Alpine A110 vs BMW M440I

What's the difference?

Don't let the overall score fool you. The Alpine A110 is an instant classic. While practicality, safety and ownership costs don't set the world on fire, it delivers a driving experience that makes everything right with the world every time you get behind the wheel.

BMW has once again delivered a supremely enjoyable sports car with its new 2021 4 Series.

Sure, it might have love-it or hate-it styling, but those that dismiss the 4 Series based solely on looks are missing out on a wonderful driving experience.

With the base 420i offering all the style in a relatively affordable pricetag, while the all-wheel-drive grip of the M440i adds extra assurance at a more premium price, BMW's new 4 Series should cater to anyone looking for a premium sports coupe.

The final example of the original Alpine A110 rolled out of the Dieppe plant in 1977, and despite more than four decades separating it from this newcomer, the 2019 A110 is effectively a new-generation version.

Much more than a tip of the hat to a special predecessor, the new A110 perfectly updates the distinctive, purposeful look of its not-so-ancient ancestor.

In fact, head of the A110 design team, Antony Villain says, "We wondered; if the A110 never went away, if this new car was the sixth or seventh generation A110, what would it look like?"

Appropriately finished in a very French shade of 'Alpine Blue', our test example was one of 60 'Australian Premiere Edition' cars, and the design is full of intriguing details.

At just under 4.2m long, 1.8m wide, and only a touch over 1.2m high the two-seat A110 is compact to say the least.

It's raked LED headlights and round fog lights are recessed into the markedly curved nose in a complete and unabashed reload, with circular LED DRLs accentuating the throwback effect.

The overall look of the carefully scalloped bonnet is also familiar, with a huge under-bumper grille and side ducts creating an air curtain along the front wheel wells to finish off the treatment with a focused, technical touch.

A steeply raked windscreen runs up to a small turret with a broad channel running down its entre, and the flanks are narrowed by a lengthy, aero-influenced indent.

A case study in tightly wrapped surfacing, the rear-end is equally taut, with elements like 'X-shaped' LED tail-lights, tightly curved rear screen, single central exhaust outlet and aggressive diffuser continuing the expressive design theme.

Aero efficiency is a major influence, and as well as the diffuser careful inspection of the rear side window reveals a neat duct at its trailing-edge funnelling air to the mid/rear-mounted engine, and the underbody is smoothed near flat. An overall drag co-efficient of 0.32 is impressive for such a small car.

The A110 also proudly wears its French heart on its sleeve, with an enamel version of Le Tricolore attached to the C-pillar (and various points around the interior).

Eighteen-inch Otto Fuchs forged alloy rims fit the car's style and proportions perfectly with body-colour matching blue brake calipers poking through the delicate split-spoke design.

The interior is all business with racy Sabelt one-piece bucket seats setting the tone. Trimmed in a combination of quilted leather and microfibre (which extends to the doors) they are separated by a floating, flying buttress-style console housing key controls above and a storage tray (including multi-media inputs) below.

Highlights include cool body-colour panels in the doors, a Ferrari-like push-button gear selection set-up, slender alloy manual shift paddles attached to the steering column (not the wheel), matt carbon-fibre accents on the console and around the circular air vents, and a 10.0-inch TFT digital instrument cluster (which morphs to suit Normal, Sport or Track modes).

The A110's chassis and body are made from aluminium, with a brushed form of that material adorning everything from the pedals and perforated passenger footrest to multiple dash trim pieces.

Quality and attention to detail is outstanding to the point that just getting in the car feels like a special occasion. Every time.

Let’s get this out of the way. The 2021 BMW 4 Series is not an ugly car, despite what you may think from the press photos found online.

Is it to everyone’s tastes? Of course not, but I find the gaudy, in-your-face gold-on-black that is Versace’s signature styling a little gross … so your milage will definitely vary on the 4 Series like mine does with high-end fashion.

In person, that grille is nowhere near as overwhelming as pictures may have led you to believe, and blends in very nicely with the aggressive and muscular front end of the 4 Series.

In profile, the high shoulder line and slim glasshouse add to the sportiness, as does the sloping roofline and butch rear haunches.

The rear though, is arguably the 4 Series best exterior angle, as the pinched bumper, wraparound tail-lights, large exhaust outlets and subtle rear diffuser combine well for a properly sporty and premium look.

All Australian-spec cars come with the M Sport package, meaning a full bodykit, and 19-inch wheels to make even the boggo 420i look aggressive on the road.

Does it work? Well if it wasn’t wearing a BMW badge then it might not get away with this ostentatious styling, but being a big premium player, we think the 4 Series gets away with being as brash and in-your-face as it is.

We actually love that BMW has taken a risk with the 4 Series’ aesthetics and is willing to push the envelope because, after all, it could have just looked like the 3 Series sans-two doors, and that’s just a bit too safe, isn’t it?

Inside, the 4 Series is familiar BMW territory, which means a thick-rimmed steering wheel, glossy shifter and brushed metal accents, as well as high-quality materials throughout.

The dashboard-integrated multimedia system is a particularly nice touch, as are the metal accents that separate the lower and upper halves of the cabin.

So, is there anything interesting about the design? Absolutely. It’s got the internet talking more than usual and will no doubt draw the eye of those wanting to stand out from the often-samey crowd of German sports cars.

Practicality is the oil to a two-seat sports car's water. If you want day-to-day functionality, look elsewhere. Quite rightly, the Alpine A110 puts driver engagement at the top of the priority list.

That said, with limited real estate to work with the car's development team has made it liveable, with a surprising amount of boot space included, and modest storage options snuck in around the cabin.

The heavily-bolstered, high-sided sports seats, necessitate use of the 'one hand on the A-pillar and swing in/out' technique for entry and exit, which won't suit everyone. And once inside several things are missing.

Glove box? No. If you need to refer to the owner's manual or grab the service book, they're housed in a small satchel attached to the bulkhead behind the driver's seat.

Door pockets? Forget it. Cupholders? Well, there's one, it's tiny, and located between the seats where only a double-joined circus contortionist could reach it.

There is a long storage bin under the centre console, which is helpful, although it's hard to reach in and actually extract things placed in it. Media inputs run to two USBs, an 'aux-in' and an SD card slot, but their location at the front of that lower storage area is tricky, and there's a 12-volt outlet just in front of the unreachable cupholder.

However, if you and a passenger want to head off on a weekend road trip, amazingly, you can take some luggage with you. With the engine located between the axles there's room for a 96-litre boot at the front and a 100-litre boot at the rear.

We managed to fit the middle (68-litre) hard suitcase from our three-piece set (35, 68 and 105 litres) in the broad but relatively shallow front boot, while the wider, deeper, but shorter rear boot is best for soft bags.

Another missing item is a spare tyre, with a neatly packaged repair/inflator kit your only option in the case of a puncture.

Measuring 4768mm long, 1842mm wide, 1383mm tall and with a 2851mm wheelbase, the 2021 BMW 4 Series certainly looks commanding on the road, and the generous proportions do well for interior space too.

Of note though, the M440i is slightly longer (4770mm), wider (1852mm) and taller (1393mm) than the 420i and 430i, but the slight variance doesn’t translate to any perceivable difference in practicality.

Up front, there is plenty of space for driver and passenger, with a wide array of seat adjustability offering nearly the perfect position for nearly everyone regardless of shape or size.

Storage options include a generous door pocket with separate bottle holder, large central storage cubby, generous glove box, and two cupholders sited between the shifter and climate controls.

We love that the wireless smartphone charger is tucked well away just ahead of the cupholders, meaning you don’t have to worry about keys or loose change scratching up your screen, and it doesn’t eat into any of the other storage options around the cabin.

Being a coupe, you wouldn’t expect heaps of room in the second row, and the BMW 4 Series certainly doesn’t defy expectations in this regard.

Adult passengers can get in the back easy enough, thanks to auto-folding front seats, but once there, head- and shoulder-room can be a bit tight, while legroom is dependent on the height of front passengers.

We’ve certainly been in worse back seats though, and the deeply recessed seats help alleviate some of the headroom issues, but its not a space for the claustrophobic.

Open the boot and the 4 Series will swallow up to 440 litres of volume and, thanks to the wide space, can easily accommodate a set of golf clubs or weekend luggage for two.

The second row is divided 40:20:40, so you can fold down the middle to transport skis (or timber from Bunnings) while still ferrying four.

Folding the rear seats down will increase your cargo volume, but the aperture between the boot and cabin is quite small, so you might want to keep that in mind before heading to Ikea.

BMW’s new 4 Series range is available in three flavours, kicking off with the 420i for $70,900 before on-road costs, which is powered by a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine (more on that below).

Standard equipment includes sport seats, LED headlights, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, push-button start, automatic wipers, Alcantara/Sensetec (vinyl-like) interior trim, three-zone climate control and 10-speaker sound system, but it’s the inclusion of an M Sport package and 19-inch wheels that really elevate the look of the new 4 Series to a real sporty model.

The latter two were options in the previous generation, but so many customers (we’re told close to 90%) opted for the sportier looks that BMW just decided to bundle them into the asking price.

The 420i also comes fitted with a 10.25-inch touchscreen multimedia system that includes digital radio, satellite navigation, wireless smartphone charger, and wireless Apple CarPlay AND Android Auto (finally some love for Samsung owners!).

It’s remarkable then, that the new 420i is actually almost $4100 cheaper than the model it replaces, while also boasting more equipment, safety and torque.

Stepping up to the 430i increases pricing to $88,900 ($6400 pricier than before), while also adding more equipment such as adaptive dampers, keyless entry, surround-view camera, M Sport brakes, leather interior and active cruise control.

Outputs from the 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine are also increased in the 430i (again, more below).

The current king of the 4 Series range until the M4 lands early next year is the M440i, priced at $116,900, but includes a 3.0-litre inline six-cylinder engine and all-wheel-drive grip.

On the outside, the M440i can be distinguished by the standard inclusion of BMW’s Laserlight technology, sunroof and heated front seats, as well as ‘Cerium Grey’ colouring for the kidney grille, tailpipe shrouds and side-view mirrors.

Being a German model, there is (of course) a smattering of options available – including remote engine start and a heated steering wheel – but none jump out as crucial or ‘must have’ in any way.

We appreciate that the base 4 Series looks largely the same as its more expensive siblings, while also offering all the key equipment you’d want out of a premium sports coupe in 2020.

The Alpine A110's (M5P) all-alloy 1.8-litre turbo-petrol four-cylinder engine is closely related to the unit found under the bonnet of the Renault Megane R.S.

Alpine has modified the intake manifold, exhaust and overall calibration, but the big difference here is that although it's still transversely mounted, in the Alpine the engine sits in a mid/rear position and drives the rear wheels (rather than in the R.S.'s nose driving the fronts).

Featuring direct injection and a single turbo it produces 185kW at 6000rpm, and 320Nm of torque from 2000-5000rpm, compared to 205kW/390Nm in the Megane R.S. But the Alpine's 356kg weight advantage means it boasts a 169kW/tonne power-to-weight ratio, while the Megane sits at 141kW/tonne.

Drive goes to a Getrag-sourced seven-speed (wet) dual-clutch auto transmission, with Alpine-specific ratios inside.

Both the entry-level and mid-tier 4 Series variants (420i and 430i respectively) are powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.

Under the bonnet of the 420i, the engine produces 135kW/300Nm, while the 430i ups the ante to 190kW/400Nm.

The flagship (at launch) M440i meanwhile, scores a 3.0-litre turbo-petrol inline six delivering 285kW/500Nm.

All three engines are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, with no manual option available on any grade.

The 420i and 430i send drive to the rear wheels, resulting in a zero to 100km/h sprint time of 7.5 and 5.8 seconds respectively, while the all-wheel-drive M440i needs just 4.5s.

Stacked up against its German rivals, the 4 Series offers a decent engine line-up, but doesn’t excel at any level compared to the Audi A5 and Mercedes-Benz C-Class coupe.

Claimed fuel economy for the combined (ADR 81/02 - urban, extra-urban) cycle is 6.2L/100km, the 1.8-litre four emitting 137g/km of CO2 in the process.

Over close to 400km worth of often 'enthusiastic' driving, taking in city, suburban and freeway running we recorded an average of 9.6L/100km.

Definitely a miss, but not bad when you consider we hit the off switch for the standard stop-start system on a consistent basis and regularly took advantage of the accelerator pedal's ability to move towards the floor.

Minimum fuel requirement is 95 RON premium unleaded, and you'll need just 45 litres of it to fill the tank.

Officially, the 420i will sip 6.4 litres per 100km, while the 430i is slightly thirstier at 6.6L/100km.

Both aforementioned 4 Series variants will need 95 RON at the bowser.

The heavier and more potent M440i needs 7.8L/100km, while also using the more expensive 98 RON fuel.

We only drove through Melbourne country roads in our brief time with all three grades of the 4 Series and could not ascertain a reliable fuel economy figure.

Our driving did not cover an extended freeway journey or any inner-city driving, so check back to see if the quoted figures hold up to scrutiny once we get more time with the car.

Weighing at just 1094kg (target weight was 1100kg), with a 44:56 front-to-rear weight distribution, the all-aluminium A110 is every millimetre the mini-supercar you'd hope it to be.

It only takes two to three rotations of the Alpine's wheels to realise it's exceptional. The Sabelt seat is superb, the chunky steering wheel perfect, and the engine instantly eager to get on with it.

The electro-mechanical power-assisted steering feels just right from the first corner. The rack is quick and road feel is intimate without the crashy feedback penalty paid by the Alfa 4C.

Engage launch control and you're blasting from 0-100km/h 4.5sec, with the engine adding a suitably raucous backing track, a full charge of air rasping through the inlet manifold just behind your ears. Spinning up to the close to 7000rpm rev ceiling is pure pleasure, with peak torque available from just 2000rpm all the way to five grand.

Pressing the wheel-mounted 'Sport' button sharpens gearshifts and holds low ratios for longer, with the already slick dual-clutch really getting its race face on. Hold in the down lever in manual mode and the transmission will instantly shift through to the lowest gear engine revs will allow, the Active-valve sports exhaust chipping in with rude pops and bangs on the over-run. 'Track' mode is even more hardcore, allowing a greater element of slip in cornering. Brilliant.

The engine's mid/rear location delivers a low roll-centre and the double wishbone suspension set-up (front and rear) manages to combine super-sharp dynamic response with a surprisingly civilised ride.

Alpine says the A110's light weight and ultra-rigid chassis mean its coil springs can be reasonably soft and anti-roll bars light so even our truly ordinary urban blacktop doesn't cause too much distress.

The A110 is beautifully balanced, amazingly agile, and satisfyingly precise. Weight transfer in quick cornering is managed to perfection, the car remaining stable, predictable and hugely entertaining.

Grip from the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 rubber (205/40 fr - 235/40 rr) is tenacious, and the torque vectoring system (by braking) quietly keeps things pointing in the right direction if an over-zealous pilot begins to overstep the mark.

Despite the A110's modest kerb weight braking is professional grade. Brembo provides ventilated 320mm rotors (front and rear) with four-piston alloy calipers at the front and single-piston floating calipers at the rear. They're progressive, powerful and consistent.

The only downsides are a clumsy multimedia interface, and the annoying lack of a reversing camera. But who cares, this car is amazing.

Anything wearing a BMW badge promises a fun and engaging drive, after all the brand’s tagline used to be the ‘ultimate driving machine’, which is exacerbated in a sporty two-door.

Luckily then, the 4 Series delivers the goods and is a thoroughly enjoyable drive in all three grades.

Taking the already brilliant new-generation 3 Series as a base, BMW has made the 4 Series lower, and added additional stiffening in the front and rear for a taught and agile handling machine.

The rear track is also increased, while the front wheels have more negative camber to help with mid-corner grip.

Though the 420i and 430i might not draw any headlines, they 2.0-litre turbo-petrol pair are fun to steer and precise with their inputs.

The 420i especially doesn’t have the punch to match its aggressive looks, but is perfectly capable at slower speeds and still a delight to tip in a corner.

The 430i meanwhile, delivers more thrills thanks to its more potent engine, but it can get a bit trashy higher in the rev range.

However, the pick of the bunch for us the M440i, not only for its extra spicy engine, but also the assurance of all-wheel drive.

Now it might be sacrilege to some to not have a rear-drive BMW, but the rear-biased xDrive system in the M440i is wonderfully tuned to deliver the same sort of natural driving characteristic of a two-wheel-drive model.

Undoubtedly the near-perfect weight distribution helps with this, while the wonderfully low driving position means the whole car feels like it pivots around the driver when turning the wheel.

The M Sport differential in the rear is also great at propelling out you out of the bends, while the adaptive suspension also has great variability between comfort and sport settings.

If we had any criticism with the driving experience? We’d have liked a bit more aural theatre, but BMW have to save the louder pops and crackles for the full-fat M4, right?

A big caveat here though is that we have yet to experience the new 4 Series in a suburban setting, with our launch route taking us directly to some twisty country roads.

We also never got to drive the 4 Series in a freeway setting, meaning all of the driving was done in twisty country roads where you would expect a BMW to excel.

BMW’s 2021 4 Series has not been crash tested by either Euro NCAP or ANCAP, and does not wear an official safety rating.

However, the mechanically related 3 Series sedan was awarded a maximum five-star rating when it was examined in October 2019, but do keep in mind that the child occupant protection scores could vary wildly due to the 4 Series’ coupe shape.

The 3 Series scored 97 per cent for the adult occupant protection test, and 87 per cent for the child occupant exam. Meanwhile, the vulnerable road user protection and safety assist tests yielded an 87 and 77 per cent result respectively.

As standard, the 4 Series is equipped with autonomous emergency braking (AEB), forward collision warning, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, reversing camera, and front and rear parking sensors.

The Alpine A10 is covered by a three-year/100,000km warranty with a twist. According to Alpine, the first two years are covered for unlimited kilometres. And if at the end of the second year total kilometres remain less than 100,000, the warranty continues into a third year (still to an overall cap of 100,000km).

So, you can sail over the 100,000km mark in the warranty's first two years, but that means you won't get a third.

Complimentary roadside-assist is provided for 12 months, continuing for up to four years if your Alpine is regularly serviced at an authorised dealer.

There are currently three dealers only – one each in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane – and service is recommended every 12 months/20,000km, with the first two costing $530 each, and the third ramping up to $1280.

You'll also need to factor in a pollen filter ($89) at two years/20,000km and accessory belt replacement ($319) at four years/60,000km.

Like all new BMW models, the 4 Series comes with a three-year/unlimited kilometre warranty.

However, the benchmark for premium brands belongs to Mercedes-Benz, who offer a five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, while Genesis matches the time period but limits travel to 100,000km.

Scheduled servicing for the 4 Series occurs every 12 months or 16,000km.

At the time of purchase, BMW offers a five-year/80,000 ‘basic’ service package that covers scheduled changing engine oil, filter, spark plugs and brake fluids.

This package costs $1650, which works out to be a very reasonable $330 per service.

A more thorough ‘plus’ plan is also available for $4500 that also covers brake pads/discs, clutch and windscreen wiper replacements over the same five-year/80,000km period.