The Alpine A110 from the late 1960s and early 70s was a fine vehicle, but the name was laid to rest a long time ago. That’s true up until 2012 when we first laid eyes on the Renault Alpine A110-50 concept. Since then, two other concepts have come and gone, with the Alpine Vision Concept of 2016 showcasing the closest representation of the production model that you see here. So what does the new A110 bring to the table? Well, to put it simply, it’s a heritage-filled sports car with stunning looks, a mid-engine configuration for a near-perfect weight distribution, a lightweight platform, and beautiful interior appointments that will keep this reborn sports car relevant and competitive for some time to come.

It all starts out with an aluminum platform and body that are bonded, riveted, and welded to help increase strength and rigidity. Because of the materials and assembly procedure, the car – without options – has a curb weight of just 2,380 pounds (1,080kg.) Like its predecessor from the 1960s, the new A110 is also ready to hit those windy, mountain roads thanks to the location of the engine, which brings an optimal weight distribution of 44 percent in the front and 56 percent in the rear. Pair that with the fuel tank being located up front and you have an exceptionally low center of gravity – perfect for stout maneuvers and spirited driving.

So, what can the Alpine do in the performance department? Well, I’m glad you asked. Renault Alpine managed to cram a 1.8-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder above the rear axle that delivers a cool 252 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque. Shifting duties are handled by a Getrag, seven-speed, wet-clutch, DCT that has specially tuned gear ratios. With that curb weight of 2,380 pounds, this drivetrain setup will push this sexy little sports car up to 62 mph in just 4.5 seconds and an electronically-limited top speed of 155 mph. And, it does so without the need for a spoiler thanks to strategic aerodynamics and a drag coefficient of just 0.32.

Suspension duties are handled by double wishbones front and rear which, according to Renault Alpine, offers a combination of “excellent handling performance” and “great ride comfort and daily usability.” To put that into perspective, the Porsche 911 with its 370-horsepower flat-six can hit the 60 mph sprint in 4.4 seconds.

Little has been said about the interior, but the model we’re looking at here is the Premiere edition. The few images we have showcase a leather-wrapped steering wheel with cross stitching, a leather wrapped floating center console, seats with a quilted stitching pattern, and a leather wrapped dash – all of which have blue contrast stitching that stands out against the black leather. The infotainment display floats in front of the center stack, just above a row of push buttons that control various features like the hazard lights, locks, etc. The seats themselves are of the racing variety and look to be compatible with five-point racing harnesses. They also feature an Alpine plaque fixed to the headrest and an embroidered “A” in the middle of the seatback.

All told, it’s a fine vehicle and, when you compare it to the model that precedes it, it’s clear that this thing is built with heritage in mind. Even the exterior design nods to the original A110 from the 60s with the recessed headlights, round driving lights in the nose, and the roofline that is unmistakably Alpine. It even has the wider lower body like its predecessor. So, with that said, let’s travel down the page and talk a little about the Premiere edition that is being offered and produced before other production models hit the assembly line.

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Premier Edition – A Truly Special Edition

To be honest, the Premier Edition is the A110 model you really want, but for the most part, it is sold out minus a few RHD models for the U.K. and the models slated for Japan (reservation books to open soon.) But, those who were lucky enough to get on board early will get to choose from exterior colors that include Alpine Blue, Noir Profond, or Blank Solaire (black and white, respectively.) The car will ride on 18-inch Otto Fuchs aluminum wheels with a black diamond finish that will only be available on the Premiere Edition.

Behind the wheels sits a performance braking system with dual-material brake discs and aluminum hubs. The rear calipers have an integrated parking brake. The engine feeds its exhaust through a lightweight active sports exhaust for excellent sound when you really get on it. Inside, the Premiere edition gets aluminum pedals, matte carbon fiber accents, quilted one-piece sports seats, special red, blue, and white badging, and an Alpine-tuned Focal audio system for musical bliss at any speed. Finally, the driver will be offered three different driving modes that include “normal,” “sport,” and “track.” Alpine didn’t go into details, but given the names, the function of each driving mode is pretty self-explanatory.

Pricing for the Premier edition is set at €58,500 in France and 64,000 Swiss Frans in Switzerland. Those totals compute to $61,862 and $63,197, respectively, at current exchange rates. For the record, the Porsche 911, which offers near-identical performance, comes at a much higher, $89,400. Once the standard model goes into production, Porsche better watch out, because the Alpine A110 could be trying to take a piece of the pie.

Read our full review on the Renault Alpine here.