Here in the U.S. we can’t get the mid-engined Alpine A110 in any form, but the company is introducing its first regional limited edition in Asia. The honor goes to Japan, and when we say limited, we mean limited. Only 24 units will be produced.
Based on the high-performance A110S model, it features some minor cosmetic differences as hinted at by its incredibly French sounding name, the Alpine A110S Bi Ton Limitee. That sounds a lot more special than its English translation, which is simply “Two-Tone Limited”.
It’s the first Alpine A110 to be offered with a contrasting color roof, a styling trend that’s frankly getting a bit ubiquitous these days. The roof only comes in black, and can be paired with the manufacturer’s trademark Blue Alpine, the darker Blue Abyss and Blanc Irise (white). Alpine says the look was inspired by the Alpine trackside cars used by the F1 teams.
Of course, no special edition these days would be complete without contrast stitching, and the Bi Ton Limitee offers that in the aforementioned blue. It’s quite subtle against the black Sabelt monocoque seats, but it’s there. A Pioneer navigation is standard, as are the 18-inch black GT wheels with red calipers.
Pricing ranges from $81,400 to $82,300, depending on the color. That might seem like quite a premium for what you’re getting, considering the standard A110S starts at around $77,650. But it’s not as ridiculous as some of Alpine’s past limited editions, and it’s starting with the performance-oriented A110S as a base. The A110 Color Edition carried a price bump of over $15,600 and the Legende GT Edition about $16,400. And let’s not forget the $152,000 Felipe Pantone Edition.
Japan has long had a fascination with Alpines, with serious collectors curating (and vintage racing) such cars as a rare Alpine M63 Prototype. Orders opened on September 30, and will close as soon as all 24 units (likely a reference to Alpine’s 1978 win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans) are spoken for.