The time for the big buff magazines to name their respective car of the year is here, with UK’s Top Gear giving the title of the 2018 Performance Car of the Year to the Alpine A110.
The compact French sports car emerged as the surprise winner among a really tough roster this year that included 2018’s EU-spec cars like the Bugatti Chiron, the Ferrari 488 Pista, the McLaren 600LT and the Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Models like the Huracan Performante were tested last year and therefore were ineligible to compete again.
The magazine’s annual Speed Week comparison test took place at the historic Circuit de Charade in France, where the Alpine A110 impressed with its pure handling and balanced character.
Tipping the scales at 1,080kg (2,380lbs), the Alpine A110 is a minimal but not bare-bones driving machine. The aluminum chassis employs double wishbones all around while the turbocharged 1.8-liter petrol engine produces 248hp 236 lb-ft (320 Nm) of torque. With the help of a dual-clutch transmission, the A110 completes the 0-62mph (100km/h) in 4.5 seconds.
With the limited Premiere Edition now being sold out, Alpine is offering the A110 in two guises: Pure and Légende. The A110 Pure is the more focused of the two, featuring a pair of Sabelt bucket seats, 17-inch lightweight wheels, microfibre upholstery and matte carbon fiber interior trim.
The A110 Légende is the more sophisticated version of the new Alpine, offering things like six-way adjustable seats in black or brown leather and a lightweight premium audio system.
Top Gear will release a full video of their big annual test in the coming weeks and presented by none other than Chris Harris, so stay tuned.