Special Edition Alpine A110 Is Way Cooler Than A Porsche Cayman

This year, Alpine is celebrating the 100th birthday of its founder, Jean Redele. To commemorate the occasion, Alpine has debuted the A110 GT J. Redele, a special edition based on the existing Alpine A110. If you’re out of the loop, the A110 is a mid-engine sports car offered over in Europe designed to undercut the Porsche Cayman. The top-tier S model starts at around $76,000 MSRP depending on where in the EU you reside, but the base A110 is around $60,000.

That’s almost identical to the Cayman’s $60,500 base price (but a far cry from the Cayman GT4 RS). For that, buyers get a turbo-four mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch that’ll both drive the rear wheels and produce 295 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. Why not use the S model for the special edition? Great question, we don’t know either.

Only 100 will be built, and Alpine says the J. Redele features a color the founder of Alpine was rather fond of: Montbello Grey. There’s also a black roof, not unlike the new Nissan Z. Alpine calls the 18-inch wheels “Grand Prix” wheels, which sit over exclusive silver brake calipers, there to match with the Montbello Grey paint. It’s a very subtle look and a far cry from some of the more exciting blues and oranges offered by Alpine on standard models.

Inside, things are similarly subtle. Each car will come equipped with black leather throughout. That’s mixed in with some grey stitching to contrast, which again matches the exterior of the mid-engine sports car. There’s also a plaque, because what’s a special edition car without one? On it, you’ll find your car’s build number and Redele’s signature etched into the metal.

Alpine unveiled the special edition at an event in its hometown of Dieppe, France where over 1,000 Alpine models gathered to commemorate Redele’s 100th birthday. One of the A110 J. Redele cars led a parade through the small French commune. On reaching their destination, spectators and parade participants watched as Redele’s wife, Michelle, received the keys to the first one.

On Sunday, visitors to the celebration were able to watch Alpine F1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Esteban Ocon, himself a Frenchman, compete in the Monaco Grand Prix. The pairing has made Alpine a solid midfield success, with Alonso taking home 7th and Ocon bringing home 12th. While Alpine doesn’t quote a price for the special edition A110 just yet, customers can place orders via the Alpine app starting today, June 1.