{"id":65916,"date":"2025-07-11T02:18:07","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T06:18:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/alpine-reinvents-the-sports-car-with-button-heavy-driver-focused-electric-a110\/"},"modified":"2025-07-11T02:18:07","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T06:18:07","slug":"alpine-reinvents-the-sports-car-with-button-heavy-driver-focused-electric-a110","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/alpine-reinvents-the-sports-car-with-button-heavy-driver-focused-electric-a110\/","title":{"rendered":"Alpine Reinvents the Sports Car with Button-Heavy, Driver-Focused Electric A110"},"content":{"rendered":"

Why is Alpine doubling down on physical controls in its next-gen A110?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever slid into a modern sports car and felt like you were piloting a tablet on wheels, you\u2019re not alone. Alpine\u2019s design team has heard the feedback\u2014drivers want to feel in control, not distracted by endless screens. That\u2019s why the upcoming, all-electric Alpine A110 is taking a bold step back to the future: more tactile buttons, fewer digital distractions.<\/p>\n

Antony Villain, Alpine\u2019s design chief, puts it simply: when you\u2019re behind the wheel of a true sports car, you want to master the machine, not have the machine master you. This philosophy is driving the new A110\u2019s cockpit design, which will feature a bespoke interior loaded with physical switchgear. The idea isn\u2019t just nostalgia\u2014it\u2019s about instinctive, eyes-on-the-road access to every crucial function. No more hunting through menus to adjust your climate or suspension settings. Just reach out, twist, flick, and go.<\/p>\n

How will the new A110\u2019s interior differ from other modern sports cars?<\/p>\n

Most new cars\u2014especially electric ones\u2014are racing to pack in ever-bigger touchscreens. Take Alpine\u2019s own A290 hot hatch or the A390 SUV: both borrow heavily from their Renault siblings, with wraparound digital displays and 12-inch portrait touchscreens dominating the dash. These setups look slick, but they can pull your attention away from the road.<\/p>\n

The next A110, by contrast, is breaking from the pack. Alpine is designing its own interior from scratch for the first time, ditching the Renault hand-me-downs. Expect a cabin that\u2019s unapologetically driver-focused, with a mix of chunky, satisfying buttons and just enough digital elements to keep things modern. It\u2019s a deliberate move to foster an emotional connection between driver and car\u2014a ritual, as Villain calls it, that\u2019s missing from so many tech-heavy vehicles today.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s the thinking behind Alpine\u2019s unique approach to electric sports cars?<\/p>\n

Going electric usually means adding weight, raising the ride height, and losing some of that classic sports car feel. Alpine isn\u2019t having any of it. The new A110 will be as low-slung as the outgoing petrol version\u2014no battery packs stacked under the floor to jack up the silhouette. Instead, Alpine is exploring clever packaging, like placing batteries behind the seats or in a T-shape, similar to what Maserati has done with its GranTurismo Folgore. The goal? Keep the center of gravity low and the handling razor-sharp.<\/p>\n

And while most rivals are content to adapt existing platforms, Alpine is investing heavily in a bespoke electric sports car architecture. Outgoing Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo admits it\u2019s a \u201cnot rational\u201d move from a business perspective, but it\u2019s all about preserving the brand\u2019s DNA. Think of it as Alpine\u2019s answer to Porsche\u2019s strategy: keep the heart of the sports car lineup pure, even if it means spending more and selling fewer units.<\/p>\n

Will the electric A110 lose its iconic look and feel?<\/p>\n

Not a chance. While the new A110 won\u2019t lean on retro cues as heavily as its predecessor, it\u2019ll still be instantly recognizable. Expect signature quad headlights, a squat mid-engined silhouette, and bold, muscular arches. The design language will take cues from the upcoming A390 SUV\u2014sharper nose, swooping roofline, and a purposeful stance. It\u2019s evolution, not revolution.<\/p>\n

Performance-wise, Alpine is promising that the new A110 will actually be lighter than many combustion-engined rivals, despite the weight penalty of batteries. Their previous electric concept, the A110 E-ternit\u00e9, tipped the scales at just under 1,400kg\u2014lighter than a Porsche 718 Boxster EV prototype. That\u2019s a strong signal that Alpine\u2019s commitment to lightweight engineering is more than just talk.<\/p>\n

How does Alpine\u2019s strategy stack up against industry trends?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a gutsy move. The automotive world is obsessed with digital everything\u2014screens, voice controls, over-the-air updates. But there\u2019s growing evidence that drivers, especially enthusiasts, are craving a more analog experience. A 2023 J.D. Power survey found that nearly 30% of new car buyers are frustrated by overly complex infotainment systems, and physical controls consistently rank higher for usability and satisfaction.<\/p>\n

Alpine\u2019s decision to stick with tactile controls isn\u2019t just contrarian\u2014it\u2019s a calculated bet that the pendulum is swinging back. By focusing on what makes driving fun and engaging, they\u2019re carving out a niche that\u2019s increasingly rare in the EV era.<\/p>\n

What can drivers expect from the next wave of Alpine sports cars?<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in the market for a car that puts you at the center of the action, Alpine\u2019s next-gen lineup is worth watching. The new A110 will debut with a bespoke, button-heavy cockpit, a low and lithe chassis, and a design that honors its heritage without feeling stuck in the past. And this philosophy will trickle down to other models, including the upcoming A310 2+2.<\/p>\n

The big takeaway? Alpine\u2019s vision for the future isn\u2019t about perfection\u2014it\u2019s about smarter adjustments. Start with one change this week, and you\u2019ll likely spot the difference by month\u2019s end. Whether you\u2019re a die-hard enthusiast or just someone who appreciates a car that feels alive in your hands, Alpine\u2019s analog approach to the electric age might just be the breath of fresh air the industry needs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"13<\/a><\/p>\n

\n Current A110’s cockpit majors on physical controls and the next car will follow suit<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Sporting brand will major on analogue over digital tech in upcoming models as “it’s not the car that drives you”<\/p>\n

\n

The next-generation Alpine A110<\/a> will introduce a new driver-focused cockpit design majoring on physical controls, which will then be rolled out to all of its models.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The third-generation A110, due to launch next year with exclusively electric power and previewed below, will be the brand’s first model to feature a completely bespoke interior, rather than one adapted from sibling brand Renault<\/a>‘s cars – and the company will major on analogue switchgear over digital controls.<\/p>\n

Alpine design boss Antony Villain spoke to reporters as the brand’s new A390<\/a> SUV made its debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed<\/a>, and said that the brand will emphasise the importance of driver engagement and minimise distraction with its next-gen cabins.<\/p>\n

“Starting on the future A110 we will enter a new generation of cockpit that will be really, really new. We’ll stay with the same ingredients, but we push further. Once again, we are now building something really strong and this will be developed on all the cars that are coming.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The Alpine A290<\/a> hot hatchback is based on the Renault 5<\/a> and so largely shares that car’s cockpit, with a large wraparound digital display on the dashboard, while the A390 has a similar set-up to the Renault M\u00e9gane E-Tech<\/a>, with most functions controlled by a 12in portrait touchscreen.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Villain acknowledged that such screens are the norm now, because “customers want technology on purpose”, but said Alpine’s more driver-focused cars need a more traditional and physical approach. “So we’ll have a lot of physical button mixing with minimal digital things.”<\/p>\n

“Of course there is this trend of having screens everywhere, but to be honest, when you want to focus on driving, you don’t really focus on screens. You need to have instinctive access to every crucial function,” he said.<\/p>\n

“But you have also an emotional relation with the machine, and you control the machines – it’s not the screens controlling the machine.<\/p>\n

“When you buy a sports car, you want to be in control. You don’t want the car to start itself. You want to master the car. You want to start the car. You have your ritual. You want to set your things.\u00a0<\/p>\n

“It’s not the car that drives you and controls you, it’s the opposite.”<\/p>\n

Villain also gave some more clues as to the final design of the electric A110, revealing that “there are no retro cues”, unlike the current car which is heavily inspired by the 1960s A110.\u00a0<\/p>\n

There will, however, be “all the codes of the A110” so it is recognisable as the descendant of today’s mid-engined car – the quad headlights and squat, mid-engined silhouette being cited as key examples. However, the “form language” he said, will be more closely related to the A390 – so expect a sharply pointed nose, a swooping roofline and swollen arches to be among its defining characteristics.<\/p>\n

Villain emphasised that the electric A110 will be no taller than the outgoing petrol car, hinting that it will not have its battery under the floor as is conventional with EVs – but perhaps behind the seats for optimal weight distribution, or arranged in a T-shape like the Maserati Granturismo Folgore<\/a>.<\/p>\n

“We’ll keep it super low. It’s super important that we keep it low.”<\/p>\n

Villain refused to be drawn on when the wraps will come off the electric A110, following the recent release of the first official preview image, but the current ICE car has only months left in production and it is likely the company will look to minimise the length of time its halo product is off the market.<\/p>\n

Company bosses earlier confirmed that \u2013 as well as being as low as the current car \u2013\u00a0the new A110\u00a0will also be lighter than its combustion-engined rivals, despite the switch to EV.<\/p>\n

Outgoing\u00a0Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo told Autocar that the company had made a \u201cnot rational\u201d decision to \u201cinvest a lot of money\u201d in a bespoke electric sports car platform for the next A110 and its\u00a0derivatives \u2013 including a\u00a02+2 version called the\u00a0A310<\/a> \u2013 but it had \u201clooked at Porsche<\/a> for inspiration\u201d in how to successfully build a sports brand.<\/p>\n

\u201cPorsche has the 911<\/a> [platform] as their own, and then they use others [VW Group\u00a0architectures] for the likes of the Taycan<\/a> and\u00a0Cayenne<\/a>. You keep the heart then as very true to the brand,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

To that end, the Alpine sports car platform \u2013 called APP \u2013 will be uncompromising in its purpose to root the French\u00a0brand\u00a0in performance models, which then lends credibility to its more lifestyle-focused mainstream models, such as\u00a0the new\u00a0A390.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe next A110 will be lighter than a comparable car with a combustion engine but with no compromise in performance,\u201d said de Meo.<\/p>\n

He added that making the bespoke architecture was objectively \u201ca completely stupid decision\u201d due to the likely return on investment in pure sales terms. A planned tie-up with Lotus on the architecture fell through<\/a> but Alpine places such importance on bona fide sports cars that it has continued\u00a0development by itself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Alpine has experimented with lightweight electric models previously, such as with the A110 E-ternit\u00e9\u00a0concept<\/a>, an electric conversion of the current A110 that just undercut the\u00a0Porsche 718 Boxster<\/a> at 1400kg.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":65917,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-65916","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-featured","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65916","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=65916"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/65916\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/65917"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=65916"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=65916"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=65916"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}