Alpine will take on Pikes Peak with 493bhp A110

Alpine will take on the famous Pikes Peak hillclimb for the first time with this hardcore, aero-optimised A110, which has been “designed to break records”. 

The most extreme iteration of the Alpine A110 to date, the 950kg Pikes Peak edition has been designed to cope with the fluctuations and demands presented by the 19.93km Colorado hillclimb, also known as the Race to the Clouds. 

It has been developed by Alpine in collaboration with French racing team Signatech, and sports a pronounced front splitter, double rear wing and shark fin that cuts through the rear window – all of which are designed to generate additional downforce in each of Pikes Peak’s 156 corners.

Aero-optimised alloys, side skirts and a rear diffuser also feature, with a cooling duct appearing on the roof to force fresh air into the engine. 

Power comes from the same 1.8-litre turbocharged four-pot, but uprated to produce 493bhp – up 241bhp on the standard car.

Although Alpine won’t yet disclose performance figures, the Pikes Peak edition will surely smash the 3.9sec 0-62mph time of the 296bhp Alpine A110 R – the most powerful production model.

Designed by Alpine chief designer Raphaël Linari and overseen by project manager François Letort, this race-ready car retains some of the stock A110’s proportions to ensure it is still eligible for the ‘Time Attack 1’ category, which only includes closed-body cars that keep their original air/fuel delivery systems, number of cylinders and number of driven wheels. 

Key changes to the standard car include lowered, stiffened suspension, redesigned door mirrors, a stripped-out interior and bucket seats.

Redesigned lights front and rear – ‘laser-cut bars’ replacing the circular LEDs and tail-lights incorporated into the spoiler and shark fin – along with an American flag-inspired livery mark it out from the standard, road-going car.

Linari said: “The A110 Pikes Peak brings out the wildest side of this iconic car. It is agile and light by design, but with its specific aerodynamics and extreme proportions, it has become a genuine racing beast.”

Letort added: “The first two testing days went really smoothly. The Alpine A110 Pikes Peak met all its initial targets, which is a remarkable feat in such a short time. We are thus proud to unveil a spectacular model, both visually and in terms of its performance.”

It will make its debut at the Lurcy-Lévis circuit in France on 25 and 26 April, driven by Raphaël Astier. Astier, who already has four Pikes Peak participations under his belt, will fly to Colorado Springs before making final preparations with his team ahead of the event beginning on 25 June.