A quick test of the Alpine Renault A 110.
amanico
Imagine the situation.
You are having a good glass of Champagne in a garden, with some friends, and suddenly, you hear a strange noise.
A rough motor, screaming on the road, and parking in the house just in front of the garden you are relaxing.
I immediately asked my friends if they knew the guy who drove this car and if this car was not, by coincidence, a Renault...
The answer came before I could take my pills..." This is not a common Renault, but an Alpine Renault, an A 110 ".
" What??? " did I answer, " is there any possibility to pay a visit to your neighbour ", as the fortune smiles to the audacious...
" Yes, of course, the gentleman in question was so curious to meet the owner of this Volvo P 1800 that he would be very pleased to meet you. "
Imagine the feeling...
I always dreamt to take place in an A 110, since my youngest days.
And now, it is just in front of my eyes...
The interior is... Spartan, to say the least. No carpet, to save lightness, nothing else than the essential for the efficiency of the race.
No backseats, either, the comfort is basic, not to say absent, but this is not the purpose of this car.
The pedals are disorienting me, as they are not located in front of my feet, but slightly on the right, and they are very colse to each other, which obliged me to leave my shoes to drive " barefoot " ala Catheram Super 7.
Therefore, the seat is not as distant from the pedals as I would have liked, and I had to find my position... Which I found with difficulty, after a while:
Yeeees!
This model houses a modest 1300, not the 1.6, but Hell, what a car!
Please note that not all the elements are original on this engine.
Modest, it is, but you have to keep in mind that the fiber glass body is very light, with a weight around 600 Kilos, only, for a 1300 which delivers 110 HP. A ratio of circa 5. 50 Kg per Horse Power.
Imagine the sound of the engine...
When you start the engine, it starts " blobbling " in a rough way, but press the accelerator, and you get sudden goose bumps.
It shouts like a feline, a wilde and rough, totally uneducated one.
It calls for high regimes, it wants and desires some brutal treatments, with some regular and impressive backfires, when you let the accelerator.
The brakes are like the direction, very efficient and direct, as well as the chassis.
You are on a TRUE sportcar!
You are at the opposite of a Volvo P 1800, which is comfortable, but heavy, with a firm and heavy direction, a supple but quite calm motor.
The P 1800 is definitely not a sportcar, but rather a quiet GT. To drive quite fast on long distances.
While the A 110 is more calling for short but violent runs.
A last word on the body.
This specimen from 1967 has been restored by a specialist, an A 110 lover and big fan.
Its body is of a supreme elegance, and, somewhat, makes me think about another dream car, the Dino 246.
Here are some pictures I could take during the refill ( of the car ), as my own refill came after in a private and unpublished way.
Imagine how you are when you can test one of your dreams, when you can live it for even a short time.
Thanks a lot to the owner of this car, for sharing his passion with me.
It reminded me our watch gatherings... Passion has no limits, no borders.
Best.
Nicolas
You are having a good glass of Champagne in a garden, with some friends, and suddenly, you hear a strange noise.
A rough motor, screaming on the road, and parking in the house just in front of the garden you are relaxing.
I immediately asked my friends if they knew the guy who drove this car and if this car was not, by coincidence, a Renault...
The answer came before I could take my pills..." This is not a common Renault, but an Alpine Renault, an A 110 ".
" What??? " did I answer, " is there any possibility to pay a visit to your neighbour ", as the fortune smiles to the audacious...
" Yes, of course, the gentleman in question was so curious to meet the owner of this Volvo P 1800 that he would be very pleased to meet you. "
Imagine the feeling...
I always dreamt to take place in an A 110, since my youngest days.
And now, it is just in front of my eyes...
The interior is... Spartan, to say the least. No carpet, to save lightness, nothing else than the essential for the efficiency of the race.
No backseats, either, the comfort is basic, not to say absent, but this is not the purpose of this car.
The pedals are disorienting me, as they are not located in front of my feet, but slightly on the right, and they are very colse to each other, which obliged me to leave my shoes to drive " barefoot " ala Catheram Super 7.
Therefore, the seat is not as distant from the pedals as I would have liked, and I had to find my position... Which I found with difficulty, after a while:
Yeeees!
This model houses a modest 1300, not the 1.6, but Hell, what a car!
Please note that not all the elements are original on this engine.
Modest, it is, but you have to keep in mind that the fiber glass body is very light, with a weight around 600 Kilos, only, for a 1300 which delivers 110 HP. A ratio of circa 5. 50 Kg per Horse Power.
Imagine the sound of the engine...
When you start the engine, it starts " blobbling " in a rough way, but press the accelerator, and you get sudden goose bumps.
It shouts like a feline, a wilde and rough, totally uneducated one.
It calls for high regimes, it wants and desires some brutal treatments, with some regular and impressive backfires, when you let the accelerator.
The brakes are like the direction, very efficient and direct, as well as the chassis.
You are on a TRUE sportcar!
You are at the opposite of a Volvo P 1800, which is comfortable, but heavy, with a firm and heavy direction, a supple but quite calm motor.
The P 1800 is definitely not a sportcar, but rather a quiet GT. To drive quite fast on long distances.
While the A 110 is more calling for short but violent runs.
A last word on the body.
This specimen from 1967 has been restored by a specialist, an A 110 lover and big fan.
Its body is of a supreme elegance, and, somewhat, makes me think about another dream car, the Dino 246.
Here are some pictures I could take during the refill ( of the car ), as my own refill came after in a private and unpublished way.
Imagine how you are when you can test one of your dreams, when you can live it for even a short time.
Thanks a lot to the owner of this car, for sharing his passion with me.
It reminded me our watch gatherings... Passion has no limits, no borders.
Best.
Nicolas
Comments:
MichaelC July 3rd, 2013-10:05
So happy for you Nicolas! To get to see that so close, let alone drive it! Very happy for you. Kudos as well to the owner. Simply by being kind, he met the dream of another human. What a great thing to do, something we should all do more frequently.
amanico July 3rd, 2013-10:10
Well, I let him play with my P 1800, too.... I had to hear a loud " Hey, where are the brakes on your car "! :) Pleasure, just shared pleasure. Yes, my friend, we should do that kind of things more often! All the best, Nicolas
VMM July 3rd, 2013-11:14
I can see the happiness on your face :) It's a car that I've seen in many rallyes around here, and everytime I see it I think exactly the same; that's SMALL and LOW. I wonder if I would fit in there :) After Reading your post I'll try to drive one in the future. Glad to see you enjoying. Thanks...
amanico July 3rd, 2013-14:50
Thanks for your comment, Vicente. If you ever have the opportunity To try one, don't miss it! It is an unforgettable moment. Best! Nicolas
DonCorson July 3rd, 2013-13:16
The face of someone in second heaven.... Childhood dreams are dreamed to be fulfilled ! Smiling with you, Don ...
Tony C. July 3rd, 2013-15:17
Eloquent report, Nicolas. And the body design reflects the peformance-centric mechanics underneath very well. Cheers, Tony C.
amanico July 3rd, 2013-15:18
Thank you, Tony. I tried my best to describe the car in question.
bimbeano July 3rd, 2013-15:43
Fantastic experience !!!! Now i am jealous of you my friend. I have never had the pleasure of trying, not even taking place in a A110. It remains one the true sportscar icons IMO . Thanks for sharing these great pictures !!! Bim
amanico July 3rd, 2013-21:44
You are too big to even try to take place into an A 110... I could bet on that. But yes, I was lucky to turn one of my dreams into reality. Best, my dear friend. I thought about you when I tested it! Nicolas.
0-10-10
Load More Comments
Next Article
unotaz
Downforce (or lack of it)
unotaz
So here is an interesting topic for all you car fans.......what is downforce and how much of it do you have on your car? This topic came across when I was reading the Sports Auto Supertest on the Ferrari 458. In Sports Auto Supertest, one of the testing criteria is the car's downforce (or lift). Sports Auto supertest uses Mercedes static wind tunnel to perform this test at 200km/h (or 124mph). In the case of the Ferrari 458, the downforce shown was shockingly low.
© 2017 - WatchProZine