Sports car chat
- Thread starter Whaleblue
- Start date
Whaleblue
Southbound
@markvdv said
“I like the Alpine A110, in the Netherlands that sells for less than half the price of the Emira. The Alpine's pricepoint is where Lotus should offer a lightweight sportscar with parts from Toyota's GR Yaris. I guess they can't. The Radford Lotus would be over 1 million euro's here, I don't think there are buyers for that.
About the Zagato Lancia Fulvia, we had the failed "Lancia" Hyena, very cool”
“I like the Alpine A110, in the Netherlands that sells for less than half the price of the Emira. The Alpine's pricepoint is where Lotus should offer a lightweight sportscar with parts from Toyota's GR Yaris. I guess they can't. The Radford Lotus would be over 1 million euro's here, I don't think there are buyers for that.
About the Zagato Lancia Fulvia, we had the failed "Lancia" Hyena, very cool”
Whaleblue
Southbound
@cutting42 said
“There a few folks on the Emira forums who have bought A110’s after the long wait for the Emira. Does not do it for me though, odd looks mainly but I like the concept. The next gen Alpine will share a platform with Lotus I believe.”
“There a few folks on the Emira forums who have bought A110’s after the long wait for the Emira. Does not do it for me though, odd looks mainly but I like the concept. The next gen Alpine will share a platform with Lotus I believe.”
Whaleblue
Southbound
I @Whaleblue said
“Emira 2.0 Turbocharged
360bhp
1400kg
0-62mph 4.5 Seconds
A110 1.8 Turbocharged
248bhp
1100kg
0-62mph 4.5 Seconds
That 300kg difference has quite an effect.
Emira 2.0 WLTP Combined 29mpg
A110 1.8 WLTP Combined 42mpg
Difficult to describe, but the effect that that low weight has on the way the Alpine drives is extraordinary.
Looks much nicer in the metal too!
AIUI the Alpine/Lotus collaboration will be on the electric platform coming in 2025-ish.”
@Enfield boy said
“So the Alpine is like a Lotus but simplified with added lightness?
Butchering ACBCs quote.”
I @Whaleblue said
“Yup.
Actually the (2017-) A110 is based on a chassis jointly developed by Lotus and Caterham. A project shelved when there were “differences” that stopped the collaboration. Alpine bought the design and the new A110 was born.”
“Emira 2.0 Turbocharged
360bhp
1400kg
0-62mph 4.5 Seconds
A110 1.8 Turbocharged
248bhp
1100kg
0-62mph 4.5 Seconds
That 300kg difference has quite an effect.
Emira 2.0 WLTP Combined 29mpg
A110 1.8 WLTP Combined 42mpg
Difficult to describe, but the effect that that low weight has on the way the Alpine drives is extraordinary.
Looks much nicer in the metal too!
AIUI the Alpine/Lotus collaboration will be on the electric platform coming in 2025-ish.”
@Enfield boy said
“So the Alpine is like a Lotus but simplified with added lightness?
Butchering ACBCs quote.”
I @Whaleblue said
“Yup.
Actually the (2017-) A110 is based on a chassis jointly developed by Lotus and Caterham. A project shelved when there were “differences” that stopped the collaboration. Alpine bought the design and the new A110 was born.”
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
I love the Alpine, but the used values are ridiculously strong for a car you hardly ever see. I've not checked recently, but even 5 year old examples still seemed to be asking around £40k, which is what they were when new. Am I looking in the wrong place? I'd have expected them to be down <£25k for a nice, earlier example by now, and <£20k for a 'meh' example. I'd expected the price to follow a similar trajectory to the Elise, but it doesn't seem to have done.
Whaleblue
Southbound
@Paul R said
“This is like an Elise with an extra 200kg?
I think the problem is that people are fat with bad backs and want some toys to play with when stuck in traffic.”
I @Whaleblue said
“Make that ~500kg. Of course the Elise went out of production over a year ago. Making a car that meets modern safety standards and keeping it light is tricky.”
(I’d compared the Emira to the Elise).
@richardg said (comparing the A110 to the Elise as I expect was intended)
“I'd call it more of a Cayman with 200kg less”
“This is like an Elise with an extra 200kg?
I think the problem is that people are fat with bad backs and want some toys to play with when stuck in traffic.”
I @Whaleblue said
“Make that ~500kg. Of course the Elise went out of production over a year ago. Making a car that meets modern safety standards and keeping it light is tricky.”
(I’d compared the Emira to the Elise).
@richardg said (comparing the A110 to the Elise as I expect was intended)
“I'd call it more of a Cayman with 200kg less”
Whaleblue
Southbound
@cutting42 replied to my specs quoted above
“The Lotus i4 numbers are somewhat up for debate. They were quoted as 4.2 sec 0-62 originally and changed recently. Also they changed the v6 numbers for both auto and manual and despite being out there for a few months, no-one has independently verified the acceleration AFAIK. There is a theory that they are underplaying the i4 specs while they are selling the v6 models which is plausible also the engine in Merc cars is good for various tunes up to 470bhp and independently much higher.
Hopefully my delivery date will not get pushed out any further, I heard last week that the first i4's were in production for demo and press cars so hoping for news soon.”
“The Lotus i4 numbers are somewhat up for debate. They were quoted as 4.2 sec 0-62 originally and changed recently. Also they changed the v6 numbers for both auto and manual and despite being out there for a few months, no-one has independently verified the acceleration AFAIK. There is a theory that they are underplaying the i4 specs while they are selling the v6 models which is plausible also the engine in Merc cars is good for various tunes up to 470bhp and independently much higher.
Hopefully my delivery date will not get pushed out any further, I heard last week that the first i4's were in production for demo and press cars so hoping for news soon.”
Whaleblue
Southbound
They go somewhat under the radar. I’ve seen only three on the road since I became aware of them a couple of years ago. There are only around 800 in the country. I had no plans to buy another sports car, but then I drove one!
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
If residuals really are that strong, what's the PCP deal like?
Seeker_UK
Feelin' nearly faded as my jeans
https://www.alpine-cars.co.uk/services/alpine-financial-services.html
About average for a £53k car, I'd say.
£53k is a lot of money - needs to offer something a bit special over a Lotus or Cayman at that price. Does it?
Sue Pertwee-Tyr
Accuphase all the way down
Yes, that's my point. If depreciation is minimal, that should be reflected in the PCP, which should be lower monthlies than for a typical £53k car.
I haven't driven either a Cayman or an A110. I prefer the looks of the A110, but the (6-pot) engine of the Cayman is more appealing, and it has better packaging (luggage space). And loads of used Caymans at sensible prices, which is the other reason why I'm so surprised at the firm residuals of the Alpine. I wonder whether the asking prices are just kite-flying and the real price when they change hands is less. Just wondered if anybody on here had any insights.
Whaleblue
Southbound
Yes. Lightness.
They’ve also made it a car that’s fun on real UK roads. That’s partly the lightness, but also the engine/gearbox ratios allow for fun at legal speeds.
If you’re interested drive one and you’ll either get all this, or it’s not for you. I had a Cayman for a couple of years, and although a superb car in many ways, ultimately didn’t find it a lot of fun on the road. I sold it and had a couple of years track-daying with them at Thruxton. Then I drove the A110 there, and subsequently on the road. It’s very special.
They look to be stopping making them pretty soon (moving to an electric power chain), so if you’re interested go look now!
Whaleblue
Southbound
Absolutely! Similar weight to the Alpine.
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
Whaleblue
Southbound
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. They also don’t photograph that well IMO. Have you seen one in the metal?
Most Porsches are sports cars for sure. However, in my book the Cayenne and Macan most certainly are not.
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
It's a sports car for sure so I'd say yes
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
can't say I'd noticed one on the road.
cutting42
Arrived at B4 Hacker Ergo
I did see one years back at Goodwood I think. They do have a nice delicacy about them but never clicked the "want" button. However when the Emira was launched I went straight to the Lotus website and reserved one the next day (July 8th 2021) it has been a long wait.