Alpine A110 Légende GT: an agile and athletic sports car

Alpine has been busy, says Richard Lane on AutoCar. The arrival of its new A110 Légende GT might seem like a small event compared with its joining Formula 1 and committing to becoming an electric-only brand. Yet, at £59,410, the limited-edition A110 Légende GT, of which only 400 will be made, is the most expensive Alpine to date – and “that makes it worth discussing”. Billed as the A110 you’d choose for touring duties, the Légende GT features a 1.8-litre turbo engine that delivers 249bhp and a top speed of 155mph.

This latest iteration of the A110 has been enhanced throughout, says Sean Carson on AutoExpress. The upholstery feels more luxurious, the trim has been tweaked, and it looks more elegant overall. Parking sensors, a reversing camera and a seven-inch touchscreen with satnav have been fitted too. “Glossy carbon-fibre trim” denotes Légende GT status. It feels the “most upmarket and expensive Alpine yet”, but remains “a thoroughbred sports car, and a brilliant one at that”.

The ride quality is “better than you might have imagined from a low-slung mid-engined two seater”, effortlessly gliding over bumps in the road “that would send a juddering thunk” through other cars. It sprints from 0-62mph in 4.5 seconds, with “characterful boosty hisses” from the turbo. It’s “not the most tuneful engine, and it’s quite loud”, which can be wearing on a longer journey, but despite its flaws, “the A110 is a sports car through and through”.

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Where the car really shines is in the way it handles, says What Car? magazine. “It’s full of sensation and allows you to place the nose with millimetre precision… it feels balanced and athletic like a ballet dancer, and makes the Jaguar F-type and Toyota Supra seem heavyweights by comparison”. It’s certainly not cheap, but “it’s one of the most entertaining and rewarding cars you can buy, regardless of price”. It’s a “genius little sports car”, agrees Ollie Kew in Top Gear, and one you could live with every day. But if you want one of the 400 available, “you’ll have to be as swift and agile as the car itself to secure it”.

Alpine A110 Légende GT

• Price: £59,140
• Engine: 1.8-litre, four-cylinder turbo
• Power: 249bhp
• Torque: 236lb ft
• 0-62mph: 4.5sec
• Top speed: 155mph

This article was originally published in MoneyWeek