New Alpine A110 S vs new Porsche 718 Cayman T: interiors
The Alpine A110 S and Porsche 718 Cayman T promise to be even sharper to drive than their 'regular' siblings. But which has the finer edge?...
Behind the wheel
Driving position, visibility, build quality
The interior of the A110 looks pretty special at first glance, with the S version getting a faux-suede roof lining and orange stitching to go with the bits of body-coloured metal trim which all A110s have. Start using the Renault-sourced switches, though, and they feel less substantial than the bespoke ones in the Cayman. Plus, the Cayman’s materials feel classier.
You’ll have no trouble finding a driving position that works in the Cayman, either, thanks to plenty of adjustment, whereas the A110’s backrest is fixed, so the angle will either suit you or it won’t.
And while the Cayman’s seat can be cranked up and down using a ratchet lever, changing the height of the A110’s requires a spanner; that’s likely to lead to arguments if you and your partner both drive the car and are different heights.
Still, at least the A110’s seat holds you tightly in place through bends – better than the Cayman’s, actually.
Visibility is another issue in the A110, because its more steeply angled windscreen pillars can obscure your view at junctions, and it has a tiny rear screen. However, you get front and rear parking sensors as standard, whereas Porsche charges £623.
Infotainment systems
Alpine A110
Like lesser A110s, the S comes with a 7.0in touchscreen incorporating a DAB radio and sat-nav. Unfortunately, the system is slow to respond and many of its icons are too small. To make matters worse, you can’t bypass Alpine’s own software by using Apple CarPlay or Android Auto; instead, you have to download a fiddly app if you want to control certain phone functions through your car. You do get a punchy Focal sound system as standard, though.
Porsche 718 Cayman
The T saves weight by having a large storage compartment in the centre of its dash instead of an infotainment system. However, you can opt to have the 7.0in touchscreen from other Caymans included as a no-cost option. We would, because it’s much quicker than the A110’s system, with more user-friendly menus, while sat-nav, a DAB radio and Apple CarPlay are included. There’s no Android Auto, however, and a premium stereo will cost you £834.
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