Alpine A110 Pure 2019 UK first drive

The Pure is the entry-level Alpine A110 – not that this should put you off in the slightest. In the world of thoroughbred performance cars, the simplest variation is so often the sweetest. Just think of the Porsche 911.

And that could well be the case here. Alpine’s first new car since the A610 of 1991 needs no introduction, suffice to say that when the all-aluminium, mid-engined, double-wishboned Alpine A110 arrived last year, it did so like a grenade lobbed into the temptingly affordable sports car segment.

In fact, the little French coupé succeeded where the BMW M2 and Porsche 718 Cayman GTS couldn't when we gave it the full five road test stars. A year later, first impressions suggest not even the all-new Toyota GR Supra, reborn with plenty of BMW hardware, can topple it, although only a direct comparison – due soon – will tell us for sure.

The changes for the Pure are subtle. For a start, it’s only a trim level, because Alpine needs to hold something in reserve for more hardcore versions of the A110 further down the line. There is, however, enough to distance this car from the more luxurious, grand touring-focused Légende at the top of the range.

The most significant among them is the move to 17in wheels, which are inch smaller in diameter and lighter than on a typical A110. Ride quality isn't normally a problem, but if the reduction in unsprung mass gives the Pure even better body control, it would improve the recipe. An even more pliant ride on higher-profile tyres wouldn't hurt, either.

Then there are the one-piece Sabelt sports seats, which with quilted leather and deep bolsters look heavier than they are – just 13.1kg apiece. You might recognise them from the Premiére Edition, but unlike that model, the Pure does without Brembo brakes and an active sports exhaust. Both can be added, however, for £936 and £1380 respectively.

To drive, the Pure is just like any other Alpine A110. Almost identical, in fact. Alpine couldn’t resist fitting the example tested here with optional 18in wheels, so we can say neither whether the smaller items the Pure gets as standard issue improve pliancy and body control nor whether the additional sidewall blunts turn-in response.     

That said, the gentle spring rates, a light body and highly articulate suspension continue to deliver a truly special driving experience – one that distils communication and adjustability down to potent concentrations. Weight transfer across the rear axle can seem exaggerated compared to that of the 718 models, but you’re never in doubt about just how much grip the Michelin tyres have left in them, and the A110 is ultimately the more confidence-inspiring car. In a fast, fluid and effortless natural flow is how it wants to be driven, and you'll find yourself obliging it at any opportunity.