The sports car too unsafe for sale in Australia goes into service for the French police.
Alpine has produced a bespoke version of its A110 sports car specifically for rapid-response teams of the French gendarmerie.
The limited-run model has been equipped by Durisotti, a French firm that specialises in the conversion of commercial vehicles.
Each A110 is kitted out with a bespoke emergency service livery, reflective front and rear decals and a blue flashing light on its roof. The cars are equipped with the same 1.8-litre four cylinder engine as the standard car, producing 188kW of power.
Inside, the model gains a host of specialist equipment, including a police radio and a bespoke tablet for all emergency needs.
Alpine says the cars will “contribute to the modernisation and rejuvenation of the automobile fleet of the police forces.”
The A110 cars will be used by rapid-response teams and will be deployed when pursuing high-speed offences or as part of road safety missions.
Just 26 models will be built over the next four years, with two dedicated to rapid-response training. The first deliveries are expected in early 2022 to different units of the gendarmerie.
It’s not the first time a sporty Renault Group model has been used as a bespoke police car. The company’s history with the Rapid Intervention Brigade (BRI) extends as far back as 1966, when the original A110 marked the first-ever Rapid Intervention Brigade vehicle in the country.
Since then, the Alpine A310 and Renault 18 Turbo, 21 Turbo, Mégane IDE, and Mégane III RS have all received their own emergency service model.
Other countries around the world also deploy sports cars as part of the police fleet. The Dubai Police Force alone has several performance models at its disposal to patrol tourist areas, including the Aston Martin One-77, the Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari FF and Lamborghini Aventador, as well as a host of McLaren and Mercedes-AMG models.
Jack Warrick