We all love the Pikes Peak race. Although today is a paved race, it does not take away from the excitement and vertigo that is experienced when climbing 20 kilometers of narrow roads at full speed to reach the finish line, located more than 4 thousand meters above sea level. .
And it’s always interesting to see the new challengers who dare to make their mark in this competition. This year, Alpine makes its debut with a special version of the A110which, due to its large wings, looks like a car from the extinct Group B. Although, to tell the truth, it’s not just the wings: this A110 has 500 Hp under the body.
The lights were also reinterpreted with a special design.
The Alpine team asked their usual Signatech partners for help, who manufacture the A110 GT4 for them. and that they also have long experience in French motorsport (especially at the hands of Renault) and thus it was possible to bring this model to life. Among the modifications that the brand comments on -and which are apparent- we find a huge front splitter that helps channel air to the places that matter, a rear diffuser of similar dimensions, two side flappers and a hulking split rear wing. Other details include a rear wing mounted where the glass covering the engine used to be, and aerodynamic wing mirrors.
So much is the attention to this section that the tires are completely sealed with black covers, something like rally wheels with “aerodiscs”.
In Alpine they have not wanted to say what they did with the powertrain of the A110 so that it reaches 500 Hp. The original model has a 1.8 Turbo engine that reaches approximately 300 Hp. Surely the A110 GT4 was taken as a base and from there they sought to scale further. What yes, the car barely weighs 950 kilos, necessary to get the most out of this engine. All in all, the A110 Pikes Peak is able to be approved in the Time Attack 1 category.
The driver designated to run with this car is the French Raphaël Astier, winner of the FIA R-GT Cup in 2022 with an A110 Rally and who has already competed four times at Pikes Peak. He will first have a few test sessions throughout the month before traveling with the team to Colorado Springs for final practice before the June 25 race.
