What's all this then?

This is the Alpine A110 Cup, the racing version of Alpine's new sports car.

Tell me more...

Do you fancy racing at some of the greatest race tracks in Europe, including Silverstone, Paul Ricard and Spa-Francorchamps?

I should say so!

Do you also fancy driving a racing car complete with a 270hp mid-mounted engine, 1,050kg weight, Ohlins racing suspension and Michelin slick tyres?

Yes please!

Do you fancy being one of around only 20 drivers competing in these gorgeous little low-slung cars?

Yes! Yes!

And do you have a spare £90,000 on your person to buy the car. Plus around another £120,000 for the costs of entering the six-race season?

Ah. About that...

Oh, that's a pity. Because that's what you'll need to compete in the A110 Cup. The one-make racing series has just been launched by Renault to mark the arrival on sale of the new sports car. The little mid-engined coupes are being specially engineered by the same Signatech team that runs the Alpine A470 LMP2 Le Mans 24 Hours race cars, and if you're feeling a bit nervous about racing one, the A110 Cup also comes with a six-point racing harness, an automatic fire extinguisher and massive Brembo brakes.

That entry fee gets you into 12 30-minute races (plus practice and qualifying sessions of course) divided over six separate weekends at some of the greatest tracks in European racing.

What do the bosses at Alpine have to say about it?

Bernard Ollivier, Alpine Deputy Managing Director said: "the fact we have created the Alpine A110 Cup and a dedicated competition in which they will compete, the Alpine Europa Cup, is yet further evidence of our love of motor racing. We wanted the A110 Cup to be a genuine race car, a particularly refined machine equipped with high-end features geared towards performance. Alpine Europa Cup competitors will therefore be able to enjoy driving a very beautiful car, which will set new standards in terms of efficiency. The organisation of the competition will also meet Alpine's demanding requirements, featuring rigour and professionalism on the track, but a fun and friendly atmosphere in the paddock. The Alpine Europa Cup will equally be used as a means of reaching out to our community of fans throughout Europe."

Philippe Sinault, Managing Director of Signatech added: "here at Signatech, we are very proud to have been chosen to work on such a comprehensive project. From the design office to the assembly workshop, including the team responsible for organising the Alpine Europa Cup, all of our expertise has been brought to bear in order to comply with the specifications set out by Alpine. The A110 Cup is an uncompromising car as regards its features, with a key objective: provide drivers with lots of enjoyment. This can be seen in many ways, whether you consider perceived quality, the quest for efficiency, ergonomics, etc. Before a field of 20 or so A110 Cups line up at the Circuit Paul Ricard, we still have a lot of work to do, with the development and then production of the cars. It's an exciting challenge, both for Signatech and Alpine."