GENEVA MOTOR SHOW: Faster and more luxurious Alpine A110 editions revealed

Two new versions of the new Alpine A110 have been confirmed ahead of their Geneva motor show debut next week, six months before the new-generation French coupe’s later than expected arrival Down Under in September.

All three variants of the mid-engined rear-drive Alpine A110 coupe, which is based around a compact aluminium structure, will be powered by a 185kW/320Nm 1.8-litre turbo-petrol engine and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

But the ‘minimalist’ Pure Edition (pictured here in white) and more luxurious Légende Edition look like tasty additions to the original Alpine A110 Premiere Edition.

The top-shelf A110 Légende Edition flagship will major on comfort, refinement, sophistication and “everyday driving or long distance touring”.

It will bring niceties like six-way adjustable lightweight Sabelt seats, full leather upholstery and gloss-finish carbon-fibre interior trim.

Meantime, the more “driver focussed” Pure Edition will be lighter, less generously equipped and “destined to live its life on winding mountain roads”, says Alpine, which also announced three new A110 exterior colours.

The A110 Pure is not to be confused with the even lighter and perhaps more powerful ‘A110S’ or ‘A110 Sport’, which is yet to be officially confirmed but could bring carbon-fibre body panels and a full titanium exhaust.

The eventual A110 range-topper will weigh less than the standard car’s 1080kg and beat its 0-100km/h acceleration time of 4.5 seconds.

For now, stand by for full details of the new Alpine A110 Pure and Légende Editions, which could also offer specific four-wheel double-wishbone suspension tunes, from Switzerland on March 6.

Renault Australia corporate communications manager Emily Fadayev said local Alpine A110 specifications were yet to be announced ahead of the Alpine A110’s release here late in the third quarter of 2018.

“As such it’s too early for us to be talking about possible future editions,” she said.

However, when we drove the Alpine A110 in France last December, Renault Australia managing director Andrew Moore told motoring.com.au our version would likely be based on the Pure, fitted with 18-inch alloys and a sports exhaust, and priced close to $100,000.

Apart from the price, the catch is that Alpine’s born-again rival for the Porsche Cayman, which has already attracted more than half a dozen Aussie orders, will be available via only two local dealers and limited to just 100 sales a year because it lacks side airbags.