original A110, Alpine’s rival to the likes of the Porsche 718 Cayman and Alfa Romeo 4C packs the same lump as the one in the Renault Megane RS compact hot hatch. The turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder unit develops 248 hp (252 ps / 185 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque in the base variant, with the 2022 GT and S models being punchier.
The latter two are offered with 296 hp (300 ps / 221 kW) and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm), which is an 8 hp (8 ps / 6 kW) and 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) improvement over the previous model years. From 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph), the GT and S need 4.2 seconds, and the entry-level is 0.3 seconds slower. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 kph) in A110 and A110 GT, and 162 mph (260 kph) in the S. The top-of-the-line can, however, max out at 171 mph (275 kph) when ordered with the optional Aero Kit.
Renault has a long history of supplying the French police with patrol cars that started back in 1966 with the original Alpine A110. It continued with the Alpine A310, and in 1984, the Renault 18 Turbo got the special livery and upgrades. The 21 2L Turbo followed from 1992, and in 2001, the legacy continued with the Megane IDE. The modern A110 replaces the third-gen Megane RS and will remain in service until 2025.
Boasting a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive layout, and looks that honor the original A110, Alpine’s rival to the likes of the Porsche 718 Cayman and Alfa Romeo 4C packs the same lump as the one in the Renault Megane RS compact hot hatch. The turbocharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder unit develops 248 hp (252 ps / 185 kW) and 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque in the base variant, with the 2022 GT and S models being punchier.
The latter two are offered with 296 hp (300 ps / 221 kW) and 251 lb-ft (340 Nm), which is an 8 hp (8 ps / 6 kW) and 15 lb-ft (20 Nm) improvement over the previous model years. From 0 to 62 mph (0-100 kph), the GT and S need 4.2 seconds, and the entry-level is 0.3 seconds slower. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 kph) in A110 and A110 GT, and 162 mph (260 kph) in the S. The top-of-the-line can, however, max out at 171 mph (275 kph) when ordered with the optional Aero Kit.
Renault has a long history of supplying the French police with patrol cars that started back in 1966 with the original Alpine A110. It continued with the Alpine A310, and in 1984, the Renault 18 Turbo got the special livery and upgrades. The 21 2L Turbo followed from 1992, and in 2001, the legacy continued with the Megane IDE. The modern A110 replaces the third-gen Megane RS and will remain in service until 2025.
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