The Alpine A110 R Ultime is priced at $125,000 more than the Cayman GT4 RS, yet it still falls short in performance at the Nürburgring. | Carscoops

      The hardcore variant of the soon-to-be-discontinued French sports car completed a lap of the Nordschleife in 7 minutes and 15 seconds.

      Alpine claims that its A110 R Ultime can navigate the 12.9-mile Nürburgring in 7 minutes and 15 seconds.

      This Ultime model is 20 seconds quicker than the standard R, yet it remains 6 seconds slower than the GT4 RS.

      With enhanced aerodynamics and an increase in power, track performance rises, but the cost is a supercar-like $290k.

      When Alpine unveiled the A110 R Ultime last fall, the standout figure was the staggering €265k ($290k) MSRP, which can escalate to €330k ($360k) if you're drawn to premium paint options. Now, however, we have two additional numbers to focus on—the 7 minute 15 second time achieved by the Ultime around the Nürburgring, and the 20 seconds it surpasses the regular R by.

      That time, though, is not officially verified, as Alpine did not provide a complete lap time. It’s an approximation derived from Alpine's assertion that the Ultime is 20 seconds faster than the A110 R, along with the 7:35 lap time recorded by the German magazine Sport Auto for the standard model.

      Given the price, we anticipated that Alpine would deliver something exceptional in terms of performance, and we are indeed impressed with the Ultime’s enhancements over the R's Nürburgring statistics. However, it is unfortunate for Alpine's credibility, as it aspires to be France’s equivalent to Porsche, that the Ultime still falls about 6 seconds short of the €159,000 ($164,200) Porsche Cayman 718 GT4 RS, which clocked in at 7:09.3, and then managed 7:03.121 with the optional $53,946 Manthey kit for the full 20.832 km Nürburgring lap.

      It is also important to mention that Alpine has not specified whether its lap time was on the complete 20.832 km circuit or the shorter 20.6 km version of the Nürburgring. If it was on the latter, the Porsche’s lead increases, as it completed the shorter course in 7:04.511, making it 11 seconds faster than the Ultime.

      So, what precisely has Alpine modified on the €105k ($108k) A110 R to enhance the Ultime’s speed and elevate its price? Essentially, it remains the same car and still possesses a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine.

      However, a larger turbo increases power from 297 hp (300 PS) to 340 hp (345 PS) and adds 59 lb-ft (80 Nm) of torque for a total of 310 lb-ft (420 Nm), though this is contingent on using 102-octane fuel. That represents significantly less power than the 493 hp (500 PS) delivered by the GT4 RS, so credit goes to the Ultime for nearly keeping pace with the GT4 RS at the Nürburgring.

      A modified six-speed paddle-shift transmission channels that extra power and reduces the 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) time from 3.9 seconds to 3.8 seconds. This improvement is aided by increased use of carbon fiber in the body, which must help lower the curb weight beneath 2,425 lbs (1,100 kg), although Alpine has yet to disclose the exact figure.

      What truly aided the Ultime in converting its better power-to-weight ratio into impressive lap times at the 12.9-mile (20.8 km) Nürburgring is the upgraded chassis and aerodynamic package. Features like AP racing brakes, Ohlins TTX dampers, Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, and a rear wing producing 353 lbs (160 kg) of downforce contribute to its speed. Alpine plans to produce only 110 units, which include 30 La Bleue versions with a special graduated blue paint finish.

      Are you astonished by how quickly the Alpine performs considering its relatively low power output, or are you disappointed that it is still slower than the GT4 RS, which is priced tens of thousands less? Share your thoughts in the comments below.