Skip advert
Advertisement

Alpine A110 R Ultime is faster than a 991 Turbo S at the Nürburgring

The most focussed A110 yet lowers the Nordschleife time of the A110 R by 20 seconds, going some way to justifying its expected £180,000 price tag

The ultimate incarnation of Alpine’s diminutive two-seater sports car, the A110 R Ultime, is here to send off what has become one of our favourite sports cars of the last decade with a bang. We know it’s expensive, we know it’s extreme and now we know it’s fast. Alpine has confirmed it’ll lap the Nürburgring Nordschleife ‘20 seconds faster’ than the standard A110 R. That makes the Alpine A110 Ultime a 7min15sec car, seemingly corroborating fans who timed prototypes at under 7min20sec.

The little Alpine has always been a power-to-weight champion and punched above its weight for driving thrills. A time around the ‘Ring that bests the BMW M4 CSL and 991 Porsche 911 Turbo S, is just five seconds off a Mercedes-AMG GT R and just two seconds off Jorg Bergmeister in a Porsche Carrera GT on its new Michelin tyres, shows the Ultime doubles down on that billing.

The Ultime then, really does promise to be Dieppe’s true answer to the Porsche Cayman GT4 RS – the result of extensive iterative development and learnings from the GT4 race programme.

Advertisement - Article continues below

Alpine hasn’t quoted a weight for the A110 R Ultime, but expect a sub 1100kg kerb weight as it benefits from the R’s carbon fibre body panels and other weight saving measures. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

> Life110 Alpine A110 R 2025 review – hardcore featherweight turned to 11

Beneath the Ultime’s aero-enhanced body – it wears the same carbon fibre add-ons as the R but with a pair of cannards on the front corners with downforce claimed to be increased by 160kg at the car’s 177mph top speed – are a set of adjustable Ohlins dampers replacing the R’s ZF units, AP Racing discs and high-performance brake pads replacing the Brembo brakes fitted to the R and there’s improved braking cooling, too. 18 and 19-inch forged wheels are fitted front to rear with Michelin’s Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyre the standard fitment. 

“La Bleue” trim – seen on the car at its reveal in Paris last year – costs a mind boggling €,330,000 including taxes, although this does include a Peugeot Sport inspired two-tone paint job. The ‘regular’ Ultime costs from €265,000 including VAT in France with UK prices yet to be confirmed. 

That mighty price tag is down to France’s stringent emission regulations that results in double-digit percentage taxes applied to new cars producing higher levels of CO2 and those with more horsepower, something the A110 R Ultime produces more of both. 

As is the modern way the A110 R Ultime can be personalised in numerous ways, specifically around colours and trim with 27 exterior colours on offer along with the option to have the carbon bonnet painted. There are also four Alcantara colours for the interior to pick from.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Life110 Alpine A110 R 2025 review – hardcore featherweight turned to 11
Life110 Alpine A110 R
Reviews

Life110 Alpine A110 R 2025 review – hardcore featherweight turned to 11

Alpine’s A110 R is one of our favourite sports cars. Can some choice upgrades from Life110 make it even better? We head to Goodwood to find out
30 Jan 2025
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses
Ford Focus ST Mk3
Features

Ford Focus ST (Mk3) – the car world's greatest misses

We’d hoped the 2015 Focus ST would share a good dose of its little brother’s magic. Sadly, it didn’t
28 Apr 2025
The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever
Ferrari 296 Speciale – front
News

The Ferrari 296 Speciale has arrived, and it could be the most thrilling Ferrari ever

The 296 Speciale is the latest in Ferrari's line of mid-engined road racers, packing 868bhp and LaFerrari-beating pace on track
29 Apr 2025
Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar
GMA T.50 front
Reviews

Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 2025 review – the ultimate analogue hypercar

The GMA T.50 is the car we thought would never come: Gordon Murray's sequel to the ultimate hypercar, the McLaren F1
26 Apr 2025