Comparative Test – The Alfa Romeo 4C vs the 2019 Alpine A110: A Duel?
For this very first comparison, Motors Inside pitted two models with fairly similar characteristics against each other: The Alfa Romeo 4C and the new Alpine A110.
Over a period of five days, two of our testers took turns at the wheel of the French and the Italian cars and exchanged their opinions in order to differentiate them as objectively as possible.
If our rivals are breaking records of lightness with the sole aim of outpacing the competition, their designs differ. The Dieppoise is adorned with aluminum while the Milanese sports carbon. Which one will end up in the other’s rearview mirror?
The file:
- The Alfa Romeo 4C
- The Renault Alpine A110
- Onboard Life Comparison
- Driving Behavior Comparison
- Editor’s Choice
- Comparative Video
Alfa Romeo 4C – Red and black for heritage
Although the 4C is not new (2013), it still holds a special place within the Alfa Romeo lineup and plays a significant role.
She alone carries the memory of the Italian manufacturer at a time when SUVs are plentiful and autonomous driving is on everyone’s lips. This coupe proudly asserts what a true Alfa Romeo should be, and it does so with brilliance.
The 4C scoffs at conventions; it is politically incorrect, unreasonably loud, and impractical. From the first few kilometers driven, the car reveals itself as brutal and demanding, yet at the same time, it rewards you with authentic and incomparable sensations.
Its lines, initially complex, actually reveal ideal proportions. The flamboyant red of its uniquely singular body contrasts with the black of the omnipresent carbon in the interior.
The “Quattro cilindri” (4C for “Four cylinders”) pays an honorable tribute to the past, but how does it fit into its era?
Alpine A110 – Reinterpreting the Past
Reviving Alpine meant reviving its iconic model: the A110. From our point of view, that of our colleagues, and based on the public’s reactions, we can talk about a real success.
However, the choice of neo-modern style for the exterior design leads to one conclusion: the design of the Alpine A110 is not transcendent, aside from the multiple nods to its predecessor.
Yes, the front and rear optics are a success, as are certain body elements such as the chrome strip that highlights the central ridge of the hood, the sculpted sides, and the concave design of the front spoiler. Nevertheless, the overall line of the car is firmly rooted in the past, but is this choice of nostalgia really a bad idea?
Life on board
Alfa Romeo 4C
Settling behind the wheel of the Alfa requires a certain physical condition: first, you have to kneel close to the ground, bend in half to avoid banging your head on the roof, then step over the wide door sill to finally collapse into the narrow bucket seat; all this without wiping your shoes on the air vents. Getting out of the cockpit isn’t much easier unless you escape “on all fours”; your back may thank you, but your ego might not.
Once seated in the very stylish “black-tobacco” seats, one discovers a sparse interior. The digital instrumentation behind the steering wheel is the only concession made by the 4C to modernity. It features manual air conditioning, cruise control, and a superb Bluetooth radio (by Alpine brand…).
If one quickly tires of the overall presentation of the dashboard or if some adjustments leave something to be desired, the same cannot be said about the effect provided by the visible carbon that envelops the two occupants of the Italian coupe.
Alpine A110
If for the exterior it was necessary to look in the rearview mirror in terms of design, the interior had to start from a blank slate. The Alpine A110 offers features worthy of a Grand Touring car, focused on comfort and luxury.
The brown leather quilted Sabelt seats with blue stitching offer real comfort, and the predominance of this same brown shade in the interior, with the dashboard, steering wheel, center console, and on the door panels in a diamond pattern, adds warmth and sophistication.
On the equipment side, the A110 lacks nothing. Onboard computer with touchscreen, digital instrumentation, steering wheel controls, automatic climate control, electric parking brake, USB connectors hidden in the open central arch.
There are a few sporty touches to note, with carbon on the central console and the Sport button placed on the steering wheel. Does the A110 really reflect sportiness?
Road Behavior
Alfa Romeo 4C
For a vehicle with a sporty vocation, keeping its weight around one ton is imperative. In this regard, the Alpine is a good student with its 1,123 kgs, but the Alfa wins by a knockout with over 100 kgs less on the scale! (895 kgs dry). Its secret? The unique design of its car radio. More seriously, this achievement is due to the stripped-down treatment of the cabin, the absence of power steering, and especially the carbon fiber shell. It makes its opponent seem like a pachyderm that relies on a material reputed for its lightness: aluminum.
Contact and the 4-cylinder reveals a rough and cavernous tone. Maneuvering at low speeds makes you regret canceling your gym membership, but the lack of assistance fades as the pace picks up. The steering is tough and unforgiving of the slightest mistake. You must firmly grip the flat-bottomed steering wheel to direct and keep the front axle on the path that will spare your lower back the most. Be careful not to accidentally press one of the two paddles, however.
The mid-rear positioned engine is located just behind the headrests and releases its most beautiful vocalizations as soon as the “Dynamic” mode is activated. The Akrapovic titanium line then channels the engine’s growls to its central dual exhaust outlet, while the turbo blows vigorously. Only the sometimes hesitant automatic gearbox spoils the party.
The Alfa is radical but intoxicating, whereas the Alpine is sharp and playful. The speedster makes no compromises, and its 1,750 cm3 turbo engine with 240 hp catapults it from one curve to another at unmentionable speeds.
Alpine A110
As suggested by the standard of the interior, the behavior of the Alpine A110 leans more towards Grand Touring with comfort taking precedence over sportiness. However, it would be simplistic to summarize it as such because it proves to be playful on winding routes, like the mountain roads we drove on during our test.
The front suspension is precise, and the steering is easy and light. Entering a curve is a pleasure. The braking is efficient, but there are some moments of heaviness during braking phases, perhaps due to the negative synergy between the ride height and a suspension that lacks firmness.
The real downside is the EDC7 automatic transmission which, even in sequential mode (double press on the « D » button), intervenes too often unbeknownst to the driver. Added to this is the overly distant positioning of the steering wheel paddles.
4C vs A110 – Editorial Team’s Choice
Can we really choose? Honestly? No.
Similar on paper in terms of their characteristics, the Alfa Romeo 4C and the Alpine A110 prove to be incomparable due to the divergence of their philosophies.
One plays the card of radicality and unbridled sportiness by reducing comfort to its simplest form, while the other counters with versatility and dynamism in an uncommon refinement for this category of vehicle.
The rational choice falls on the A110, much more suited for daily use, but the passion choice goes to the 4C, built for the track. If you can, treat yourself to both.
In conclusion, these favorite coupes are different in many ways but they have one thing (a duty) in common: giving meaning to the expression “pleasure of driving.”
Article co-written with Benjamin Estève. Photos by Gary Eisinger.
