Alpine has chosen the International
Automobile Festival (FAI) in Paris to reveal a rally-inspired, winter
sports-accessorized A110 concept called SportsX. Headlining an exhibition of
new or little-known models from Alpine’s past and present, the A110 SportsX
show car is the result of a joint effort by the brand’s design and engineering
teams.
Alpine says the A110 SportsX is inspired
by the rally versions of the A110 sports car, more specifically the A110 that
won the 1973 Monte Carlo Rally. The most obvious changes include a widebody kit
adding 80 mm of width and a 60-mm higher ground clearance.
Other changes include a more aggressive
body kit consisting of a front bumper, side skirts, and rear bumper with side
vents. Rounding off the updates are the dual-tone paintwork, crossed out
secondary lights, ski rack and custom black wheels shod with Michelin Primacy 3
tires. The A110 SportsX is based on the entry-level A110 Pure, which means the
mid-mounted 1.8-liter turbo-four produces 252 PS and 320 Nm of torque. In the standard car, that enough for a 0-100 km/h sprint of 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h.
Before you ask, Alpine says “this unique
model is not available for sale.” Still, that doesn’t mean we can’t see
elements from it incorporated into future A110 variants. Besides the A110
SportsX, Alpine’s stand at the FAI will include rare models like the A210
prototype, Vision Gran Turismo, the A110 1800 – 1972 Gp4 driven by François
Alessandri and Jean Pierre Manzagol, a 1971 A110 “berlinette” 1300 and the
A110S current range-topper.
