Ford Mustang vs Alpine A110: two very different sporting greats go head-to-head

If you’re in the market for a coupé right now, what matters most to you? Burly looks or race-car proportions? Brutish performance or delicate handling? A compact footprint or space for the family?

Well as it turns out, whatever floats your two-door boat, there are two near-identically priced options which take very different approaches to the coupé formula.

In the blue corner is the Ford Mustang. This marks the seventh generation of one of the most famous exhibits of American muscle – a true bruiser in all the best possible ways. But now it’s packing more tech and refinements than ever before in order to give the best European sports cars a run for their money.

In the red corner is the Alpine A110. Parked beside one another, it might seem hard to draw any similarities between the two, but look closer and there are more than you might think. As with the Ford, the A110 sports retro design touches that nod to an iconic ancestor. And even if our rivals bring vastly different solutions in how to extract straight-line speed, the end results are remarkably similar.

But does one stand out more when it comes to making driving an enjoyable experience?

Ford Mustang

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It’s always a tough task to reimagine an icon, but that is what Ford has done for the sixth time, in the shape of this new Mk7 Mustang. With buyers easily falling for its predecessor’s looks, the aim was clearly to not tinker with the formula too drastically. The latest model is sharper, more menacing and more angular than the Mk6 generation, but it’s still instantly recognisable as a Mustang.

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At a time when so many cars are using turbos or electrification to improve efficiency, the Mustang has stuck with a big, simple V8 engine, driving the rear wheels only. As before, it’s possible to buy a Coupé model 
or – for £3,500 more – a Convertible.

Tester's notes

The Mustang’s centre console houses what looks like a manual handbrake, but it’s actually electric. By selecting an Electronic Drift Brake mode on the infotainment screen, the rear brake pressure is preloaded so that a tug on the lever locks the back axle to initiate a handbrake turn.

I drove the car on public roads, so I couldn’t put the theory to the test, but I wasn’t keen on the way the lever is sprung. Rather than gradually building resistance like a regular handbrake, it feels initially heavy with little effort needed after.

Alpine A110

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The relaunch of Alpine as a brand was always going to be exciting. Reviving a manufacturer steeped in motorsport excellence and known for producing lightweight sports cars was a stroke of genius by Renault, and with many of RenaultSport’s engineers – responsible for some of the greatest hot hatchbacks ever created – raring to go after the demise of hot Clios and Méganes, we were looking forward to the result.

And it sure didn’t disappoint. The A110 instantly won us over with its fabulous driving experience; that motorsport-like double-wishbone suspension mated to a lightweight chassis makes it feel like it was designed specifically for UK roads. Over the years, the formula has been mildly tweaked and new variants have been launched – as has an endless stream of special editions – but the original formula has been maintained.

Tester's notes

At the top of the range sits the A110 R. Think of it as the GT3 to the standard Porsche 911 range; it removes weight, largely through the use of carbon-fibre parts extending as far as even the wheels, to add more focus.

While it’s firmer-riding than the base A110, there’s an extra layer of sophistication built in. So while it’s a bit firmer to use every day, once it’s on the right road, it’s transformed into a mind-blowingly sharp performance car. It’s expensive, but if you can afford it, it’s definitely worth the extra.

Head-to-head

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On the road
These cars are brilliant to drive in their own very distinct ways. The Ford blends the brutishness of its V8 with a surprising amount of precision, and especially long-distance comfort. The A110 feels so pure, from its steering accuracy, to its agility, to its composure over difficult roads; everything about its chassis feels beautifully judged. At a time when cars are growing ever heavier, the Alpine feels like a wonderful antidote.

Tech highlights
Nowhere are these two cars more different than in their powertrains. The Ford has a front-mounted 5.0-litre V8 producing 440bhp and sending its drive to the back via a six-speed manual gearbox. The capacity of the Alpine’s mid-mounted 1.8-litre engine is less than half that of the Ford’s, but it has turbocharging to compensate. It also weighs a featherweight 1,102kg – that’s a whopping 702kg less than the Mustang.

Price and running
It’s not just the Alpine’s handling that benefits from its low weight, it’s really frugal on fuel, too. When running an A110 on our long-term fleet, we averaged nearly 35mpg – a very impressive figure for a car with the best part of 300bhp. That’s better than the absolute best you can expect from the Ford, which although frugal for a V8 coupé, will generally be averaging an mpg figure in the mid-twenties.

Practicality
There’s a clear winner in this category. Four usable seats, a big boot and plenty of interior storage make the Mustang a genuinely capable four-seat performance car. There are even ISOFIX mounts for fitting child seats in the back. In contrast, Alpine drivers have to compromise much more. There’s strictly only space for two, and while there are front and rear boots, when combined they barely add up to half of the Ford’s volume.

Safety
Neither car has been assessed by Euro NCAP yet. However, safety kit on the Alpine is fairly limited; there’s a couple of airbags, ABS and stability controls, but otherwise it’s down to the driver to keep things pointing in the right direction. The Ford Mustang comes with the latest suite of mandatory safety systems, including speed limit information (plus an alert when the limit is exceeded) and a lane-departure warning.

Ownership
Ford and Alpine’s parent company Renault didn’t fare too well in our 2024 Driver Power owner satisfaction survey, while both cars come with a three-year warranty. The Ford’s fuel bills might not be the cheapest, but it is a car that at least tries to be considerate to your neighbours; a quiet mode avoids a big flare of revs on start-up to avoid bothering anyone on early starts. It’s still loud, though.

Verdict

Winner: Alpine A110

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The A110 remains the benchmark sports car on sale today. Low weight and compact dimensions are becoming ever-more scarce in modern cars, which only serves to further highlight the Alpine’s strengths of sublime handling and composed ride.

But it’s the feedback from all of the controls that helps to make any drive feel truly special. Better still, low running costs and strong residuals offer sensible reasons to back up its huge desirability, too. The A110 isn’t long for this world in petrol form, so our advice is very simple: go out and buy one while you still can.

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Runner-up: Ford Mustang

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These two coupés take very different approaches, but we feel that the A110 hits its brief ever so slightly better than the Mustang does. Despite this, the Ford is very easy to fall for, and there’s so much to appreciate.

Few other new cars offer such personality from their engines, with a soundtrack that’ll make you question if there’s any point having a radio at all. However, that Mustang signature feature is backed up here by a chassis that offers both sophistication and comfort. Throw in two usable back seats and a big boot, and it’ll be an absolute joy to live with.

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