The eagerly awaited electric successor to the Alpine A110 sports car, scheduled for release next year, will adopt the same platform and critical mechanicals as the extreme Renault 5 Turbo 3E mega-hatch.
Speaking exclusively to Move Electric’s sister publication Autocar at the Retromobile event in Paris, Alpine CEO Philippe Krief revealed the close relationship of the two cars.
According to Krief, the electric A110 will have several variants, which will push the transformation of the Renault Group's premium performance brand, allowing it to truly rival the Porsche 911.
As such, both the third-generation A110 and the 5 Turbo 3E will use a new aluminium chassis structure called the Alpine Performance Platform (APP), which places a 70kWh battery pack behind the occupants to give an uncompromised driving position.
Power output for the EV is still to be confirmed, but is expected to surpass the 345bhp of the current A110's run-out R Ultime special.
Initially, the new A110 will feature two rear-mounted electric motors for power. However, the option remains to use in-wheel motors, the same system employed by its Renault platform-mate
The 5 Turbo 3E's motors, located within the rear wheels, generate a combined output of 533bhp. This power enables the car to achieve a top speed of 168mph and sprint from 0-100kph (0-62mph) in under 3.5 seconds.
The new EV, which will continue to wear the A110 badge, will be "only slightly" longer than today's car, said Krief. Its styling will be similar to the existing car, which itself is inspired by the original A110 Berlinette originally built between 1963 and 1977. The modern A110 takes design elements such as the quad headlights and squat mid-engined silhouette into a more futuristic aesthetic.
Krief indicated that the forthcoming A110 will retain a similar height to the current model. Consequently, he anticipates an even more athletic driving posture than the existing vehicle, featuring a very reclined seat and the driver's feet raised in a style reminiscent of Formula 1.
The APP's flexible design accommodates various powertrain setups, potentially including future hydrogen propulsion. This technology paves the way for a powerful, four-wheel-drive A110, achieved by integrating in-wheel motors at the front.
The shared platform could introduce a few stumbling blocks, most notably the price. The 2027-bound 5 Turbo 3E is being sold for £140,000 (€156,000 / $170,000).
Krief identifies Alpine's core strengths as its lightness, the sensitive handling that delivers driving pleasure, and the French "savoir faire"—meaning the effortless ability to perform with flair.
The new coupé's kerb weight is targeted to be around 1500kg, similar to the average of its current combustion-engined competitors, Krief informed Autocar. He added that the battery is designed to endure either three flat-out laps of the Nürburgring or an on-road range exceeding 300 miles.
Krief, who joined Alpine in 2023, brought with him a wealth of engineering experience from his earlier career at Fiat and Ferrari. During his time at Ferrari, he was the mastermind behind the highly praised 458 Speciale and the 296 GTB.
As well as a bold new platform and powertrain, the next-generation A110 will introduce a new driver-focused cockpit that majors on physical controls. The car will represent the French performance brand's first bespoke interior, rather than one adapted from its Renault parent company.
A key part of the brief is for the A110 to deliver more focused driver engagement, with minimal distractions, than it has done before. The interior is anticipated to offer a more analogue feel with minimal digital screens. Alpine design boss Antony Villain, speaking to Autocar, described the A110's cabin as "new generation." He stated that it will "stay with the same ingredients, but we push further," emphasising "a lot of physical buttons mixing with minimal digital things."
Having "instinctive access to every crucial function", said Villain, will allow drivers to create an "emotional relationship with the machine", because "when you buy a sports car, you want to be in control… It's not the car that drives you and controls you: it's the opposite," he added.
The new EV will be the first of what Alpine expects to be a new expanded range of A110 models, as Porsche has cultivated with its 911. This, according to Krief, amounts to at least four two-door versions, these being a coupé, a convertible and lengthened, four-seat GT versions of both (which were originally tipped to revive the A310 name).
When he joined the company three years ago, said Krief, the major mission was to launch seven cars in seven years. Two of those, the A290 and A390, are already on sale, and the electric A110, in its various guises, is imminent in several forms.
Following the A390, a larger SUV may be introduced (Krief mentioned this is primarily intended for a US expansion, which is currently a secondary priority). Eventually, when the company's size and reputation permit, an ultra-exclusive hypercar, influenced by Le Mans racers, is also planned.
The latter has already been previewed by the 1000bhp hydrogen-fuelled V6 Alpenglow concept, and it has been suggested that a production version could be built on the flexible APP.
