With 304 PS or 300 horsepower on tap for €699, the Alpine A110 tuned by RaceChip sounds like a perfect alternative to the A110S and Porsche 718 Boxster. The French berlinetta with Stage 2 mods can be further specified with a smartphone-controlled app for an additional €50.
The tuner also offers a warranty of up to two years and €10,000 on the engine, but in the long run, the 400 Nm (295 pound-feet) could wear out the transmission before the four-pot turbo. The 7DCT300, if you were wondering, is rated at up to 300 Nm (221 pound-feet) of torque.
Getrag launched this transmission in the Renault Espace, and when it entered production in 2015, the company made it clear that over 100 applications are planned. Turning our attention to the engine, the 1.8 TCe is shared with the Espace minivan and Megane R.S. hot hatchback.
RaceChip is much obliged to sweeten the deal with the XLR for €299, a system that can “easily tune your car's throttle response to your taste.” As with the chip tuning module, Bluetooth control comes at a cost - €30 to be more precise. All told, the Stage 2 upgrade and XLR with their respective phone apps will set you back €1,078 over the sticker price of the Alpine A110.
A lesser upgrade – the Stage 1 – adds 43 PS and 67 Nm over stock for €399. It should be mentioned that RaceChip offers a one-year warranty in this case, which seems strange considering that Stage 1 puts a lesser strain on the engine and transmission than the range-topping option.
A unanimously acclaimed novelty throughout the automotive world in 2018, the A110 is such a thrilling pocket rocket that James May bought one. The British presenter now looks forward to the Tesla Model 3 electric sedan, another vehicle he plans to purchase in the near future.
Speaking of which, the most affordable A110 in the United Kingdom went on sale in 2018 for the princely sum of £46,905 on-the-road. Over at Tesla, the Model 3 Long Range with dual-motor AWD is £46,340 before savings.
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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