Renault's performance arm Alpine will be going purely electric in 2025, but until that happens, there’s still some life left in the ol' combustion engine. Debuting October 4, the A110 R will represent the meanest derivative of the mid-engined coupe to date. We're being shown it'll also be the fastest of the bunch by topping out at 285 km/h (177 mph). That's a smidge more than the current A110 S with its maximum velocity of 275 km/h (171 mph).
Ok, 177 mph is not overly impressive in the grand scheme of things. However, lest we forget the French rear-wheel-drive sports car has a (relatively) small engine. Namely, it uses the same turbocharged 1.8-liter mill found in the Renault Megane RS. When you think about it, in Europe's 2022, a 1.8 isn't that small when the vast majority of small to midsize cars sold have three-cylinder engines or four-pots with a smaller displacement.
The adjacent teaser video shared on social media also reveals power will remain unchanged. The digital instrument cluster shows 300 hp in the upper-right corner and 340 Nm (251 lb-ft) on the left side. These output figures match those of the 2022 A110 S, which was made slightly more potent compared to the previous model year.
The extra miles per hour have probably been unlocked after tweaking the automatic transmission's gearing. As a refresher, the A110 uses a seven-speed, dual-clutch unit developed by Getrag. Alpine has already revealed the track-focused R will be even lighter, which is remarkable considering the current versions weigh between 1,102 to 1,140 kilograms (2,429 to 2,513 pounds) depending on the level of equipment.
Alpine 110 R teaser images
It's unclear whether this will be the A110's swan song before the model will be discontinued ahead of the EV era set to begin by the middle of the decade. Alpine is working on three EVs: an amped-up version of the Renault 5 revival, a GT X-Over crossover, and a sports car co-developed with Lotus on a dedicated platform.
Following its world premiere next week, the Alpine A110 R will then head to the 2022 Paris Motor Show where it’ll be displayed from October 17.
