Alpine A110 R Ultime: A Radical Farewell to a Modern Icon

As Alpine prepares to usher in a new generation of electric performance cars, the A110 R Ultime arrives as a dramatic final salute to the nameplate that relaunched the brand in 2017. First revealed at the 2024 Paris Motor Show and now entering limited production, the Ultime is more than just the most extreme A110 ever, it is a meticulously engineered, highly bespoke, road-legal track car that embodies everything Alpine has learned over nearly a decade of revival. With its uprated 345 hp output (on RON 102 fuel), sharpened aerodynamics, motorsport-derived hardware, and an unprecedented new customization program, the A110 R Ultime stands as a technical and emotional pinnacle. Alpine will build just 110 examples, including 15 units of the exclusive “La Bleue,” a handcrafted manifesto car finished in a gradient fusion of the brand’s two most emblematic blues. For customers lucky enough to secure a production slot, the Ultime is as much an immersive co-creation experience as it is a machine, an opportunity to shape a one-of-one expression of Alpine’s final combustion-era masterpiece before the brand fully enters its electrified future.

The A110 R Ultime takes the already-potent A110 R and pushes it to the very edge of what is possible within road-legal homologation. Alpine engineers approached the project with a singular objective: deliver a car that behaves like a competition machine, yet remains approachable enough for committed enthusiasts seeking genuine progression on track. Aero development was a key pillar. With redesigned winglets, a revised bonnet, a new ducktail, adjustable double-flap rear wing, and an optimized front underbody, total downforce reaches 100 kg at 275 km/h, representing a dramatic +149 kg improvement over the A110 R. Crucially, the Ultime becomes the only A110 with downforce on both axles, allowing for higher cornering speeds, improved turn-in stability, and more precise steering feel. Ride height has been dropped, brake cooling refined, and even the airflow around the heat exchangers has been re-engineered to prevent thermal recirculation during hard circuit sessions. Chassis and suspension calibrations reveal an equally focused philosophy. Four Öhlins TTX dampers, derived directly from the A110 GT4 race car, feature adjustable height, compression, and rebound, enabling drivers to tailor the balance from mild understeer to engaging rotation. The car sits up to 20 mm lower at the front and 25 mm lower at the rear in its most aggressive setting, while a new limited-slip differential, stiffer anti-roll bar, and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 A11-spec tyres (with staggered 18/19-inch wheels) complete the circuit-ready transformation. The powertrain sees dramatic enhancements as well. Specific mapping for RON 102 fuel unlocks 345 hp, while reinforced GT4-spec pistons, rods, a re-engineered turbocharger, and stronger engine mounts allow higher boost pressures, up to 2.9 bar. A new DW6 gearbox performs shifts in just 100 milliseconds, and a titanium Akrapovič exhaust saves 3.5 kg while sharpening the soundtrack. Performance speaks for itself: 0–100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, 420 Nm of torque, increased lateral grip, and a top speed of 280 km/h. With a weight near 1,100 kg, the A110 R Ultime achieves one of the most impressive power-to-weight ratios in its class.

Visually, the A110 R Ultime is the purest expression of Alpine’s design-through-function philosophy. Every surface, intake, duct, and appendage serves a precise aerodynamic purpose, giving the car a leaner, more aggressive stance. The front is carved by wider winglets and a flexible splitter blade designed to survive kerbs without fracturing, a nod to its track pedigree, while the bonnet now channels hot air upward to optimise flow to the rear spoiler. At the back, the double-flap wing, revised endplates, and new side flaps in the rear splitter underline the model’s technical intent. However, the Ultime is also a canvas, perhaps more than any Alpine before it. The marque introduces three levels of personalisation: Atelier, Atelier Sur-Mesure, and the ultra-bespoke Atelier “On Demand.” Even the Atelier programme offers extensive freedom, with 27 exterior colours, multiple wheel finishes, seven caliper shades, and a wide palette of interior accents. But for those stepping into Atelier Sur-Mesure, the experience becomes transformative: a private, three-hour co-creation session with Alpine Color & Trim designers, aided by a real-scale 3D configurator and physical material samples. Nearly every visual element, carbon bonnet vents, monograms, aerodynamic components, bucket seat backs, Alcantara sections, leather colours, can be customised. “La Bleue” stands as the ultimate demonstration of this craftsmanship. Limited to just 15 units, it features a hand-painted gradient blending Bleu Abysse and Bleu Alpine, paired with a Poltrona Frau® interior rendered in a unique shade of blue leather. It is the closest Alpine has come to producing a piece of automotive haute couture.

Inside, the A110 R Ultime delivers a cockpit sculpted around the driver, combining motorsport functionality with artisanal craftsmanship. Carbon-backed Sabelt® bucket seats, finished in the customer’s choice of Alcantara®, semi-aniline leather, or bespoke materials, anchor the interior. The options list is unprecedented for an Alpine: 14 Alcantara colours, 10 Poltrona Frau leather shades, multiple embroidery or embossing techniques, leather braiding, and asymmetrical configurations that allow owners to treat each side of the cabin differently. Despite this focus on luxury craftsmanship, the Ultime remains unmistakably performance-driven: a stripped, lightweight environment designed to minimise distraction and heighten connection. Road or track, the cabin reflects the dual nature of the car itself, raw in purpose, refined in execution.