Alpine has officially thrown its hat into the pool of contenders vying for top honours of this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb event, that kicks off on June 25.
Alpine has teamed up with French racing team, Signatech, to develop a special version of the A110R coupe known as the A110 Pikes Peak, and is currently fast-tracking its development ahead of its trip to Colorado.
Alpine’s recipe for its Pikes Peak contender is incredibly simple. In the words of Lotus hero, Gary Chapman, Alpine has opted for the “simple – and add lightness” approach, with the A110 Pikes Peak pumping out 367kW of power, combined with a target weight of 950kg that gives it an immense power-to-weight ratio.
The aero package is extreme, with an aggressive front splitter, side skirts and rear diffuser headlined by a massive rear wing design, while a roof-mounted intake feeds extra air into the 1.8-litre turbo four-cylinder.
Changes have been made in the name of aerodynamics, though Alpine has held back on some changes to ensure the A110R is still eligible for the Pikes Peak Time Attack 1 category.
The A110’s first test runs were conducted at Lurcy-Levis in Central France late last month, with FIA R-GT Cup winner Raphael Astier set to test the car next week in Drome and Val Thorens to finalise any setup changes.
“The A110 Pikes Peak brings out the wildest side of this iconic car,” says Alpine’s Chief Designer, Raphael Linari, “it is agile, and light be design, but with its specific aerodynamics and extreme proportions, it has become a genuine racing beast.”
