This week our man has been behind the wheel of the Alpine A110 (again), met the new CEO of Williams F1 for a chat, and headed to the Malvern hills for a sneak peak at the new three-wheeled Morgan.
Monday
That’s twice this year. For the second time in 2021, renewed acquaintance with a car I’ve previously driven induces me to promote it to the top of this column’s tiny list of unimpeachable favourites. The first was the Porsche Taycan (world’s best saloon). The latest is the entry-level Alpine A110 Pure (world’s best sports car) that landed this week. Of course, this petite coupé established itself long ago as a favourite with Prior, Saunders and co, but ‘favourite’ in my head means something extra: a car I’d unhesitatingly buy with my own money.
You can argue that the A110 is a simple mixture of Renault Clio and Mégane bits in a £60,000 envelope, but this leaves out the brilliance of the decisions its creators took on design (this A110 looks even better than the original), on specification (it’s sophisticated and delicate, yet simple to drive) and on comfort (even another 5% of suspension stiffness would harm its composure). Occasionally, the best motor industry talents produce an even better result than they thought they could. This is one of those times.
Tuesday
What a pleasure to meet Jost Capito, CEO and team principal of Williams F1, who is steadily reviving a team that appeared to be going down for the last time. Capito has a significant Autocar history: in his Ford days (while he was secretly developing the latest STs and RSs), he’d sometimes meet us on the road to view and test rival machinery. His astute observations helped both sides. Best thing at this latest meeting was his total conviction that Williams can win again.
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Love the purple paint job on the Alpine but, the chav wheels and brake calipers do it no favours.
Many years ago in a different life I visited Morgan to drive the then relatively new Plus 8. In those days it was simply shattering although ten years later I drove a friend's and found it was a bit horrid when pushed. Highlight of my Malvern visit was interviewing Peter Morgan. He'd just sold a Plus 8 to Bridget Bardot. The way he spoke about this was the pinnacle of his working life. So a lucky guy altogether. And wonderful company.
You could be right, but "a simple mixture of Clio and Megane bits" just isn't accurate, when there's nothing shared in the chassis, suspension, general architecture... As far as I can work out what's shared is the engine block, the AC controls, and the steering wheel stalks. Possibly the electric window buttons?
Anyways, there's a really, really nice metallic green in the Atelier program - were I speccing again I'd be sorely tempted. Maybe with white wheels. I know they're wrong, but I can't help liking them.