Alpine A110 review

So far, the only A110 we’ve tried is the range-topping Première Edition, which at first glance seems pretty luxurious. There's leather on the steering wheel, doors and dashboard, as well as a sprinkling of carbonfibre trim. There are even bits of its aluminium chassis on show for a bit of drama.

You don’t have to hunt hard to find cheaper materials, though. The interior plastics may have a pleasant texture, but most are hard to the touch; that's the price you pay for the car’s lightweight approach. You might also recognise plenty of switches from various Renaults. Overall, the A110 is nowhere near as plush inside as a Porsche Cayman.

Infotainment is taken care of by a 7.0in touchscreen mounted in the middle of the dash with DAB radio, Bluetooth connectivity and sat-nav. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto aren’t available, but there is a (very fiddly) smartphone app you can download to control certain functions through the car. Mind you, the sat-nav is easy to follow and the menus are fairly clear, although it isn’t the most responsive system we’ve tried and many of the icons are too small to hit with any real confidence on the move. While it runs the Jaguar F-Type’s infotainment system close, the one in the Cayman is quicker to respond and easier to use.

Finding a comfortable driving position is made easy by a seat and steering wheel that offer plenty of adjustment. Regardless of your height, you’ll be happy to spend a few hours on the road. A digital instrument cluster is standard, giving slightly different displays depending on whether you choose Comfort, Sport or Track mode.

Visibility isn't the A110's strongest suit, though. Even by sports car standards, the rear screen is tiny and there’s no reversing camera to help out; just parking sensors at the back. The thick front and rear roof pillars also hamper your view at junctions. At least the A110’s compact dimensions make it easy to place on the road.