Renault’s resurrected Alpine brand has a long history of making good drivers’ cars, but the new A110S faces a major obstacle: not only is it positioned against the likes of the Porsche 718 Cayman T, but more importantly, it’s also £4,755 ($5,893/€5,328) more expensive than the established German sports car in the United Kingdom.
Now, is the premium worth it when it comes to the small French sports car? Let’s see what the numbers say: nought to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) in just 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 260 km/h (162 mph).
The A110S is powered by the ever-present 1.8-liter four-pot that’s used in the lesser grades and the latest Renault Megane RS. It pushes out 292 PS (288 HP / 215 kW) and 320 Nm (236 lb-ft) of torque, directed to the rear axle via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
Review: New Porsche Cayman T Might Offer The Best Value In The Range
Its German rival from Porsche, the 718 Cayman T, packs a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that develops 300 PS (296 HP / 221 kW) and 380 Nm (280 lb-ft) of torque. Despite being slightly more powerful, it does the 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 4.7 seconds on two conditions: with the optional Sport Chrono Package and PDK transmission installed. With the manual gearbox, the time drops to 5.3 seconds. Flat out, it will do 275 km/h (171 mph).
Choosing the best of the two ultimately comes down to each individual’s preference, but which one is quicker at the track? In this case, the two videos shared by SportAuto show the sports cars lapping the Hockenheim GP with a skilled driver behind the wheel. We won’t spoil the result, as that’s for you to find out by clicking the play button, but we will tell you that both of them were equipped with grippy tires: Michelin Pilot Sport 4 for the A110S and Pirelli P Zero N1 for the 718 Cayman T.